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there were three
legs, which he placed carefully on the ground. Then a small bar was
screwed on to the top, and over the bar was screwed the leaf, or
table itself, which consisted of three pieces unfolding with hinges. These, when the screw had been duly fastened in the centre, opened
out upon the bar, and there wa... | |
"There," said Mr. Kantwise, looking at them with fond admiration, "I
don't mind giving a personal guarantee that there's nothing equal to
that for the money either in England or in France." "They are very nice," said Mr. Dockwrath. When a man has had produced
before him for his own and sole delectation any article o... | |
"Look at that for strength," said Mr. Kantwise from his exalted
position. "I don't think any lady of your acquaintance, sir, would
allow you to stand on her rosewood or mahogany loo-table. And if she
did, you would not like to adventure it yourself. But look at this
for strength," and he waved his arms abroad, stil... | |
James, give me a bedcandle." And so Mr.
Moulder took himself off to bed. "I think I'll go too," said Mr. Dockwrath. "You'll let me put you up the set, eh?" said Mr. Kantwise. "Well; I'll think about it," said the attorney. "I'll not just give
you an answer to-night. Good night, sir; I'm very much obliged to
you." An... | |
Here lived Mr. and Mrs. Mason, the three Misses Mason, and
occasionally the two young Messrs. Mason; for the master of Groby
Park was blessed with five children. He himself was a big, broad,
heavy-browed man, in whose composition there was nothing of
tenderness, nothing of poetry, and nothing of taste; but I cannot... | |
In his inner thoughts he had ever boasted to himself that he had
paid all men all that he owed. He had, so he thought, injured no
one in any of the relations of life. His tradesmen got their money
regularly. He answered every man's letter. He exacted nothing from
any man for which he did not pay. He never ill-used ... | |
He wanted nothing that
belonged to any one else, but he could not endure that aught should
be kept from him which he believed to be his own. It may be imagined,
therefore, in what light he esteemed Lady Mason and her son, and how
he regarded their residence at Orley Farm, seeing that he firmly
believed that Orley ... | |
Parsimony was her great
virtue, and a power of saving her strong point. I have said that she
spent much money in dress, and some people will perhaps think that
the two points of character are not compatible. Such people know
nothing of a true spirit of parsimony. It is from the backs and
bellies of other people th... | |
But there are women, wives and mothers of
families, who would give the bone-scrapings to their husbands and the
bones to their servants, while they hide the ortolans for themselves;
and would dress children in rags, while they cram chests, drawers,
and boxes with silks and satins for their own backs. Such a woman
... | |
Both the father and mother decided
that they should go out into the county society, and therefore their
clothing was not absolutely of rags. But any young lady who does go
into society, whether it be of county or town, will fully understand
the difference between a liberal and a stingy wardrobe. Girls with
slender... | |
Mr. Mason, he said to
himself, would recognise his name, and know whence he came, and under
such circumstances would be sure to see him, although the express
purpose of the proposed interview should not have been explained to
him. Such in result was exactly the case. Mr. Mason did remember the
name of Dockwrath, t... | |
I suppose, sir, you remember them also?" "Yes, Mr. Dockwrath, I remember them very well." "Well, sir, my impression has always been that--" And then the
attorney stopped. It was quite his intention to speak out plainly
before Mr. Mason, but he was anxious that that gentleman should speak
out too. At any rate it migh... | |
"I don't say that, Mr. Mason. You see all my interest lies in
maintaining the codicil. My wife's fortune came to her under that
deed. To be sure that's gone and spent long since, and the Lord
Chancellor with all the judges couldn't enforce restitution; but,
nevertheless, I wouldn't wish that any one should have a c... | |
Of course you are aware that these are
very private matters; and although I should feel myself under an
obligation to you, or to any man who might assist me to arrive at any
true facts which have hitherto been concealed, I am not disposed to
discuss the affair with a stranger on grounds of mere suspicion." "I shoul... | |
Then there was another pause, and Mr. Dockwrath began to
perceive that Mr. Mason was not by nature an open, demonstrative, or
communicative man. If anything further was to be done, he himself
must open out a little. "The fact is, Mr. Mason, that I have come
across documents which you should have had at that trial. ... | |
I have come a long way to do you a service, and
it seems to me you are rather shy of coming forward to meet me. As I
said before, I've a very heavy family, and I'm not going to cut the
nose off my own face to put money into any other man's pocket. What
do you think my journey down here will cost me, including loss ... | |
He
had great doubts as to his new acquaintance, and much feared that
he was derogating from his dignity as a county magistrate and owner
of Groby Park in holding any personal intercourse with him; but
nevertheless he could not resist the temptation. He most firmly
believed that that codicil had not expressed the g... | |
The document, supported by which Mr. Dockwrath had come
down to Yorkshire, consisted of half a sheet of note paper, and the
writing upon this covered hardly the half of it. The words which Mr.
