"Their opinion--good or bad--is a matter of complete indifference to
me. I am only anxious that the representatives of the government do
not suppose that, because, through mistaken ideas of charity, my
sister brought this man to my house, I in any way sanction his
attitude and his views!"
"I should not fear that, Mr. Kingsnorth. You have always been
regarded as a most loyal subject, sir," answered Roche.
"I am glad. What sentence is he likely to get?"
"It depends largely on his previous record."
"Will it be settled to-day?"
"If the jury bring in a verdict. Sometimes they are out all night on
these cases"
"A jury! Good God! A jury of Irishmen to try, an Irishman?"
"They're being trained gradually, sir."
"It should never be left to them in a country like this A judge
should have the power of condemning such bare-faced criminals,
without trial."
"He'll be condemned," said Roche confidently.
"What jury will convict him if they all sympathise with him? Answer
me that?"
"That was one difficulty we had to face at first," Roche answered.
"It was hard, indeed, as you say, to get an Irishman convicted by an
Irish jury--especially the agitators. But we've changed that. We've
made them see that loyalty to the Throne is better than loyalty to a
Fenian"
"How have they done it?"
"A little persuasion and some slight coercion, sir.
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