I would not, for the world, give Lady Bassett pain; but Sir Charles and his counsel have extorted the truth from me.

Her ladyship did open a correspondence with me, and a friendly one.
_The Plaintiff's Counsel._--Will your lordship ask whether that was after the defendant had written the libel?
The question was put, and answered in the affirmative.
Lady Bassett hid her face in her hands.

Sir Charles saw the movement, and groaned aloud.
_The Judge._--I beg the case may not be encumbered with irrelevant matter.
Counsel replied that the correspondence would be made evidence in the case.

_( To the witness.)_--"You wrote this letter to Lady Bassett ?" "Yes." "And every word in it ?" "And every word in it," faltered Bassett, now ashy pale, for he began to see the trap.
"Then you wrote this word 'character,' and this word 'injured,' and this word--" _The Judge_ (peevishly) .-- He tells you he wrote every word in those letters to Lady Bassett .-- What more would you have?
_Counsel._--If your lordship will be good enough to examine the correspondence, and compare those words in it I have underlined with the same words in the anonymous letter, you will perhaps find I know my business better than you seem to think.

(The counsel who ventured on this remonstrance was a sergeant.) "Brother Eitherside," said the judge, with a charming manner, "you satisfied me of that, to my cost, long ago, whenever I had you against me in a case.