The Magistrate Part 45

LUKYN.

[_To himself._] Poor Posket!

MR. POSKET.

[_To himself._] Poor Lukyn!

LUKYN.

[_To himself._] I suppose he has been sitting up for his wife all night, poor devil! [_To MR. POSKET._] Ahem! How are you, Posket?

[_MR. WORMINGTON touches MR. POSKET'S shoulder._

MR. POSKET.

I regret to see you in this terrible position, Colonel Lukyn.

LUKYN.

By George, old fellow, I regret to find myself in it. [_Sitting, and taking up newspaper._] I suppose they've got us in the "Times,"

confound 'em!

[_While LUKYN is reading the paper, MR. POSKET and MR. WORMINGTON hold a hurried consultation respecting LUKYN'S behaviour._

MR. POSKET.

H'm! [_To LUGG._] Sergeant, I think Colonel Lukyn may be accommodated with a chair.

LUGG.

He's in it, sir.

LUKYN.

[_Rising and putting down paper._] Beg your pardon, forgot where I was. I suppose everything must be formal in this confounded place?

MR. POSKET.

I am afraid, Colonel Lukyn, it will be necessary even here to preserve strictly our unfortunate relative positions. [_LUKYN bows._] Sit down.

[_LUKYN sits again. POSKET takes up the charge sheet._] Colonel Lukyn!

In addressing you now, I am speaking, not as a man, but, as an instrument of the law. As a man I may, or may not, be a weak, vicious, despicable creature.

LUKYN.

Certainly--of course.

MR. POSKET.

But, as a magistrate I am bound to say you fill me with pain and astonishment.

LUKYN.

Quite right--every man to his trade, go on, Posket.

MR. POSKET.

[_Turning his chair to face LUKYN._] Alexander Lukyn--when I look at you--when I look at you---- [_He attempts to put on his spectacles._]

Ah--my nose. [_To LUKYN._] I say, when I look at you, Alexander Lukyn, I confront a most mournful spectacle. A military officer, trained in the ways of discipline and smartness, now, in consequence of his own misdoings, lamentably bruised and battered, shamefully disfigured by plaster, with his apparel soiled and damaged--all terrible evidence of a conflict with that power of which I am the representative.

LUKYN.

[_Turning his chair to face MR. POSKET._] Well, Posket, if it comes to that, when I look at you, when I look at you--[_He attempts to fix his gla.s.s in his eye._] Confound my nose! [_To MR. POSKET._] When I look at you, _you_ are not a very imposing object, this morning.

MR. POSKET.

Lukyn!

LUKYN.

You look quite as shaky as I do--and you're not quite innocent of court plaster.

MR. POSKET.

Lukyn! Really!

LUKYN.

And as for our attire, we neither of us look as if we had slipped out of a bandbox.

MR. POSKET.

Don't, Lukyn, don't! Pray respect my legal status! [_MR. WORMINGTON leads MR. POSKET, who has risen, back to his seat._] Thank you, Wormington. Alexander Lukyn, I have spoken. It remains for you to state your motive in seeking this painful interview.

LUKYN.

Certainly! H'm! You know, of course, that I am not alone in this affair?

MR. POSKET.

[_Referring to charge sheet._] Three persons appear to be charged with you.

LUKYN.

Yes. Two others got away. Cowards! If ever I find them, I'll destroy them!

MR. POSKET.

Lukyn!