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and many high compliments to 〃Old Charley〃 upon his sagacity and
consideration。 As many of the burghers had brought spades with them；
supposing that they might possibly be called upon to disinter a corpse；
the drain was easily and speedily effected； and no sooner was the bottom
visible； than right in the middle of the mud that remained was discovered
a black silk velvet waistcoat； which nearly every one present immediately
recognized as the property of Mr。 Pennifeather。 This waistcoat was much
torn and stained with blood； and there were several persons among the
party who had a distinct remembrance of its having been worn by its owner
on the very morning of Mr。 Shuttleworthy's departure for the city； while
there were others； again； ready to testify upon oath； if required； that
Mr。 P。 did not wear the garment in question at any period during the
remainder of that memorable day； nor could any one be found to say that he
had seen it upon Mr。 P。's person at any period at all subsequent to Mr。
Shuttleworthy's disappearance。
Matters now wore a very serious aspect for Mr。 Pennifeather； and it was
observed； as an indubitable confirmation of the suspicions which were
excited against him； that he grew exceedingly pale； and when asked what he
had to say for himself； was utterly incapable of saying a word。 Hereupon；
the few friends his riotous mode of living had left him； deserted him at
once to a man； and were even more clamorous than his ancient and avowed
enemies for his instantaneous arrest。 But； on the other hand； the
magnanimity of Mr。 Goodfellow shone forth with only the more brilliant
lustre through contrast。 He made a warm and intensely eloquent defence of
Mr。 Pennifeather； in which he alluded more than once to his own sincere
forgiveness of that wild young gentleman 〃the heir of the worthy Mr。
Shuttleworthy；〃 for the insult which he （the young gentleman） had； no
doubt in the heat of passion； thought proper to put upon him （Mr。
Goodfellow）。 〃He forgave him for it；〃 he said； 〃from the very bottom of
his heart； and for himself （Mr。 Goodfellow）； so far from pushing the
suspicious circumstances to extremity； which he was sorry to say； really
had arisen against Mr。 Pennifeather； he （Mr。 Goodfellow） would make every
exertion in his power； would employ all the little eloquence in his
possession to to to soften down； as much as he could
conscientiously do so； the worst features of this really exceedingly
perplexing piece of business。〃
Mr。 Goodfellow went on for some half hour longer in this strain； very much
to the credit both of his head and of his heart； but your warm…hearted
people are seldom apposite in their observations they run into all
sorts of blunders； contre…temps and mal apropos…isms； in the
hot…headedness of their zeal to serve a friend thus； often with the
kindest intentions in the world； doing infinitely more to prejudice his
cause than to advance it。
So； in the present instance； it turned out with all the eloquence of 〃Old
Charley〃； for； although he laboured earnestly in behalf of the suspected；
yet it so happened； somehow or other； that every syllable he uttered of
which the direct but unwitting tendency was not to exalt the speaker in
the good opinion of his audience； had the effect to deepen the suspicion
already attached to the individual whose cause he pleaded； and to arouse
against him the fury of the mob。
One of the most unaccountable errors committed by the orator was his
allusion to the suspected as 〃the heir of the worthy old gentleman Mr。
Shuttleworthy。〃 The people had really never thought of this before。 They
had only remembered certain threats of disinheritance uttered a year or
two previously by the uncle （who had no living relative except the
nephew）； and they had； therefore； always looked upon this disinheritance
as a matter that was settled so single…minded a race of beings were the
Rattleburghers； but the remark of 〃Old Charley〃 brought them at once to a
consideration of this point； and thus gave them to see the possibility of
the threats having been nothing more than a threat。 And straightway
hereupon； arose the natural question of cui bono？ a question that
tended even more than the waistcoat to fasten the terrible crime upon the
young man。 And here； lest I may be misunderstood； permit me to digress for
one moment merely to observe that the exceedingly brief and simple Latin
phrase which I have employed； is invariably mistranslated and
misconceived。 〃Cui bono？〃 in all the crack novels and elsewhere； in
those of Mrs。 Gore； for example； （the author of 〃Cecil；〃） a lady who
