"
"I assure you, gentlemen," said Hycy, "that the respectability of the
witnesses you have fished up is highly creditable to your judgments
and sense of justice;--a common vagabond and notorious thief on the one
hand, and a beggarman's brat on the other. However, proceed--I perceive
that I shall be obliged to sink under the force of such testimony--ha!
ha! ha!"
At this moment old Jemmy Burke, having accidentally heard that morning
that such an investigation was to take place, and likely to bear upon
the conduct of his eldest son, resolved to be present at it, and he
accordingly presented himself as Hycy had concluded his observations.
The high integrity of his character was at once recognized--he was
addressed in terms exceedingly respectful, if not deferential, by
the two magistrates--Chevydale having at once ordered the servant in
attendance to hand him a chair. He thanked him, however, but declined it
gratefully, and stood like the rest.
In the meantime the investigation proceeded. "Mr. Burke," said
Chevydale, addressing himself to the old man, whose features, by the
way, were full of sorrow and distress--"it may be as well to state to
you that we are not sitting now formally in our magisterial capacity, to
investigate any charges that may be brought against your son, but simply
making some preliminary inquiries with respect to other charges, which
we have been given to understand are about to be brought against the
notorious Hogans.
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