human
Is this the lady?
gpt
I am the respondent to the petition, my lord--Mrs. Besant.
human
Then I advise you, Mrs. Besant, to employ counsel to represent you, if you can afford it, and I suppose you can.
gpt
With all submission to your lordship, I am afraid I must claim my right of arguing my case in person.
human
You will do so if you please, of course, but I think you had much better appear by counsel. I give you notice that, if you do not, you must not expect to be shown any consideration. You will not be heard by me at any greater length than the case requires, nor allowed to go into irrelevant matter, as persons who argue their own cases generally do.
gpt
I trust I shall not do so, my lord; but in any case I shall be arguing under your lordship's complete control.