might be wise for him further to disturb that Sicilian
romance. The Italian Countess, who was a hideous, worn-out old woman,
professing to be forty-four, probably fifty-five, and looking as
though she were seventy-seven, would not stir a step towards England.
She would swear and had sworn any number of oaths. Documentary
evidence from herself, from various priests, from servants, and
from neighbours there was in plenty. Mr. Flick learned through his
interpreter that a certain old priest ridiculed the idea of there
being a doubt. And there were letters,--letters alleged to have been
written by the Earl to the living wife in the old days, which were
shown to Mr. Flick. Mr. Flick was an educated man, and knew many
things. He knew something of the manufacture of paper, and would not
look at the letters after the first touch. It was not for him to get
up evidence for the other side. The hideous old woman was clamorous
for money. The priests were clamorous for money. The neighbours were
clamorous for money. Had not they all sworn anything that was wanted,
and were they not to be paid? Some moderate payment was made to the
hideous, screeching, greedy old woman; some trivial payment--as to
which Mr. Flick was heartily ashamed of himself--was made to the
old priest; and then Mr. Flick hurried home, fully convinced that
a compromise should be made as to the money, and that the legality
of the titles claimed by the two English ladies should be allowed.
It might be that that hideous hag had once been the Countess Lovel.
It certainly was the case that the old Earl in latter years had
so called her, though he had never once seen her during his last
residence in Sicily. It might be that the clumsy fiction of the
letters had been perpetrated with the view of bolstering up a true
case with false evidence. But Mr. Flick thought that there should be
a compromise, and expressed his opinion very plainly to Sir William
Patterson. "You mean a marriage," said the Solicitor-General. At this
time Mr. Hardy, Q.C., the second counsel acting on behalf of the
Earl, was also present.

"Not necessarily by a marriage, Sir William. They could divide the
money."

"The girl is not of age," said Mr. Hardy.

"She is barely twenty as yet," said Sir William.

"I think it might be managed on her behalf," said the attorney.

"Who could be empowered to sacrifice her rights?" said Mr. Hardy, who
was a gruff man.

"We might perhaps contrive to tide it over