"I think it a very spirited thing of him to do, then," said Mrs.
Masters.

"I don't know, my dear. Perhaps it is only revenge."

"What have you to do with that? What can it matter to a lawyer
whether it's revenge or anything else? He's got the means, I
suppose?"

"I don't know, my dear."

"What does Nickem say?"

"I suppose he has the means," said Mr. Masters, who was aware that
if he told his wife a fib on the matter, she would learn the truth
from his senior clerk, Mr. Samuel Nickem. Among the professional
gifts which Mr. Masters possessed, had not been that great gift of
being able to keep his office and his family distinct from each
other. His wife always knew what was going on, and was very free
with her advice; generally tendering it on that side on which money
was to be made, and doing so with much feminine darkness as to
right or wrong. His Clerk, Nickem, who was afflicted with no such
darkness, but who ridiculed the idea of scruple in an attorney,
often took part against him. It was the wish of his heart to get
rid of Nickem; but Nickem would have carried business with him and
gone over to some enemy, or, perhaps have set up in some irregular
manner on his own bottom; and his wife would have given him no
peace had he done so, for she regarded Nickem as the mainstay of
the house.