"Captain Lewrie was, perjuriously, tried in absentia before," MacDougall said with a sly look. "Once back on Jamaica, might Mister Hugh Beauman arrange a second? From wherever he has gone? No, I say, my lord! It must end here today. Justice must be done him!"

Oh Christ, it was almost over! Don't do…! Lewrie fearfully thought; I'd known Beauman scarpered, I'd've considered it myself!

"I humbly urge you to empanel a jury of twelve men, good and true, my lord," MacDougall said with a hand on his breast. "Let them hear, and see, the facts of the matter, and determine Captain Lewrie's fate for good and all, my lord."

Some spectators cheered and huzzahed, though most made buzzing sounds of confusion and surprise; which noises covered Lewrie's groan. To the crowd in the courtroom, it had looked over and done with, and MacDougall's request seemed suicidal.

Mine arse on a band-box, Lewrie gawped to himself; he wants to show off! Got all his set-pieces, and can't abide not usin' 'em!

"Milud," Sir George Norman cried before the last of the hub-bub died down. "To proceed without my principal, my witnesses, and the use of the trial transcript, Mister Hugh Beauman might as well be tried in absentia! It would be so one-sided…"

"Sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander!" MacDougall chirped.

"Ahem!" from the Lord Justice, and some more gavelling. "There is the risk to Captain Lewrie that at some time in the future, a trial could be demanded by the plaintiff. And, though your presentation to a jury may not go much beyond your opening statements to lay charges, Sir George, if counsel for the Defence has his affidavits, witnesses… whose service may not allow them to be gathered together all in one place ever again… might even be unavailable to Captain Lewrie and some future attorney should the plaintiff in this matter decide to pursue his case on more salubrious grounds… well, they're here today. If you have no objections, Sir George, I am tempted to seat a jury and proceed. How say you, sir?"