The Vanishing Man by R. Austin (Richard Austin) Freeman
page 106 of 369 (28%)
page 106 of 369 (28%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
Berkeley, you must endeavour tactfully to reconcile your friend to the
idea of letting us give an eye to the case. Make it clear to him that I am doing this entirely for the enlargement of my own knowledge." "But won't you have to be instructed by a solicitor?" I asked. "Yes, of course, nominally; but only as a matter of etiquette. We shall do all the actual work. Why do you ask?" "I was thinking of the solicitor's costs, and I was going to mention that I have a little money of my own--" "Then keep it, my dear fellow. You'll want it when you go into practice. There will be no difficulty about the solicitor; I shall ask one of my friends to act nominally as a personal favour to me--Marchmont would take the case for us, Jervis, I am sure." "Yes," said Jervis. "Or old Brodribb, if we put it to him _amicus curiae_." "It is excessively kind of both of you to take this benevolent interest in the case of my friends," I said; "and it is to be hoped that they won't be foolishly proud and stiff-necked about it. It's rather the way with poor gentlefolk." "I'll tell you what!" exclaimed Jervis. "I have a most brilliant idea. You shall give us a little supper at your rooms and invite the Bellinghams to meet us. Then you and I will attack the old gentleman, and Thorndyke shall exercise his persuasive powers on the lady. These chronic and incurable old bachelors, you know, are quite irresistible." |
|