'We know the fact,' repeated Craggs.

'Why, so do I perhaps,' returned the client quietly. 'What of
that! Are you men of the world, and did you never hear of a woman
changing her mind?'

'There certainly have been actions for breach,' said Mr. Snitchey,
'brought against both spinsters and widows, but, in the majority of
cases - '

'Cases!' interposed the client, impatiently. 'Don't talk to me of
cases. The general precedent is in a much larger volume than any
of your law books. Besides, do you think I have lived six weeks in
the Doctor's house for nothing?'

'I think, sir,' observed Mr. Snitchey, gravely addressing himself
to his partner, 'that of all the scrapes Mr. Warden's horses have
brought him into at one time and another - and they have been
pretty numerous, and pretty expensive, as none know better than
himself, and you, and I - the worst scrape may turn out to be, if
he talks in this way, this having ever been left by one of them at
the Doctor's garden wall, with three broken ribs, a snapped collar-
bone, and the Lord knows how many bruises. We didn't think so much
of it, at the time when we knew he was going on well under the
Doctor's hands and roof; but it looks bad now, sir. Bad? It looks
very bad. Doctor Jeddler too - our client, Mr. Craggs.'

'Mr. Alfred Heathfield too - a sort of client, Mr. Snitchey,' said
Craggs.