“Well, gentlemen,” replied the doctor, “I have heard of many 'wise saws and modern instances,' but—”
“What do you mean, sir?” said Sir Spigot. “Another insult! You asserted, sir, already, that Mr. Coke's decision had teeth—”
“But I admitted my error,” replied the other.
“And now you mean to insinuate, I suppose, that his worship's saws are handsaws. You are fined another half-crown, sir, for the handsaw.”
“And another,” said Coke, “for the gum arabic.”
The doctor fearing that the fines would increase thick and threefold, forthwith paid them all, and retired indignantly from the court.
And thus was the author of certainly one of the most beautiful translations in any language, at least in his own opinion, treated by these two worthy administrators of the law. (* A fact.)