Page:Paul Clifford Vol 3.djvu/280

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272
PAUL CLIFFORD.

Counsel, who then proceeded to call his witnesses. The evidence of Lord Mauleverer (who was staying at Mauleverer Park, which was within a few miles of ——,) was short and clear; (it was noticed as a singular circumstance, that at the end of the evidence, the Prisoner bowed respectfully to his Lordship.) The witness of the postilions and of the valet was no less concise; nor could all the ingenuity of Clifford's counsel shake any part of their evidence in his cross-examination. The main witness depended on by the Crown was now summoned, and the solemn countenance of Peter Mac Grawler rose on the eyes of the Jury. One look of cold and blighting contempt fell on him from the eye of the Prisoner, who did not again deign to regard him, during the whole of his examination.

The witness of Mac Grawler was delivered with a pomposity worthy of the ex-editor of the Asinæum. Nevertheless, by the skill of Mr. Dyebright, it was rendered sufficiently clear a story to leave an impression on the Jury damnatory to the interests of the Prisoner. The Counsel on the opposite side was not slow in perceiving the ground