Pagina 136 di 896

This much, Jerry, with his head becoming more and more spiky as

the law terms bristled it, made out with huge satisfaction, and

so arrived circuitously at the understanding that the aforesaid,

and over and over again aforesaid, Charles Darnay, stood there

before him upon his trial; that the jury were swearing in; and

that Mr. Attorney-General was making ready to speak.

The accused, who was (and who knew he was) being mentally hanged,

beheaded, and quartered, by everybody there, neither flinched

from the situation, nor assumed any theatrical air in it. He was

quiet and attentive; watched the opening proceedings with a grave

interest; and stood with his hands resting on the slab of wood

before him, so composedly, that they had not displaced a leaf of

the herbs with which it was strewn. The court was all bestrewn

with herbs and sprinkled with vinegar, as a precaution against

gaol air and gaol fever.