The woman in white, a novel . m the business until it is all over. Those Avere SirPercivals Avords a fortnight ago; and all I can get him to do now isto rei)eat them. I am not a hard man, Mr. Gilmore, as you and privately, I do assure you, I should like to spongeout that note of mine at this very moment. But if Sir PercivalAvont go into the matter, if Sir Percival Avill blindly leave all his in-terests in my sole care, Avhat course can I possibly take except thecourse of asserting them ? My hands are bound—dont you see, mydear sir?—my hands are bound. You maintain your note on
The woman in white, a novel . m the business until it is all over. Those Avere SirPercivals Avords a fortnight ago; and all I can get him to do now isto rei)eat them. I am not a hard man, Mr. Gilmore, as you and privately, I do assure you, I should like to spongeout that note of mine at this very moment. But if Sir PercivalAvont go into the matter, if Sir Percival Avill blindly leave all his in-terests in my sole care, Avhat course can I possibly take except thecourse of asserting them ? My hands are bound—dont you see, mydear sir?—my hands are bound. You maintain your note on the clause, then, to the letter ? Isaid. Yes—deuce take it! I have no other alternative. He walkedto the fire-place and Avarmed himself, humming the fag-end of atune in a rich convivial bass voice. What does your side say ? hewent on; now pray tell me—Avhat does your side say ? I Avas ashamed to tell him. I attempted to gain time—nay, I didworse. My legal instincts got the better of me ; and I even tried Hi: WALKED TO THE FIKE-PLACE AXD WAK3IED HIMSELF, THE WOMAN IN WHITE. 137 Twenty tlionsand pounds is rather a large sum to be given np bythe Ladys friends at two days notice, I said. Very true, replied Mr. Merriman, looking down thoughtfully athis boots. Properly put, sir—most properly put! A compromise, rcvcognizing the interests of the ladys family aswell as the interests of the husband, might not, perliaps, have fright-ened my client quite so much. I went on. Come! cornel thiscontingency resolves itself into a matter of bargaining after is the least you will take ? The least we will take,said Mr. Merriman, is nineteen thou-sand nine hundred and ninety-nine pounds nineteen shillings andeleven-jDence three farthings. Ha ! ha ! ha! Excuse me, ]VIr. Gil-more. I must have my little joke. Little enough! I remarked. The joke is just worth the oddfarthing it was made for. Mr. Merriman was delighted. He laughed over my retort till theroom rang again.
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