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"
I
wonder
,
"
he
said
to
himself
presently
,
"
I
wonder
if
this
sort
of
car
starts
easily
?
"
Next
moment
,
hardly
knowing
how
it
came
about
,
he
found
he
had
hold
of
the
handle
and
was
turning
it
.
As
the
familiar
sound
broke
forth
,
the
old
passion
seized
on
Toad
and
completely
mastered
him
,
body
and
soul
.
As
if
in
a
dream
he
found
himself
,
somehow
,
seated
in
the
driver
's
seat
;
as
if
in
a
dream
,
he
pulled
the
lever
and
swung
the
car
round
the
yard
and
out
through
the
archway
;
and
,
as
if
in
a
dream
,
all
sense
of
right
and
wrong
,
all
fear
of
obvious
consequences
,
seemed
temporarily
suspended
.
He
increased
his
pace
,
and
as
the
car
devoured
the
street
and
leapt
forth
on
the
high
road
through
the
open
country
,
he
was
only
conscious
that
he
was
Toad
once
more
,
Toad
at
his
best
and
highest
,
Toad
the
terror
,
the
traffic-queller
,
the
Lord
of
the
lone
trail
,
before
whom
all
must
give
way
or
be
smitten
into
nothingness
and
everlasting
night
.
He
chanted
as
he
flew
,
and
the
car
responded
with
sonorous
drone
;
the
miles
were
eaten
up
under
him
as
he
sped
he
knew
not
whither
,
fulfilling
his
instincts
,
living
his
hour
,
reckless
of
what
might
come
to
him
.
"
To
my
mind
,
"
observed
the
Chairman
of
the
Bench
of
Magistrates
cheerfully
,
"
the
only
difficulty
that
presents
itself
in
this
otherwise
very
clear
case
is
,
how
we
can
possibly
make
it
sufficiently
hot
for
the
incorrigible
rogue
and
hardened
ruffian
whom
we
see
cowering
in
the
dock
before
us
.
Let
me
see
:
he
has
been
found
guilty
,
on
the
clearest
evidence
,
first
,
of
stealing
a
valuable
motor-car
;
secondly
,
of
driving
to
the
public
danger
;
and
,
thirdly
,
of
gross
impertinence
to
the
rural
police
.
Mr.
Clerk
,
will
you
tell
us
,
please
,
what
is
the
very
stiffest
penalty
we
can
impose
for
each
of
these
offences
?
Without
,
of
course
,
giving
the
prisoner
the
benefit
of
any
doubt
,
because
there
is
n't
any
.
"
The
Clerk
scratched
his
nose
with
his
pen
.
"
Some
people
would
consider
,
"
he
observed
,
"
that
stealing
the
motor-car
was
the
worst
offence
;
and
so
it
is
.
But
cheeking
the
police
undoubtedly
carries
the
severest
penalty
;
and
so
it
ought
.
Supposing
you
were
to
say
twelve
months
for
the
theft
,
which
is
mild
;
and
three
years
for
the
furious
driving
,
which
is
lenient
;
and
fifteen
years
for
the
cheek
,
which
was
pretty
bad
sort
of
cheek
,
judging
by
what
we
've
heard
from
the
witness-box
,
even
if
you
only
believe
one-tenth
part
of
what
you
heard
,
and
I
never
believe
more
myself
--
those
figures
,
if
added
together
correctly
,
tot
up
to
nineteen
years
--
"
"
First-rate
!
"
said
the
Chairman
.
"
--
So
you
had
better
make
it
a
round
twenty
years
and
be
on
the
safe
side
,
"
concluded
the
Clerk
.
"
An
excellent
suggestion
!
"
said
the
Chairman
approvingly
.
"
Prisoner
!
Pull
yourself
together
and
try
and
stand
up
straight
.
It
's
going
to
be
twenty
years
for
you
this
time
.
And
mind
,
if
you
appear
before
us
again
,
upon
any
charge
whatever
,
we
shall
have
to
deal
with
you
very
seriously
!
"
