Dockwrath bowed to the head clerk, and passed on to Mat Round’s private room. “Mr. Matthew is inside, I suppose,” said he, and hardly waiting for permission he knocked at the door, and then entered. There he saw Mr. Matthew Round, sitting in his comfortable armchair, and opposite to him sat Mr. Mason of Groby Park.
Mr. Mason got up and shook hands with the Hamworth attorney, but Round junior made his greeting without rising, and merely motioned his visitor to a chair.
“Mr. Mason and the young ladies are quite well, I hope?” said Mr. Dockwrath, with a smile.
“Quite well, I thank you,” said the county magistrate.
“This matter has progressed since I last had the pleasure of seeing them. You begin to think I was right; eh, Mr. Mason?”
“Don’t let us triumph till we are out of the wood,” said Mr. Round. “It is a deal easier to spend money in such an affair as this than it is to make money by it. However we shall hear today more about it.”
“I do not know about making money,” said Mr. Mason, very solemnly. “But that I have been robbed by that woman out of my just rights in that estate for the last twenty years—that I may say I do know.”
“Quite true, Mr. Mason; quite true,” said Mr. Dockwrath with considerable energy.
“And whether I make money or whether I lose money I intend to proceed in this matter. It is dreadful to think that in this free and enlightened country so abject an offender should have been able to hold her head up so long without punishment and without disgrace.”
“That is exactly what I feel,” said Dockwrath. “The very stones and trees of Hamworth cry out against her.”
“Gentlemen,” said Mr. Round, “we have first to see whether there has been any injustice or not. If you will allow me I will explain to you what I now propose to do.”
“Proceed, sir,” said Mr. Mason, who was by no means satisfied with his young attorney.
“Bridget Bolster is now in the next room, and as far as I can understand the case at present, she would be the witness on whom your case, Mr. Mason, would most depend. The man Kenneby I have not yet seen; but from what I understand he is less likely to prove a willing witness than Mrs. Bolster.”
“I cannot go along with you there, Mr. Round,” said Dockwrath.
“Excuse me, sir, but I am only stating my opinion. If I should find that this woman is unable to say that she did not sign two separate documents on that day—that is, to say so with a positive and point blank assurance, I shall recommend you, as my client, to drop the prosecution.”
“I will never drop it,” said Mr. Mason.
“You will do as you please,” continued Round; “I can only say what under such circumstances will be the advice given to you by this firm. I have talked the matter over very carefully with my father and with our other partner, and we shall not think well of going on with it unless I shall now find that your view is strongly substantiated by this woman.”
Then outspoke Mr. Dockwrath, “Under these circumstances, Mr. Mason, if I were you, I should withdraw from the house at once. I certainly would not have my case blown upon.”
“Mr. Mason, sir, will do as he pleases about that. As long as the business with which he honours us is straightforward, we will do it for him, as for an old client, although it is not exactly in our own line. But we can only do it in accordance with our own judgment. I will proceed to explain what I now propose to do. The woman Bolster is in the next room, and I, with the assistance of my head clerk, will take down the headings of what evidence she can give.”
“In our presence, sir,” said Mr. Dockwrath; “or if Mr. Mason should decline, at any rate in mine.”
“By no means, Mr. Dockwrath,” said Round.
“I think Mr. Dockwrath should hear her story,” said Mr. Mason.
“He certainly will not do so in this house or in conjunction with me. In what capacity should he be present, Mr. Mason?”
“As one of Mr. Mason’s legal advisers,” said Dockwrath.
“If you are to be one of them, Messrs. Round and Crook cannot be the others. I think I explained that to you before. It now remains for Mr. Mason to say whether he wishes to employ our firm in this matter or not. And I can tell him fairly,” Mr. Round added this after a slight pause, “that we shall be rather pleased than otherwise if he will put the case into other hands.”
“Of course I wish you to conduct it,” said Mr. Mason, who, with all his bitterness against the present holders of Orley Farm, was afraid of throwing himself into the hands of Dockwrath. He was not an ignorant man, and he knew that the firm of Round and Crook bore a high reputation before the world.
“Then,” said Round, “I must do my business in accordance with my own views of what is right. I have reason to believe that no one has yet tampered with this woman,” and as he spoke he looked hard at Dockwrath, “though probably attempts may have been made.”
“I don’t know who should tamper with her,” said Dockwrath, “unless it be Lady Mason—whom I must say you seem very anxious to protect.”
“Another word like that, sir, and I shall be compelled to ask you to leave the house. I believe that this woman has been tampered with by no one. I will now learn from her what is her remembrance of the circumstances as they occurred twenty years since, and I will then read to you her deposition. I shall be sorry, gentlemen, to keep you here, perhaps for an hour or so, but you will find the morning papers on the table.” And then Mr. Round, gathering up