Mason read were as follows:--
Date of codicil. 14th July 18--. Witnesses to the instrument. John Kenneby; Bridget
... | |
"John Kenneby and Bridget Bolster were witnesses to both the
instruments," said the attorney. "So I see," said the magistrate. "But I don't remember that it came out in evidence that either of
them recollected having been called on for two signatures on the same
day." "No; there was nothing of that came out;--or was... | |
I never could look a counsel in the face
again, if I'd neglected to brief him with such facts as those. I
suppose it was carelessness; eh, Mr. Mason?" "Oh, yes; I'm afraid so," said Mr. Mason, still rather in the dark. "They could have had no object in keeping it back, I should say." "No; none in life. But let us see... | |
And as for
common;--according to my way of thinking there's nothing at all
common about it. I look upon it as about the best got-up plant I ever
remember to have heard of. I do, indeed, Mr. Mason." The attorney
during the last ten minutes of the conversation had quite altered
his tone, understanding that he had al... | |
"Who wrote all the names then at the foot of the will?" said Mr.
Mason. "Ah! that's the question. Who did write them? We know very well, Mr.
Mason, you and I that is, who did not. And having come to that, I
think we may give a very good guess who did." And then they both sat silent for some three or four minutes. Mr... | |
There had been no day in her life on
which he would not have ruined her, had it been in his power to do
so. But now--now, new and grander ideas were breaking in upon his
mind. Could it be possible that he might live to see her, not merely
deprived of her ill-gained money, but standing in the dock as a felon
to rec... | |
Round and Crook, sir, have neglected your business in a most
shameful manner. Let me tell you that, sir." "Well; that's as may be. I'll tell you what I'll do, Mr. Dockwrath;
I'll think over this matter in quiet, and then I'll come up to town. Perhaps when there I may expect the honour of a further visit from
you." "... | |
And then
the lady, on hospitable cares intent, left them again to themselves. CHAPTER VIII. MRS. MASON'S HOT LUNCHEON. Though Mr. Dockwrath was somewhat elated by this invitation to lunch,
he was also somewhat abashed by it. He had been far from expecting
that Mr. Mason of Groby Park would do him any such honour, an... | |
Nor did Mr. Mason feel himself ready to go on with the conversation
in the manner in which it had been hitherto conducted. His mind was
full of Orley Farm and his wrongs, and he could bring himself to
think of nothing else; but he could no longer talk about it to the
attorney sitting there in his study. "Will you t... | |
"No; they have altered the laws, giving every encouragement to
forgers, villains, and perjurers. But they can give her penal
servitude for life. They must do it." "She is not convicted yet, you know." "D---- her!" repeated the owner of Groby Park again, as he thought of
his twenty years of loss. Eight hundred a year... | |
Mrs. Mason did not like
this system, though it had about it certain circumstances of economy
which recommended it to her; it interfered greatly with the stringent
aptitudes of her character and the warmest passion of her heart; it
took away from her the delicious power of serving out the servants'
food, of locking... | |
It
was a handsome room, and the furniture was handsome; but nevertheless
it was a heavy room, and the furniture was heavy. The table was large
enough for a party of twelve, and might have borne a noble banquet;
as it was the promise was not bad, for there were three large plated
covers concealing hot viands, and i... | |
The original bird had no doubt first revealed
all its glories to human eyes,--presuming the eyes of the cook to
be inhuman--in Mrs. Mason's "boodoor." Then, on the dish before
the lady, there were three other morsels, black-looking and very
