第30章

’Enough，John；quiteenough，’hecried，’Icanreaditinthycountenance。Honestyiswrittenthere，andcourageandsimplicity。ButIfearthat，inthistownofLondon，thouartapttobetakeninbypeopleofnoprinciple。Ahme!Ahme!Theworldisbad，andIamtoooldtoimproveit。’

Thenfindinghimsogoodandkind，andanxioustoimprovetheage，Itoldhimalmosteverything；howmuchIpaidthefellmonger，andallthethingsIhadbeentosee；andhowIlongedtogetaway，beforethecornwasripening；yethow(despiteofthesedesires)Ifeltmyselfboundtowalkupanddown，beingunderathingcalled’recognisance。’Inshort，Itoldhimeverything；

exceptthenatureofmysummons(whichIhadnorighttotell)，andthatIwasoutofmoney。

Mytalewastoldinalittlearchway，apartfromotherlawyers；andtheotherlawyersseemedtometoshiftthemselves，andtolookaskew，likesheepthroughahurdle，whentherestarefeeding。

’What!GoodGod!’mylawyercried，smitinghisbreastindignantlywitharollofsomethinglearned；’inwhatcountrydowelive？Underwhatlawsarewegoverned？

Nocasebeforethecourtwhatever；noprimarydeposition，sofaraswearefurnished；notevenaKing’swritissued——andherewehaveafineyoungmandraggedfromhishomeandadoringmother，duringtheheightofagriculture，athisowncostandcharges!I

haveheardofmanygrievances；butthistheveryworstofall。NothingshortofaRoyalCommissioncouldbewarrantyforit。Thisisnotonlyillegal，sir，butmostgravelyunconstitutional。’

’Ihadnottoldyou，worthysir，’Iansweredhim，inalowertone，’ifIcouldhavethoughtthatyoursenseofrightwouldbemovedsopainfully。ButnowImustbegtoleaveyou，sir——forIseethatthedooragainisopen。Ibegyou，worshipfulsir，toaccept——’

Uponthisheputforthhishandandsaid，’Nay，nay，myson，nottwo，nottwo：’yetlookingaway，thathemightnotscareme。

’Toaccept，kindsir，myverybestthanks，andmostrespectfulremembrances。’Andwiththat，Ilaidmyhandinhis。’Andif，sir，anycircumstancesofbusinessorofpleasureshouldbringyoutoourpartoftheworld，Itrustyouwillnotforgetthatmymotherandmyself(ifeverIgethomeagain)willdoourbesttomakeyoucomfortablewithourpoorhospitality。’

WiththisIwashastingawayfromhim，butheheldmyhandandlookedroundatme。Andhespokewithoutcordiality。

’Youngman，ageneralinvitationisnoentryformyfeebook。Ihavespentagoodhourofbusiness-timeinmasteringthycase，andstatingmyopinionofit。Andbeingamemberofthebar，calledsix-and-thirtyyearsagonebythehonourablesocietyoftheInnerTemple，myfeeisatmyowndiscretion；albeitanhonorarium。Forthehonouroftheprofession，andmypositioninit，I

oughttochargetheeatleastfiveguineas，althoughI

wouldhaveacceptedone，offeredwithgoodwillanddelicacy。NowIwillenterittwo，myson，andhalfacrownformyclerk’sfee。’

Sayingthis，hedrewforthfromhisdeep，bluebag，aredbookhavingclaspstoit，andendorsedingoldletters’Fee-book’；andbeforeIcouldspeak(beingfrightenedso)hehadenteredonapageofit，’ToconsiderationofeaseasstatedbyJohnRidd，andadvisingthereupon，twoguineas。’

’Butsir，goodsir，’Istammeredforth，nothavingtwoguineasleftintheworld，yetgrievingtoconfessit，’IknewnotthatIwastopay，learnedsir。Ineverthoughtofitinthatway。’

’WoundsofGod!Inwhatwaythoughtyouthatalawyerlistenedtoyourrigmarole？’

’Ithoughtthatyoulistenedfromkindness，sir，andcompassionofmygrievouscase，andasortoflikingforme。’

’Alawyerlikethee，youngcurmudgeon!Alawyeraffordtofeelcompassiongratis!Eitherthouartaverydeepknave，orthegreenestofallgreenhorns。Well，I

suppose，Imustlettheeoffforoneguinea，andtheclerk’sfee。Abadbusiness，ashockingbusiness!’

Now，ifthismanhadcontinuedkindandsoft，aswhenheheardmystory，Iwouldhavepawnedmyclothestopayhim，ratherthanleaveadebtbehind，althoughcontractedunwittingly。Butwhenheusedharshlanguageso，knowingthatIdidnotdeserveit，Ibegantodoubtwithinmyselfwhetherhedeservedmymoney。

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