ture of any money beyond the extreme limit
of twelve thousand and fifty pounds, which he had clearly fixed; and
not further to waste the time of the court, he would at once call Mr.
Forsyte.

Soames then went into the box. His whole appearance was striking in its
composure. His face, just supercilious enough, pale and clean-shaven,
with a little line between the eyes, and compressed lips; his dress
in unostentatious order, one hand neatly gloved, the other bare. He
answered the questions put to him in a somewhat low, but distinct voice.
His evidence under cross-examination savoured of taciturnity.

Had he not used the expression, "a free hand"? No.

"Come, come!"

The expression he had used was 'a free hand in the terms of this
correspondence.'

"Would you tell the Court that that was English?"

"Yes!"

"What do you say it means?"

"What it says!"

"Are you prepared to deny that it is a contradiction in terms?"

"Yes."

"You are not an Irishman?"

"No."

"Are you a well-educated man?"

"Yes."

"And yet you persist in that statement?"

"Yes."

Throughout this and much more cross-examination, which turned again and
again around the 'nice point,' James sat with his hand behind his ear,
his eyes fixed upon his son.

He was proud of him! He could not but feel that in similar circumstances
he himself would have been tempted to enlarge his replies, but his
instinct told him that this taciturnity was the very thing. He sighed
with relief, however, when Soames, slowly turning, and without any
change of expression, descended from the box.

When it came to the turn of Bosinney's Counsel to address the Judge,
James redoubled his attention, and he searched the Court again and again
to see if Bosinney were not somewhere concealed.

Young Chankery began nervously; he was placed by Bosinney's absence in
an awkward position. He therefore did his best to turn that absence to
account.

He could not but fear--he said--that his client had met with an
accident. He had fully expected him there to give evidence; they had
sent round that morning both to Mr. Bosinney's office and to his rooms
(though he knew they were one and the same, he thought it was as
well not to say so), but it was not known where he was, and this he
considered to be ominous, knowing how anxious Mr. Bosinney had been to
give his evidence. He had not, however, been instructed to apply for an
adjournment, and in default of such instruction he c