The sheriff continued,—
"In this situation, and before prolonging the torture, a second summons to answer and to speak has been made you by me, sheriff of the county of Surrey, and you have satanically kept silent, though under torture, chains, shackles, fetters, and irons."
"Attachiamenta legalia," said the serjeant.
"On your refusal and contumacy," said the sheriff, "it being right that the obstinacy of the law should equal the obstinacy of the criminal, the proof has been continued according to the edicts and texts. The first day you were given nothing to eat or drink."
"Hoc est superjejunare," said the serjeant.
There was silence, the awful hiss of the man's breathing was heard from under the heap of stones.
The serjeant-at-law completed his quotation.
"Adde augmentum abstinentiæ ciborum diminutione. Consuetudo brittanica, art. 504."
The two men, the sheriff and the serjeant, alternated. Nothing could be more dreary than their imperturbable monotony. The mournful voice responded to the ominous voice; it might be said that the priest and the deacon of punishment were celebrating the savage mass of the law.
The sheriff resumed,—