Ernest had even greater difficulty in making a clean breast
of this than he had had in telling us about Miss Maitland, but he told
us all, and the upshot was that he had actually handed over to Pryer
every halfpenny that he then possessed with no other security than
Pryers I.O.U.'s for the amount. Ernest, though still declining to
believe that Pryer could be guilty of dishonourable conduct, was
becoming alive to the folly of what he had been doing; he still made
sure, however, of recovering, at any rate, the greater part of his
property as soon as Pryer should have had time to sell. Towneley and I
were of a different opinion, but we did not say what we thought.
It was dreary work waiting all the morning amid such unfamiliar
and depressing surroundings. I thought how the Psalmist had
exclaimed with quiet irony, "One day in thy courts is better than a
thousand," and I thought that I could utter a very similar sentiment
in respect of the courts in which Towneley and I were compelled to
loiter. At last, about three o'clock the case was called on, and we
went round to the part of the court which is reserved for the
general public, while Ernest was taken into the prisoner's dock.
Pages:
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465