As he was used
to practice at the assizes of course he was able to domineer. This
juror would not do, nor that. The chairman was all wrong in his
law. The officers of the Court knew nothing about it. At first
there was quite a triumph for the Scrobbyites, and even Nickem
himself was frightened. But at last the real case was allowed to
begin, and Goarly was soon in the witness-box. Goarly did not seem
to enjoy the day, and was with difficulty got to tell his own story
even on his own side. But the story when it was told was simple
enough. He had met Mr. Scrobby accidentally in Rufford and they two
had together discussed the affairs of the young Lord. They came to
an agreement that the young Lord was a tyrant and ought to be put
down, and Scrobby showed how it was to be done. Scrobby instigated
the action about the pheasants, and undertook to pay the expenses
if Goarly would act in the other little matter. But, when he found
that the Senator's money was forthcoming, he had been anything but
as good as his word. Goarly swore that in hard cash he had never
seen more than four shillings of Scrobby's money. As to the poison,
Goarly declared that he knew nothing about it; but he certainly had
received a parcel of herrings from Scrobby's own hands, and in
obedience to Scrobby's directions, had laid them down in
Dillsborough Wood the very morning on which the hounds had come
there.
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