quotes all tongues from the Chaldaean to Chickasaw； and is helped to her
learning； 〃as needed；〃 upon a systematic plan； by Mr。 Beckford； in all
the crack novels； I say； from those of Bulwer and Dickens to those of
Bulwer and Dickens to those of Turnapenny and Ainsworth； the two little
Latin words cui bono are rendered 〃to what purpose？〃 or； （as if quo bono；）
〃to what good。〃 Their true meaning； nevertheless； is 〃for whose
advantage。〃 Cui； to whom； bono； is it for a benefit。 It is a purely legal
phrase； and applicable precisely in cases such as we have now under
consideration； where the probability of the doer of a deed hinges upon the
probability of the benefit accruing to this individual or to that from the
deed's accomplishment。 Now in the present instance； the question cui bono？
very pointedly implicated Mr。 Pennifeather。 His uncle had threatened him；
after making a will in his favour； with disinheritance。 But the threat had
not been actually kept； the original will； it appeared； had not been
altered。 Had it been altered； the only supposable motive for murder on the
part of the suspected would have been the ordinary one of revenge； and
even this would have been counteracted by the hope of reinstation into the
good graces of the uncle。 But the will being unaltered； while the threat
to alter remained suspended over the nephew's head； there appears at once
the very strongest possible inducement for the atrocity； and so concluded；
very sagaciously； the worthy citizens of the borough of Rattle。
Mr。 Pennifeather was； accordingly； arrested upon the spot； and the crowd；
after some further search； proceeded homeward； having him in custody。 On
the route； however； another circumstance occurred tending to confirm the
suspicion entertained。 Mr。 Goodfellow； whose zeal led him to be always a
little in advance of the party； was seen suddenly to run forward a few
paces； stoop； and then apparently to pick up some small object from the
grass。 Having quickly examined it he was observed； too； to make a sort of
half attempt at concealing it in his coat pocket； but this action was
noticed； as I say； and consequently prevented； when the object picked up
was found to be a Spanish knife which a dozen persons at once recognized
as belonging to Mr。 Pennifeather。 Moreover； his initials were engraved
upon the handle。 The blade of this knife was open and bloody。
No doubt now remained of the guilt of the nephew； and immediately upon
reaching Rattleborough he was taken before a magistrate for examination。
Here matters again took a most unfavourable turn。 The prisoner； being
questioned as to his whereabouts on the morning of Mr。 Shuttleworthy's
disappearance； had absolutely the audacity to acknowledge that on that
very morning he had been out with his rifle deer…stalking； in the
immediate neighbourhood of the pool where the blood…stained waistcoat had
been discovered through the sagacity of Mr。 Goodfellow。
This latter now came forward； and； with tears in his eyes； asked
permission to be examined。 He said that a stern sense of the duty he owed
his Maker； not less than his fellow…men； would permit him no longer to
remain silent。 Hitherto； the sincerest affection for the young man
（notwithstanding the latter's ill…treatment of himself； Mr。 Goodfellow）
had induced him to make every hypothesis which imagination could suggest；
by way of endeavoring to account for what appeared suspicious in the
circumstances that told so seriously against Mr。 Pennifeather； but these
circumstances were now altogether too convincing too damning； he would
hesitate no longer he would tell all he knew； although his heart （Mr。
Goodfellow's） should absolutely burst asunder in the effort。 He then went
on to state that； on the afternoon of the day previous to Mr。
Shuttleworthy's departure for the city； that worthy old gentleman had
mentioned to his nephew； in his hearing （Mr。 Goodfellow's）； that his
object in going to town on the morrow was to make a deposit of an
unusually large sum of money in the 〃Farmers and Mechanics' Bank；〃 and
that； then and there； the said Mr。 Shuttleworthy had distinctly avowed to
the said nephew his irrevocable determination of rescinding the will
originally made； and of cutting him off with a shilling。 He （the witness）
now solemnly called upon the accused to state whether what he （the
witness） had just stated was or was not the truth in every substantial
particular。 Much to the astonishment of every one present； Mr。
Pennifeather frankly admitted that it was。
The magistrate now considered it his duty to send a couple of consta