“Why not spare one this trouble to which you are putting one?” he said reproachfully. “Why not be moderately reasonable about it?” “Ah, you see,” said Northcote with a smile, as he presented the ticket for his own extremely time-worn hat and coat, “even a thing so primitive as ‘the moderately reasonable’ must submit itself to the peculiarly elusive mental plane one is doomed to inhabit.” “Peace! peace!” said the solicitor. “No more of that!” “Attorney and advocate, judge and jury,” said the young man, as he rummaged in vain among his pockets to find a tip for the attendant, “justice and equity, the prisoner at the bar and the victim of circumstance,--one and all are to be poised upon the same arbitrary moral elevation, to submit to the mandates of a tribunal which is the creation of that egregiously warped and time-serving thing upon which we bestow the name of The Majority.” “Peace! peace!” said the solicitor, unable in spite of himself to repress a laugh at the amazed face of the cloak-room attendant, and moving to where his hansom awaited him; “give up those papers here and now like a good fellow, and save me a great deal of time and worry. If Harris doesn’t see them first thing to-morrow it means a postponement, and we don’t want that.” “There is need for neither,” said Northcote, buttoning up his threadbare overcoat. “But, ye gods and little fishes! what is the name for the total blindness, the pathetic obtuseness, which has eclipsed the faculties of this connoisseur, this expert? Here is one who has been angling for years for a real authentic fish from the sea, yet when one plumps into his net, being accustomed to nothing but the sight of minnows, he doesn’t even guess at his travaille.” By this time the solicitor had fled precipitately through the vestibule of the restaurant, and stood in the portico awaiting his hansom. X THE RIDE TO NORBITON As he was entering the vehicle Northcote came to his side. “Good night,” said Mr. Whitcomb. “In the morning, perhaps, when you see things a bit clearer you will think better of this. In fact I am sure of it; and I hope you will not forget to send round the brief.” Before he could close the door of the hansom, the young man had joined him in its interior. “I hope you don’t mind my coming with you,” he said, entirely at his ease. “This matter is far too momentous for all concerned to be left in the unsatisfactory stage at which it has now arrived.” “This fellow is the devil,” muttered the solicitor, suppressing a groan. “Where, sir?” said the cabman through the hole in the roof. “Norbiton.” “Norbiton! Not to-night, sir; the ’oss is tired.” “Take me to Norbiton,” said the solicitor sharply, “and never mind about your horse.” “Very sorry, guv’nor--” “Well, if you can afford to lose a sovereign--” The cabman’s head disappeared immediately, and the horse started on its journey at a good round pace.