to the property. But, Mr. Round, if
he be encouraged to gratify his malice--"

"If who be encouraged?"

"Your client, Mr. Mason of Groby;--there can be no doubt that he
might harass this unfortunate lady till he brought her nearly to the
grave."

"That would be a pity, for I believe she's still an uncommon pretty
woman." And the attorney indulged in a little fat inward chuckle;
for in these days Mr. Furnival's taste with reference to strange
goddesses was beginning to be understood by the profession.

"She is a very old friend of mine," said Mr. Furnival, gravely, "a
very old friend indeed; and if I were to desert her now, she would
have no one to whom she could look."

"Oh, ah, yes; I'm sure you're very kind;" and Mr. Round altered his
face and tone, so that they might be in conformity with those of his
companion. "Anything I can do, of course I shall be very happy. I
should be slow, myself, to advise my client to try the matter again,
but to tell the truth anything of this kind would go to my son now. I
did read Mr. Mason's letter, but I immediately handed it to Matthew."

"I will tell you how you can oblige me, Mr. Round."

"Do tell me; I am sure I shall be very happy."

"Look into this matter yourself, and talk it over with Mr. Mason
before you allow anything to be done. It is not that I doubt your
son's discretion. Indeed we all know what an exceedingly good man of
business he is."

"Matthew is sharp enough," said the prosperous father.

"But then young men are apt to be too sharp. I don't know whether you
remember the case about that Orley Farm, Mr. Round."

"As well as if it were yesterday," said the attorney.

"Then you must recollect how thoroughly you were convinced that your
client had not a leg to stand upon."

"It was I that insisted that he should not carry it before the
Chancellor. Crook had the general management of those cases then, and
would have gone on; but I said, no. I would not see my client's money
wasted in such a wild-goose chase. In the first place the property
was not worth it; and in the next place there was nothing to impugn
the will. If I remember right it all turned on whether an old man who
had signed as witness was well enough to write his name."

"That was the point."

"And I think it was shown that he had himself signed a receipt on
that very day--or the day after, or the day before. It was something
of that kind."

"Exactly; those were the facts. As regards the r