suspicious to the eye, which in the course of conversation were
proclaimed... | |
"This is ham," said she with a little
simper, "broiled ham, Mr. Dockwrath; and there is chicken at the
other end; I think they call it--devilled." "Shall I assist the young ladies to anything first?" said the
attorney, wishing to be polite. "Nothing, thank you," said Miss Penelope, with a very stiff bow. She also kn... | |
"Broiled ham
is always better when it has not been first boiled." "Is there no cold meat in the house?" he asked. "I am afraid not," she replied, now trembling a little in
anticipation of what might be coming after the stranger should have
gone. "You never like large joints yourself, Mr. Mason; and for
ourselves we... | |
Mrs. Mason remained for a minute or two longer, and then she
also went. "The carriage has been ordered at three, Mr. M.," she
said. "Shall we have the pleasure of your company?" "No," growled
the husband. And then the lady went, sweeping a low curtsy to Mr.
Dockwrath as she passed out of the room. There was again a... | |
"You are wrong, sir. They'll throw you over again as sure as your
name is Mason." "Mr. Dockwrath, you must if you please allow me to judge of that
myself." "Oh, of course, sir, of course. But I'm sure that a gentleman like
you, Mr. Mason, will understand--"
"I shall understand that I cannot expect your services, ... | |
He had done much towards impressing Mr. Mason with an idea of
his own sharpness, and perhaps something also towards breaking the
prestige which surrounded the names of the great London firm. He
would now go to that firm and make his terms with them. They would
probably be quite as ready to acquiesce in the importan... | |
On his road home, Mr. Dockwrath had encountered Mr. Kantwise going to
Groby Park, intent on his sale of a drawing-room set of the metallic
furniture; and when he again met him in the commercial room he asked
after his success. "A wonderful woman that, Mr. Dockwrath," said Mr.
Kantwise, "a really wonderful woman; no... | |
"She got them for twelve, seventeen, six; did she?" said Dockwrath,
thinking that it might be as well to remember this, if he should feel
inclined to make a purchase himself. "But they was strained, Mr. Dockwrath; I must admit they was
strained,--particularly the loo." "You had gone through your gymnastics on it a l... | |
"Soft goods, for Brown Brothers, of Snow Hill," and so
on through the whole fraternity. Each member bowed as his name was
mentioned; but they did not do so very graciously, as Mr. Kantwise
was not a great man among them. Had the stranger been introduced to
them by Moulder,--Moulder the patriarch,--his reception amo... | |
The politeness and general good manners of the company were something
very pretty to witness. Mr. Dockwrath, as a stranger, was helped
first, and every courtesy was shown to him. Even Mr. Moulder carved
the beef for him with a loving hand, and Mr. Kantwise was almost
subservient in his attention. Mr. Dockwrath thou... | |
"Sir," said Mr. Moulder, addressing himself with great ceremony to
Mr. Dockwrath, "the honour of a glass of wine with you, sir," and
the president, to give more importance to the occasion, put down his
knife and fork, leaned back in his chair, and put both his hands upon
his waistcoat, looking intently at the attor... | |
But Mr. Snengkeld asked him for the honour, as also did Mr. Gape,
who sat at Moulder's left hand; and then Mr. Dockwrath began to wax
angry. "I think I remarked before that I don't drink wine to my
dinner," he said; and then the three at the president's end of the
table all looked at each other very solemnly, and t... | |
"Gentlemen, the Queen," and then he lifted his
glass of port up to the light, shut one eye as he looked at it, and
immediately swallowed the contents as though he were taking a dose
of physic. "I'm afraid they'll charge you for the wine," said Mr.
