‘From Scotland, sir,’ I replied.
‘A native of Scotland—a—humph—eh—how is it?’
‘I am an Englishman by birth, sir.’
‘Right—aye—yes, you are so. But pray, Mr. Darsie Latimer, have you always been called by that name, or have you any other?—Nick, write down his answers, Nick.’
‘As far as I remember, I never bore any other,’ was my answer.
‘How, no? well, I should not have thought so, Hey, neighbour, would you?’
Here he looked towards the other squire, who had thrown himself into a chair; and, with his legs stretched out before him, and his arms folded on his bosom, seemed carelessly attending to what was going forward. He answered the appeal of the Justice by saying, that perhaps the young man’s memory did not go back to a very early period.
‘Ah—eh—ha—you hear the gentleman. Pray, how far may your memory be pleased to run back to?—umph?’
‘Perhaps, sir, to the age of three years, or a little further.’
‘And will you presume to say, sir,’ said the squire, drawing himself suddenly erect in his seat, and exerting the strength of his powerful voice, ‘that you then bore your present name?’