the attention of the court been immediately directed to another case. A
poor woman had been committed for seven days to the House of Correction
on a charge of _disrespectability_. Her husband, the person most
interested in the matter, now came forward to disprove the charge; and by
help of his neighbours he succeeded.

"It is all very true," said Justice Burnflat; "but as your wife, my good
fellow, will be out in five days, it will be scarcely worth while to
release her now."

[A fact, occurring in the month of January, 1830. _Vide_
"The Morning Herald."]

So judicious a decision could not fail of satisfying the husband; and the
audience became from that moment enlightened as to a very remarkable
truth,--namely, that five days out of seven bear a peculiarly small
proportion to the remaining two; and that people in England have so
prodigious a love for punishment that though it is not worth while to
release an innocent woman from prison five days sooner than one would
otherwise have done, it is exceedingly well worth while to commit her to
prison for seven!

When the husband, passing his rough hand across his eyes, and muttering
some vulgar impertinence or another had withdrawn, Mr. Saunders said,--

"Here be Bill Troutling, your worship!"

"Oh, well," quoth the justice; "and now, Mr. Eustace Fitz---- Hallo,
how's this! Where are Mr. William Howard Russell and his friend
Mr. Eustace Fitzherbert?"