Kantwise, again whispering to his neighbour. But Mr. Dockwrath paid
... | |
If there's
to be any fuss about it, let's have it out. I like to see the dinner
bill settled as soon as the dinner is eaten. Then one gets an
appetite for one's supper." "I don't think I have the change," said Kantwise, still putting off
the evil day. "I'll lend, it you," said Moulder, putting his hand into his
tr... | |
The matter had been so extremely well put by Mr. Moulder, and that
gentleman's words had carried with them so much conviction, that
Dockwrath felt himself almost tempted to put down the money; as far
as his sixteen children and general ideas of economy were concerned
he would have done so; but his legal mind could ... | |
"I neither ordered that wine nor did I drink it," said Mr. Dockwrath,
compressing his lips, leaning back in his chair, and looking up into
one corner of the ceiling. "The gentleman certainly did not drink the wine," said Kantwise, "I
must acknowledge that; and as for ordering it, why that was done by
the president,... | |
here, as every
commercial gentleman knows, Kantwise as well as the best of us." "P.P., that's the rule," growled Snengkeld, almost from under the
table. "In commercial rooms, as the gentleman must be aware, the rule is as
stated by my friend on my right," said Mr. Gape. "The wine is ordered
by the president or chai... | |
"When a gentleman," said Gape, "who does not belong to a society--"
"It's no good having more talk," said Moulder, "and we'll soon
bring this to an end. Mr.--; I haven't the honour of knowing the
gentleman's name." "My name is Dockwrath, and I am a solicitor." "Oh, a solicitor; are you? and you said last night you... | |
I don't want to insult no one; but
as chairman here at this conwivial meeting, I asks that gentleman
who says he is a solicitor whether he means to pay his dinner bill
according to the rules of the room, or whether he don't?" "I've paid for what I've had already," said Dockwrath, "and I don't
mean to pay for what I... | |
But it could also assume an innkeeper's frown, and on
occasions did so--when bills were disputed, or unreasonable strangers
thought that they knew the distance in posting miles round the
neighbourhood of Leeds better than did he, Mr. Crump, who had lived
at the Bull Inn all his life. But Mr. Crump rarely frowned on... | |
"Perhaps he will not object to step over to the coffee-room on the
other side," suggested the landlord. "I can't think of leaving my seat here under such circumstances,"
said Dockwrath. "You can't," said Moulder. "Then you must be made, as I take it." "Let me see the man that will make me," said Dockwrath. Mr. Crump ... | |
He had known
Crump, moreover, for many years, and was aware that it would be a
dangerous, and probably an expensive proceeding to thrust out the
attorney by violence. "If the other gentlemen are agreeable, I am,"
said he. The other gentlemen were agreeable, and, with the exception
of Kantwise, they all rose from t... | |
And then they all marched out of the room, each with his own glass,
Mr. Moulder leading the way with stately step. It was pleasant to see
them as they all followed their leader across the open passage of the
gateway, in by the bar, and so up the chief staircase. Mr. Moulder
walked slowly, bearing the bottle of port... | |
I will now ask my readers to come with me up to London, in order
that I may introduce them to the family of the Furnivals. We shall
see much of the Furnivals before we reach the end of our present
undertaking, and it will be well that we should commence our
acquaintance with them as early as may be done. Mr. Furniv... | |
I cannot say why he obtained no
great success till he was nearer fifty than forty years of age. At
that time I fancy that barristers did not come to their prime till
a period of life at which other men are supposed to be in their
decadence. Nevertheless, he had married on nothing, and had kept the
wolf from the do... | |
He was a constant, hard, patient man, and at last there
came to him the full reward of all his industry. What was the special
case by which Mr. Furnival obtained his great success no man could
say. In all probability there was no special case. Gradually it
began to be understood that he was a safe man, understandin... | |
As seen in
his wig and gown he was a man of commanding presence,--and for ten
men in London who knew him in this garb, hardly one knew him without
it. He was nearly six feet high, and stood forth prominently, with
square, broad shoulders and a large body. His head also was large;
