Page:Paul Clifford Vol 1.djvu/173

Rh "It is all very true," said Justice Burnflat; "but as your wife, my good fellow, will be out in five days, it will be scarcely worth while to release her now."

So judicious a decision could not fail of satisfying the husband; and the audience became from that moment enlightened as to a very remarkable truth—viz.; that five days out of seven bear a peculiarly small proportion to the remaining two; and that people in England have so prodigious a love for punishment, that though it is not worth while to release an innocent woman from prison five days sooner than one would otherwise have done, it is exceedingly well worth while to commit her to prison for seven!

When the husband, drawing his rough hand across his eyes, and muttering some vulgar impertinence or another, had withdrawn, Mr. Saunders said,—

"Here be Bill Troutling, your Worship!"

"Oh, well," quoth the Justice,—"and now Mr. Eustace Fitz—Hollo, how's this! where are