s ago. He had asked the
prisoner, aboard the Calais packet, if he wanted a handy fellow,
and the prisoner had engaged him. He had not asked the prisoner
to take the handy fellow as an act of charitynever thought of
such a thing. He began to have suspicions of the prisoner, and to
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
keep an eye upon him, soon afterwards. In arranging his clothes,
while travelling, he had seen similar lists in the prisoner’s pockets,
over and over again. He had taken these lists from the drawer of
the prisoner’s desk. He had not put them there first. He had seen
the prisoner show these identical lists to French gentlemen at
Calais, and similar lists to French gentlemen, both at Calais and
Boulogne. He loved his country, and couldn’t bear it, and had
given information. He had never been suspected of stealing a
silver teapot; he had been maligned respecting a mustard-pot, but
it turned out to be only a plated one. He had known the last
witness seven or eight years; that was merely a coincidence. He
didn’t call it a particularly curious coincidence; most coincidences
were curious. Neither did he call it a curious coincidence that true
patriotism was his only motive too. He was a true Briton, and
hoped there were many like him.
The blue-flies buzzed again, and Mr. Attorney-General called
Mr. Jarvis Lorry.
“Mr