Sir Gilbert Hawkesby was, on the whole, a good-tempered man; but he was liable to sudden outbursts of anger of a violent kind.

Lady Hawkesby knew this, and always bowed meekly to the storm.

His butler knew it, and felt no resentment when he was called an incompetent fool.

The barristers who practised their art in his court knew it, and always gave up pressing objectionable points on his notice when they recognised the early signs of approaching indignation.

The butler and the barristers, not Lady Hawkesby, admitted that the judge's anger was invariably justified.