im to any purpose--I wish,
with all my heart, the responsibility was off my shoulders; but he is
obstinate--or let me rather say, resolute--and he won't take it off.
'Merriman, I leave details to you. Do what you think right for my
interests, and consider me as having personally withdrawn from the
business until it is all over.' Those were Sir Percival's words a
fortnight ago, and all I can get him to do now is to repeat them. I am
not a hard man, Mr. Gilmore, as you know. Personally and privately, I
do assure you, I should like to sponge out that note of mine at this
very moment. But if Sir Percival won't go into the matter, if Sir
Percival will blindly leave all his interests in my sole care, what
course can I possibly take except the course of asserting them? My
hands are bound--don't you see, my dear sir?--my hands are bound."

"You maintain your note on the clause, then, to the letter?" I said.

"Yes--deuce take it! I have no other alternative." He walked to the
fireplace and warmed himself, humming the fag end of a tune in a rich
convivial bass voice. "What does your side say?" he went on; "now pray
tell me--what does your side say?"

I was ashamed to tell him. I attempted to gain time--nay, I did worse.
My legal instincts got the better of me, and I even tried to bargain.

"Twenty thousand pounds is rather a large sum to be given up by the
lady's friends at two days' notice," I said.

"Very true," replied Mr. Merriman, looking down thoughtfully at his
boots. "Properly put, sir--most properly put!"

"A compromise, recognising the interests of the lady's family as well
as the interests of the husband, might not perhaps have frightened my
client quite so much," I went on. "Come, come! this contingency
resolves itself into a matter of bargaining after all. What is the
least you will take?"

"The least we will take," said Mr. Merriman, "is nineteen-
thousand-nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine-pounds-nineteen-shillings-
and-elevenpence-three-farthings. Ha! ha! ha! Excuse me, Mr. Gilmore.
I must have my little joke."

"Little enough," I remarked. "The joke is just worth the odd farthing
it was made for."

Mr. Merriman was delighted. He laughed over my retort till the room
rang again. I was not half so good-humoured on my side; I came back to
business, and closed the interview.

"This is Friday," I said. "Give us till Tuesday next for our final
answer."

"By all means," replied Mr. Merriman. "Longer,