"My dear Mr
Simple," said she, "I know all that is going on, and I find that you
have no lawyer to assist you. Now I know that it is necessary, and will
very probably be of great service in your defence--for when people are
in distress and anxiety, they have not their wits about them; so I have
brought a friend of mine from Portsea, a very clever man, who, for my
sake, will undertake your cause, and I hope you will not refuse him. You
recollect giving me a dozen pair of stockings. I did not refuse them,
nor shall you refuse me now. I always said to Mr Trotter, 'Go to a
lawyer;' and if he had taken my advice he would have done well. I
recollect, when a hackney-coachman smashed the panel of our carriage--
'Trotter,' says I, 'go to a lawyer;' and he very politely answered, 'Go
to the devil!' But what was the consequence!--he's dead and I'm
bumming. Now, Mr Simple, will you oblige me?--it's all free gratis for
nothing--not for nothing, for it's for my sake. You see, Mr Simple, I
have admirers yet," concluded she, smiling.
Mrs Trotter's advice was good; and although I would not listen to
receiving his services gratuitously, I agreed to employ him; and very
useful did he prove against such charges, and such a man as Captain
Hawkins. He came on board that afternoon, carefully examined into all
the documents and the witnesses whom I could bring forward, showed me
the weak side of my defence, and took the papers on shore with him.
Every day he came on board to collect fresh evidence and examine into my
case.
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