My Library

“In a moment the persons called stood before us, and the gardener said to me: ‘Now, monsieur, you and I will go to the other end of the garden; when there, I will describe to you the person who accompanied you here this afternoon. Then we will call the witnesses, one at a time, first separating them, so that they cannot agree upon a uniform story for or against me, but give the truth exactly, as the truth appears to each one.’ “Nothing could be fairer than this proposition, and therefore I gave my assent to it immediately; whereupon the two men were sent to stand at opposite ends of the garden, his wife took her place in a third, while her husband and myself went to the fourth. Having arrived there: “ ‘Your friend,’ said the gardener, ‘was just as I have described him, with this addition, that he wore polish-leather shoes, a Leghorn or Panama hat, carried a switch cane, wore light jean pantaloons, a coat au saque, and vest of white Cashmere. Remember this. Now, Joseph, come here,’ said he, raising his voice and motioning the man toward us. ‘Be so good as to describe the person who came here to-day with this gentleman.’ “ ‘I will with pleasure, master. The negro who came with this gentleman was very fat and heavy, had large splay feet, tremendous hands, broad, flat face, a nose that would weigh a pound, and lips twice as heavy. His hair was