Phineas Redux

respect which was due to him as a peer and a member of the Government. There were present at this scene Mr. Chaffanbrass, the old barrister, Mr. Wickerby himself, Mr. Wickerby’s confidential clerk, Lord Fawn, Lord Fawn’s solicitor⁠—that same Mr. Camperdown whom we saw in the last chapter calling upon Lady Eustace⁠—and a policeman. Lord Fawn had been invited to attend, with many protestations of regret as to the trouble thus imposed upon him, because the very important nature of the evidence about to be given by him at the forthcoming trial seemed to render it expedient that some questions should be asked. This was on Tuesday, the 22nd June, and the trial was to be commenced on the following Thursday. And there was present in the room, very conspicuously, an old heavy grey great coat, as to which Mr. Wickerby had instructed Mr. Chaffanbrass that evidence was forthcoming, if needed, to prove that that coat was lying on the night of the murder in a downstairs room in the house in which Yosef Mealyus was then lodging. The reader will remember the history of the coat. Instigated by Madame Goesler, who was still absent from England, Mr. Wickerby had traced the coat, and had purchased the coat, and was in a position to prove that this very coat was the coat which Mr. Meager had brought home with him to Northumberland Street on that day. But Mr. Wickerby was of opinion that the coat had better not be used. “It does not go far enough,” said Mr. Wickerby. “It don’t go very far, certainly,” said Mr. Chaffanbrass. “And if you try to show that another man has done it, and he hasn’t,” said Mr. Wickerby, “it always tells against you with a jury.” To this Mr. Chaffanbrass made no reply, preferring to form his own opinion, and to keep it to himself when formed. But in obedience to his instructions, Lord Fawn was asked to attend at Mr. Wickerby’s chambers, in the cause of truth, and the coat was brought out on the occasion. “Was that the sort of coat the man wore, my lord?” said Mr. Chaffanbrass as Mr. Wickerby held up the coat to view. Lord Fawn walked round and round the coat, and looked at it very carefully before he would vouchsafe a reply. “You see it is a grey coat,” said Mr. Chaffanbrass, not speaking at all in the tone which Mr. Wickerby’s note had induced Lord Fawn to expect.

“It is grey,” said Lord Fawn.

“Perhaps it’s not the same shade of grey, Lord Fawn. You see, my lord, we are most anxious not to impute guilt where guilt doesn’t lie. You are a witness for the Crown, and, of course, you will tell the Crown lawyers all that passes here. Were it possible, we would make this little preliminary inquiry in their presence;⁠—but we can hardly do that. Mr. Finn’s coat was a very much smaller coat.”

“I should think it was,” said his lordship, who did not like being questioned about coats.

“You don’t think the coat the man wore when you saw him was a big coat like that? You think he wore a little coat?”

“He wore a grey coat,” said Lord Fawn.

“This is grey;⁠—a coat shouldn’t be greyer than that.”

“I don’t think Lord Fawn should be asked any more questions on the matter till he gives his evidence in court,” said Mr. Camperdown.

“A man’s life depends on it, Mr. Camperdown,” said the barrister. “It isn’t a matter of cross-examination. If I bring that coat into court I must make a charge against another man by the very act of doing so. And I will not do so unless I believe that other man to be guilty. It’s an inquiry I can’t postpone till we are before the jury. It isn’t that I want to trump up a case against another man for the sake of extricating my client on a false issue. Lord Fawn doesn’t want to hang Mr. Finn if Mr. Finn be not guilty.”

“God forbid!” said his lordship.

“Mr. Finn couldn’t have worn that coat, or a coat at all like it.”

“What is it you do want to learn, Mr. Chaffanbrass?” asked Mr. Camperdown.

“Just put on the coat, Mr. Scruby.” Then at the order of the barrister, Mr. Scruby, the attorney’s clerk, did put on Mr. Meager’s old great coat, and walked about the room in it. “Walk quick,” said Mr. Chaffanbrass;⁠—and the clerk did “walk quick.” He was a stout, thickset little man, nearly half a foot shorter than Phineas Finn. “Is that at all like the figure?” asked Mr. Chaffanbrass.

“I think it is like the figure,” said Lord Fawn.

“And like the coat?”

“It’s the same colour as the coat.”

“You wouldn’t swear it was not the coat?”

“I am not on my oath at all, Mr. Chaffanbrass.”

“No, my lord;⁠—but to me your word is as good as your oath. If you think it possible that was the coat⁠—”

“I don’t think anything about it at all. When Mr. Scruby hurries down the room in that way he looks as the man looked when he was hurrying under the lamppost. I am not disposed to say any more at present.”

“It’s a matter of regret to me that Lord Fawn should have come here at all,” said Mr. Camperdown, who had been summoned to meet his client at the chambers, but had come with him.

“I suppose his lordship wishes us to know all that he knew, seeing that it’s a question of hanging the right man or the wrong one. I never heard such trash in my life. Take it off, Mr. Scruby, and let the policeman keep it. I understand Lord Fawn to say that the man’s figure was about the same as yours. My client, I believe, stands about twelve inches taller. Thank you, my lord;⁠—we shall get at the truth at last, I don’t doubt.” It was afterwards said that Mr. Chaffanbrass’s conduct had been very improper in enticing Lord Fawn to Mr. Wickerby’s