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Late that afternoon Ishmael kept his appointment with the widow Cobham, and their consultation ended in Ishmael's acceptance of her brief. Other clients also came to him, and soon his hands were full of business.
He was absolutely as calm as, when seated in his arm-chair, he listened to the interminable stories of his clients. "Well," asked old Tabaret, "how is she now?" "Worse," answered Noel. "She is now delirious, and no longer knows what she says. She has just assailed me with the most atrocious abuse, upbraiding me as the vilest of mankind! I really believe she is going out of her mind."
And, as they say in the law reports, gave his reasons. "Certain, sir!" And gave no reasons. He still resisted. Thereupon she told him she should sit there all day and chaff his clients one after another, and that his connection with the Bassett and Huntercombe estates should end. Then he saw he had to do with a termagant, and consented, with a sigh.
What a rich, brilliant life awaited him in spite of his blindness! When he entered his uncle's magnificent city home, and not only all the servants and clients of the family, but also a select party of ladies and gentlemen greeted him with flowers and hundreds of other tokens of affection and appreciation, he gave himself up without reserve to this novel excess of fame and admiration.
Then, as he fought his way, the streets grew a trifle wider; as he approached the Forum the shops became more pretentious; at last he reached his destination in the aristocratic quarter of the Palatine, and paused before a new and ostentatious mansion, in whose vestibule was swarming a great bevy of clients, all come in the official calling costume a ponderous toga to pay their respects to the great man.
By this time the break had got fairly loaded; the horses were given their heads; the horn sounded; and in the wake of the great equipment provided for Mr. Jawkins's clients, Jawkins himself rattled contentedly along to the station. A fine show made the paint and silver and the flowers and the gay cloaks and furs and the beautiful women among them.
It was suggested to him by his legal brothers that counsel did not pledge themselves to the innocence of their clients, but merely put the case for one side in a perfectly detached way, according to the best traditions of the Bar.
Harkness," said Wilson, "you say you saw these gentlemen, my clients, kick the plaintiff. Are you sure and please remember that you are on oath are you perfectly sure that you saw both of them kick him, or only one? Now be careful." A bewildered look began to spread itself over the witness's face. He hesitated, stammered, but got out nothing.
All they know is, that she has gone to Jersey to act as barmaid in a public house. "But that is enough for me. The island is not very large; and I know it quite well, having once before followed a notary public there, who had run off with the money of his clients. You may consider Suky as safe. "When you receive this letter, I shall be on my way to Jersey.
This single document taken from the file of three years previous, was not likely to be missed, as would have been the case if I had selected a current sheet. I nevertheless made a copy of the names and addresses of Macpherson's present clients; then, carefully placing everything exactly as I had found it, I extinguished the gas, and went out of the shop, locking the door behind me.
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