Mr. Jarvice rose as if the interview was ended. He moved some papers on his table, and added carelessly--"You have a good solicitor, I suppose?" "I haven't a solicitor at all," said Walter Hine, as he, too, rose. "Oh, haven't you?" said Mr. Jarvice, with all the appearance of surprise. "Well, shall I give you an introduction to one?" He sat down, wrote a note, placed it in an envelope, which he left unfastened, and addressed it. Then he handed the envelope to his client. "Messrs. Jones and Stiles, Lincoln's Inn Fields," he said. "But ask for Mr. Driver. Tell him the whole proposal frankly, and ask his advice." "Driver?" said Hine, fingering the envelope. "Hadn't I ought to see one of the partners?" Mr. Jarvice smiled. "You have a business head, Mr. Hine, that's very clear. I'll let you into a secret. Mr. Driver is rather like yourself--something of a rebel, Mr. Hine. He came into disagreement with that very arbitrary body the Incorporated Law Society, so,--well his name does not figure in the firm. But he _is_ Jones and Stiles. Tell him everything! If he advises you against my proposal, I shall even say take his advice. Good-morning." Mr. Jarvice went to the door and opened it. "Well, this is the spider's web, you know," he said, with the good-humored laugh of one who could afford to despise the slanders of the ill-affected. "Not such a very uncomfortable place, eh?" and he bowed Mr. Fly out of his office. He stood at the door and waited until the outer office closed. Then he went to his telephone and rang up a particular number. "Are you Jones and Stiles?" he asked. "Thank you! Will you ask Mr. Driver to come to the telephone"; and with Mr. Driver he talked genially for the space of five minutes. Then, and not till then, with a smile of satisfaction, Mr. Jarvice turned to the unopened letters which had come to him by the morning post. CHAPTER V MICHEL REVAILLOUD EXPOUNDS HIS PHILOSOPHY