his forehead was high, and marked ... | |
His flow of words
was free and good, and seemed to come from him without the slightest
effort. Such at least was always the case with him when standing
wigged and gowned before a judge. Latterly, however, he had tried his
eloquence on another arena, and not altogether with equal success. He
was now in Parliament, ... | |
He had been employed on
abstruse points of law, had been great in will cases, very learned as
to the rights of railways, peculiarly apt in enforcing the dowries of
married women, and successful above all things in separating husbands
and wives whose lives had not been passed in accordance with the
recognised rules... | |
When in his
addresses to them, appealing to their intelligence, education, and
enlightened justice, he would declare that the property of his
clients was perfectly safe in their hands, he looked to be such an
advocate as a litigant would fain possess when dreading the soundness
of his own cause. Any cause was soun... | |
As a poor man Mr. Furnival had done his duty well by his wife and
family,--for as a poor man he had been blessed with four children. Three of these had died as they were becoming men and women, and now,
as a rich man, he was left with one daughter, an only child. As a
poor man Mr. Furnival had been an excellent husb... | |
He, who in the heyday of his youth would spend night after
night poring over his books, copying out reports, and never asking to
see a female habiliment brighter or more attractive than his wife's
Sunday gown, he, at the age of fifty-five, was now running after
strange goddesses! The member for the Essex Marshes, i... | |
It
may, however, be as well to explain that Mrs. Ball, the old family
cook and housekeeper, who had ascended with the Furnivals in the
world, opined that made-dishes did the mischief. He dined out too
often, and was a deal too particular about his dinner when he dined
at home. If Providence would see fit to visit ... | |
Lady Mason and the lawyer had
first become acquainted in the days of the trial, now long gone
by, on which occasion Mr. Furnival had been employed as the junior
counsel; and that acquaintance had ripened into friendship, and now
flourished in full vigour,--to Mrs. Furnival's great sorrow and
disturbance. Mrs. Furn... | |
All the charms of her youth--had they not been
given to him, and also all her solicitude, all her anxious fighting
with the hard world? When they had been poor together, had she not
patched and turned and twisted, sitting silently by his side into the
long nights, because she would not ask him for the price of a ne... | |
She was forward in acquirements, in manner, in general
intelligence, and in powers of conversation. She was a handsome, tall
girl, with expressive gray eyes and dark-brown hair. Her mouth, and
hair, and a certain motion of her neck and turn of her head, had come
to her from her mother, but her eyes were those of he... | |
No mother could have loved her children with a
warmer affection than that which had warmed the heart of poor Mrs.
Furnival; but under such circumstances as these was it singular that
she should occasionally become jealous of her own daughter? Sophia Furnival was, as I have said, a clever, attractive girl,
handsome,... | |
Lucius
Mason had found that she was a sensible girl, capable of discussing
great subjects with him; and had possibly found some other charms in
her. Therefore he had called in Harley Street. On that occasion he could only call as he passed through London
without delay; but he received such encouragement as induced ... | |
As regards money, any or almost all other
autumnal resorts were open to her, but she could be contented at
none of them because Mr. Furnival always pleaded that business--law
business or political business--took him elsewhere. Now Mrs. Furnival
was a woman who did not like to be deserted, and who could not, in
the... | |
All
but the one thing was there; but, that one thing being absent, she
came moodily back to town at the end of September. She would have
exchanged them all with a happy heart for very moderate accommodation
at Margate, could she have seen Mr. Furnival's blue nose on the other
side of the table every morning and ev... | |
If Lady B. can raise herself also, if she can make her own
occasion--if she be handsome and can flirt, if she be impudent and
can force her way, if she have a daring mind and can commit great
expenditure, if she be clever and can make poetry, if she can in
any way create a separate glory for herself, then, indeed, ... | |
But poor Mrs.
