“Ah,” said the learned Doctor, polishing his eye-glasses, “you have
given me an idea. With Miss Smithers’ consent we will file something
better than a certified copy of the will—we will file a photographic
copy. The inconvenience to Miss Smithers will be trifling, and it may
prevent questions being raised hereafter.”
“Have you any objections to that, my dear?” asked Lady Holmhurst.
“Oh, no, I suppose not,” said Augusta mournfully; “I seem to be public
property now.”
“Very well, then; excuse me for a moment,” said the learned Doctor.
“There is a photographer close by whom I have had occasion to employ
officially. I will write and see if he can come round.”
In a few minutes an answer came back from the photographer that he
would be happy to wait upon Doctor Probate at three o’clock, up to
which hour he was engaged.
“Well,” said the Doctor, “it is clear that I cannot let Miss Smithers
out of the custody of the Court till the photograph is taken. Let me
see, I think that yours was my last appointment this morning. Now, what
do you say to the idea of something to eat? We are not five minutes
drive from Simpson’s, and I shall feel delighted if you will make a
pleasure of a necessity.”
Lady Holmhurst, who was getting very hungry, said that she should be
most pleased, and, accordingly, they all—with the exception of Mr. John
Short, who departed about some business, saying that he would return at
three o’clock—drove off in Lady Holmhurst’s carriage to the restaurant,
where this delightful specimen of the genus Registrar stood them a most
sumptuous champagne lunch, and made himself so agreeable, that both the
ladies nearly fell in love with him, and even Eustace was constrained
to admit to himself that good things can come out of the Divorce Court.
Finally, the doctor wound up the proceedings, which were of a most
lively order, and included an account of Augusta’s adventures, with a
toast.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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