Part 2 (2/2)

_J. N_. Londoner, eh?

_Pot_. Yes, my lord; that is, he meant Londoner.

_J. N_. You mustn't say what he meant, you must say what you heard him say.

_Pot_. Capital, my lord.

_J. N_. I see; (_writing_). The last dweller in the metropolis.

_Pot_. Capital, my lord.

_J. N_. Yes, exactly; that's just what I've written--this metropolis.

_Pot_. He said capital, my lord.

_Mr. H_. Capital, the witness says, my lord.

_J. N_. Well, doesn't that mean the same thing? I tell you I've got it down accurately.

_J. F_. (_who has been looking from one to the other with an amused_ _smile, now says as if he were thinking aloud_:) Well, I _am_ d.a.m.ned!

what a set of fools!

_J. N_. What is that you said, sir? Have you no sense of decency, sir?

Are you pleading, or are you not pleading? I have a great mind to have you removed.

_J. F_. (_laughing_). Oh, by all means remove me! I didn't ask to be here. Only look here, I could set you right in three minutes if you only let me.

_J. N_. Do you want to ask the witness anything? If not, sir, hold your tongue, sir. No, sir; don't speak, sir. I can see that you are meditating bullying me; let me advise you, sir, not to try it.

_Mr. H_. (_to_ POT.) Was that the only occasion on which you heard him speaking?

_Pot_. No; I have heard him speaking in Hyde Park and saying much the same thing, and calling Mr. Justice Nupkins a d.a.m.ned old fool!

_J. N_. (_writing_). ”A d.a.m.ned old fool!” Anything else?

_Pot_. A blasted old cheat!

_J. N_. (_writing_). ”A blasted old cheat!” (_Cheerfully_) Go on.

_Pot_. Another time he was talking in a public-house with two men whom I understood to be members of the Fabian League. He was having words with them, and one of them said, ”Ah, but you forget the rent of ability”; and he said, ”d.a.m.n the rent of ability, I will smash their rents of abilities.”

_Mr. H_. Did you know what that meant?

_Pot_. No; not then.

_Mr. H_. But you do now?

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