Furnival was too ponderous for this mounting late in life, and she
had not been asked to Noningsby. She was much too good a mother to
repine at her daughter's promised gaiety. Sophia was welcome to go;
but by all the laws of God and man it would behove her lord and
husband to eat his mincepie at home... | |
"They all ought to do so, and women also." "Ah! but women have no sphere, Mr. Mason." "They have minds equal to those of men," said Lucius, gallantly, "and
ought to be able to make for themselves careers as brilliant." "Women ought not to have any spheres," said Mrs. Furnival. "I don't know that I quite agree with you... | |
"Mamma is all for a Darby and Joan life," said Sophia, laughing. "No I am not, my dear; and you should not say so. I don't advocate
anything that is absurd. But I do say that life should be lived at
home. That is the best part of it. What is the meaning of home if it
isn't that?" Poor Mrs. Furnival! she had no idea ... | |
Mr. Furnival had been for some days
on the move, at Birmingham and elsewhere, and had now sent up sudden
notice that he should probably be at home that very night. He should
probably be at home that night, but in such case would be compelled
to return to his friends at Birmingham on the following afternoon. Now if ... | |
Mr. Mason thought that Miss Furnival was a very nice girl,
and was not at all ill pleased to have an opportunity of passing
an evening in her company; and Miss Furnival thought--. What she
thought, or what young ladies may think generally about young
gentlemen, is not to be spoken openly; but it seemed as though sh... | |
She also had liked buttered toast, always, however, taking the pieces
with the upper crust, in order that the more luscious morsels might
be left for him; and she had liked to prepare her own tea leisurely,
putting in slowly the sugar and cream--skimmed milk it had used to
be, dropped for herself with a sparing han... | |
How happy she had been in her struggles, how
piteously had her heart yearned towards him when she thought that he
was struggling too fiercely, how brave and constant he had been; and
how she had loved him as he sat steady as a rock at his grinding
work! Now had come the great success of which they had both dreamed
... | |
How she had joyed in a new dress when
it had been so hard to come by, so slow in coming, and when he would
go with her to the choosing of it! But her gowns now were hardly
of more interest to her than the joints of meat which the butcher
brought to the door with the utmost regularity. It behoved the
butcher to sen... | |
Oh my Delius, since prosperity has been too
much for thee, may the Lord bless thee once more with the adversity
which thou canst bear--which thou canst bear, and I with thee!" Thus
did she sing sadly within her own bosom,--sadly, but with true poetic
cadence; while Sophia and Lucius Mason, sitting by, when for a mo... | |
Men when they arrive from their travels now-a-days have no
strippings of greatcoats, no deposits to make of thick shawls and
double gloves, no absolutely necessary changes of raiment. Such had
been the case when he had used to come back cold and weary from the
circuits; but now he had left Birmingham since dinner b... | |
she's to be in
town, is she?" said Mr. Furnival, after a moment's consideration. He
was angry with Lady Mason at the moment for having put him into this
position. Why had she told her son that she was to be up in London,
thus producing conversation and tittle-tattle which made deceit on
his part absolutely necessa... | |
But then it
is sometimes so difficult to make wives look at such matters in the
right light. "She's coming up for some shopping," said Lucius. "Oh! indeed," said Mrs. Furnival. She would not have spoken if she
could have helped it, but she could not help it; and then there
was silence in the room for a minute or tw... | |
"I must be in chambers before ten;" and then he took his candle and
withdrew to his own room. Sophia rang the bell and gave the servant the order; but Mrs.
