“How do you know he is innocent?” said the lawyer.
“He says he is innocent!” said Bill.
The lawyer smiled—but did not speak.
“You think he is not innocent?” said my friend. “I know he is—Bob Merry could not steal, any more than a cow could climb a tree; he wan’t brought up to’t, and he han’t got a turn for it. Why, Robert was eddicated a gentleman, and he never could draw a mug of cider without spillin’ half on’t! And now, arter he’s bin in New York less than a fortnit, you make him out an accomplished rogue. I ax your pardon, mister, but it don’t stand to reason, that an honest boy becomes a thief just as a pollywog turns into a frog.”
“Can you prove his innocence?” said the lawyer, dryly.
“Prove it!” said Bill, indignantly: “hav’nt I proved it? Don’t he say he’s innocent? Don’t I know he’s innocent? Prove it, to be sure! Pray, mister, what do you take me for?”
“I take you to be a very honest fellow, but very ignorant of these matters,” said the lawyer. “The question is not whether your friend is innocent,”—
Here Bill opened his eyes, and drew the edges of his lips into a circle. The lawyer proceeded,—
“The question is not whether your friend is innocent; but, it is whether you can prove him to be so. If you can bring forward witnesses to swear that he was in another place, and, therefore, could not have committed the crime charged; and, if you can make the judge believe this, and if you can pay the expenses of the court, and the fees of the lawyers, we can get him out—not otherwise.”
This was said in a manner so cold and yet so decisive, as to discourage Bill; so he took his hat and went away. But he did not abandon his project here. After walking about for some time, considering what was to be done, he went to the court-room, with the intention of appealing to the judge. When he got there, however, he was abashed by the imposing aspect of the scene. The judge, sitting upon his bench, high above the rest, appearing to be regarded with awe by the lawyers, and other persons around, was too formidable a personage to be readily approached, even by one who paid so little respect to outward circumstances as Bill Keeler. He therefore paused, and his attention was soon absorbed by the trial that was going forward.