How far a man has any
right to be more lucky and hence more venerable than his neighbours, is a
point that always has been, and always will be, settled proximately by a
kind of higgling and haggling of the market, and ultimately by brute
force; but however this may be, it stands to reason that no man should be
allowed to be unlucky to more than a very moderate extent."
Then, turning to the prisoner, the judge continued:--"You have suffered a
great loss. Nature attaches a severe penalty to such offences, and human
law must emphasise the decrees of nature. But for the recommendation of
the jury I should have given you six months' hard labour. I will,
however, commute your sentence to one of three months, with the option of
a fine of twenty-five per cent. of the money you have received from the
insurance company."
The prisoner thanked the judge, and said that as he had no one to look
after his children if he was sent to prison, he would embrace the option
mercifully permitted him by his lordship, and pay the sum he had named.
He was then removed from the dock.
The next case was that of a youth barely arrived at man's estate, who was
charged with having been swindled out of large property during his
minority by his guardian, who was also one of his nearest relations.
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