Furnival took no trouble in the matter whatever. In the olden days
she would have bustled down before she went to bed, and have seen
herself that everything was... | |
Mr. Crabwitz was a
genteel-looking man, somewhat over forty years of age, very careful
as to his gloves, hat, and umbrella, and not a little particular
as to his associates. As he was unmarried, fond of ladies' society,
and presumed to be a warm man in money matters, he had his social
successes, and looked down fr... | |
But to my ideas the
most dingy of the three rooms was that large one in which the great
man himself sat; the door of which directly fronted you as you
entered. The furniture was probably better than that in the other
chambers, and the place had certainly the appearance of warmth and
life which comes from frequent ... | |
Why Mr. Furnival should have breakfasted by himself at half-past
eight in order that he might be at his chambers at ten, seeing that
the engagement for which he had come to town was timed for twelve,
I will not pretend to say. He did not ask his wife to join him, and
consequently she did not come down till her usua... | |
But now she felt that if Orley Farm were hers to give she
would sooner abandon it than renew the contest. Then, at that former
period of her life, she had prepared her mind to do or die in the
cause. She had wrought herself up for the work, and had carried it
through. But having done that work, having accomplished ... | |
He had left that
congress, though the wisest Rustums of the law from all the civilised
countries of Europe were there assembled, with Boanerges at their
head, that great, old, valiant, learned, British Rustum, inquiring
with energy, solemnity, and caution, with much shaking of ponderous
heads and many sarcasms fro... | |
And of course all that
was great on the British bench, and all that was famous at the
British bar was there,--men very unlike their German brethren, men
who thought that guilt never should be asked to tell of itself,--men
who were customarily but unconsciously shocked whenever unwary guilt
did tell of itself. Men ... | |
She would not have robbed the
English bar of one of the warmest supporters of its present mode
of practice, even for a day, had she known how much that support
was needed at the present moment. But she had not known; and Mr.
Furnival, moved by her woman's plea, had not been hard enough in his
heart to refuse her. ... | |
Mr. Furnival, as he placed her in an arm-chair by the fireside,
declared his sorrow that she should be in grief, and then he took
the other arm-chair himself, opposite to her, or rather close to
her,--much closer to her than he ever now seated himself to Mrs. F.
"Don't speak of my trouble," said he, "it is nothing ... | |
"I learned from her," she said, speaking about Mrs.
Dockwrath and her husband, "that he had found out something about
dates which the lawyers did not find out before." "Something about dates," said Mr. Furnival, looking with all his eyes
into the fire. "You do not know what about dates?" "No; only this; that he said... | |
But in matters of law
it is different. If I, having committed a crime, were to confess my
criminality to the gentleman engaged to defend me, might he not be
called on to say: "Then, O my friend, confess it also to the judge;
and so let justice be done. Ruat coelum, and the rest of it?" But
who would pay a lawyer f... | |
And when the day of triumph had come, he had triumphed loudly,
commiserating his dear friend for the unjust suffering to which she
had been subjected, and speaking in no low or modified tone as to
the grasping, greedy cruelty of that man of Groby Park. Nevertheless,
through it all, he had felt that Round and Crook ... | |
If he has obtained any information
that may be considered of value by Joseph Mason, he can sell it at a
higher price than the holding of these fields is worth." "Would it be well--?" She was asking a question and then checked
herself. "Would what be well?" "I am so harassed that I hardly know what I am saying. Would... | |
"But there were many questions capable of doubt then, which were
definitely settled at the trial. As to your husband's intellect on
that day, for instance." "There could be no doubt as to that." "No; so it has been proved; and they will not raise that point again. Could he have possibly have made a later will?" "No; ... | |
"I was so
troubled at the first moment that I hardly knew where to turn," she
said. "You were quite right to go to Sir Peregrine." "I am so glad you are not angry with me as to that." "And did he say anything--anything particular?" "He promised that he would not desert me, should there be any new
difficulty." "That ... | |
"I suppose that
he cannot know anything." "I tell you what I might do," said Mr. Furnival, who was still
musing. "Round himself is not a bad fellow, and I am acquainted with
him. He was the junior partner in that house at the time of the
trial, and I know that he persuaded Joseph Mason not to appeal to the
Lords. ... | |
"I will trust you," she said, gently stopping the motion of his arm. "I will trust you, altogether. And when you have seen Mr. Round,
shall I hear from you?" At this moment, as they were standing close together, the door
opened, and Mr. Crabwitz introduced another lady--who indeed had
advanced so quickly towards the... | |
What is a man to do when he is accused before the world,--before
any small fraction of the world, of making love to some lady of his
acquaintance? What is he to say? What way is he to look? "My love, I
didn't. I never did, and wouldn't think of it for worlds. I say it
with my hand on my heart. There is Mrs. Jones h... |
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