第38章

Soamesshookhishead。Ifthewholethingwerenotdisposedofwithinthenextfewmonthsthefellowwouldturnupagainlikeabadpenny。Itsavedathousandayearatleasttogetridofhim，besidesalltheworrytoWinifredandhisfather。’ImuststiffenDreamer’sback，’hethought；’wemustpushiton。’

Winifred，whohadadoptedakindofhalf-mourningwhichbecameherfairhairandtallfigureverywell，arrivedinJames’barouchedrawnbyJames’pair。SoameshadnotseenitintheCitysincehisfatherretiredfrombusinessfiveyearsago，anditsincongruitygavehimashock。’Timesarechanging，’hethought；’onedoesn’tknowwhat’llgonext！’Tophatsevenwerescarcer。HeenquiredafterVal。Val，saidWinifred，wrotethathewasgoingtoplaypolonextterm。Shethoughthewasinaverygoodset。Sheaddedwithfashionablydisguisedanxiety：”Willtherebemuchpublicityaboutmyaffair，Soames?Mustitbeinthepapers?It’ssobadforhim，andthegirls。”

Withhisowncalamityallrawwithinhim，Soamesanswered：”Thepapersareapushinglot；it’sverydifficulttokeepthingsout。Theypretendtobeguardingthepublic’smorals，andtheycorruptthemwiththeirbeastlyreports。Butwehaven’tgottothatyet。We’reonlyseeingDreamerto-dayontherestitutionquestion。Ofcourseheunderstandsthatit’stoleadtoadivorce；

butyoumustseemgenuinelyanxioustogetDartieback——youmightpracticethatattitudeto-day。”

Winifredsighed。”Oh！WhataclownMonty’sbeen！”shesaid。

Soamesgaveherasharplook。ItwascleartohimthatshecouldnottakeherDartieseriously，andwouldgobackonthewholethingifgivenhalfachance。Hisowninstincthadbeenfirminthismatterfromthefirst。TosavealittlescandalnowwouldonlybringonhissisterandherchildrenrealdisgraceandperhapsruinlateronifDartiewereallowedtohangontothem，goingdown-hillandspendingthemoneyJameswouldleavehisdaughter。Thoughitwasalltiedup，thatfellowwouldmilkthesettlementssomehow，andmakehisfamilypaythroughthenosetokeephimoutofbankruptcyorevenperhapsgaol！Theylefttheshiningcarriage，withtheshininghorsesandtheshining-hattedservantsontheEmbankment，andwalkeduptoDreamerQ。C。’sChambersinCrownOfficeRow。”Mr。Bellbyishere，sir，”saidtheclerk；”Mr。Dreamerwillbetenminutes。”

Mr。Bellby，thejunior——notasjuniorashemighthavebeen，forSoamesonlyemployedbarristersofestablishedreputation；itwas，indeed，somethingofamysterytohimhowbarristersevermanagedtoestablishthatwhichmadehimemploythem——Mr。Bellbywasseated，takingafinalglancethroughhispapers。HehadcomefromCourt，andwasinwigandgown，whichsuitedanosejuttingoutlikethehandleofatinypump，hissmallshrewdblueeyes，andratherprotrudinglowerlip——nobettermantosupplementandstiffenDreamer。

TheintroductiontoWinifredaccomplished，theyleapedtheweatherandspokeofthewar。Soamesinterruptedsuddenly：”Ifhedoesn’tcomplywecan’tbringproceedingsforsixmonths。I

wanttogetonwiththematter，Bellby。”

Mr。Bellby，whohadtheghostofanIrishbrogue，smiledatWinifredandmurmured：”TheLaw’sdelays，Mrs。Dartie。””Sixmonths！”repeatedSoames；”it’lldriveituptoJune！Weshan’tgetthesuitontillafterthelongvacation。Wemustputthescrewon，Bellby”——hewouldhaveallhisworkcutouttokeepWinifreduptothescratch。”Mr。Dreamerwillseeyounow，sir。”

Theyfiledin，Mr。Bellbygoingfirst，andSoamesescortingWinifredafteranintervalofoneminutebyhiswatch。

DreamerQ。C。，inagownbutdivestedofwig，wasstandingbeforethefire，asifthisconferencewereinth

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