"And Wynne Williams is _known_ to be _the_ cleverest lawyer _in the world_," exclaimed Miss Charity, exulting. "I was afraid, on account of his having been so lately Lord Verney's adviser, that he would not have been willing to consult with you. And _will_ he use his influence, which must be very great, with Lord Verney?" "He has none; and he thinks it would be quite useless my talking to him." "Oh! Is it possible? Well, if he said _that_, I _never_ heard _such_ nonsense in the course of my life. I think old Lord Verney was one of the _very nicest_ men I _ever_ spoke to in the course of my life; and I'm certain it is all that horrid Mr. Larkin, and a great mistake; for Lord Verney is quite a gentleman, and would not do anything so _despicable_ as to worry and injure papa by this horrid business, if only you would make him understand it; and I _do_ think, Thomas Sedley, you _might_ take that trouble for papa." "I'll go over to Ware, and try to see Lord Verney, if you think my doing so can be of the least use," said Tom, who knew the vanity of arguing with Miss Charity. "Oh, _do_," said pretty Agnes, and that entreaty was, of course, a command; so without going up to see old Etherage, who was very much broken and ill, his daughters said; and hoping possibly to have some cheering news on his return, Tom Sedley took his leave for the present, and from the pier of Cardyllian crossed in a boat to Ware. On the spacious steps of that palatial mansion, as Mr. Larkin used to term it, stood Lord Verney, looking grandly seaward, with compressed eyes, like a near-sighted gentleman as he was. "Oh! is she all right?" said Lord Verney. "I--I don't know, Lord Verney," replied Tom Sedley. "I came to"-- "Oh--aw--Mr.--Mr.--how d'ye do, sir," said Lord Verney, with marked frigidity, not this time giving him the accustomed finger. "I came, Lord Verney, hoping you might possibly give me five minutes, and a very few words, about that unfortunate business of poor Mr. Vane Etherage." "I'm unfortunately just going out in a boat--about it; and I can't just now afford time, Mr.--a--Mr."-- "_Sedley_ is my name," suggested Sedley, who knew that Lord Verney remembered him perfectly. "Sedley--Mr. Sedley; yes. As I mentioned, I'm going in a boat. I'm sorry I can't possibly oblige you; and it is very natural you, who are so intimate, I believe, with Mr. Etherage, should take that side of the question--about it; but _I_'ve no reason to call those proceedings unfortunate; and--and I don't anticipate--and, in fact, people usually look after their own concerns--about it." Lord Verney, standing on the steps, was looking over Sedley's head, as he spoke, at the estuary and the shipping there. "I'm sure, Lord Verney, if you knew how utterly ruinous, how really _deplorable_, the consequences of pursuing this thing--I mean the lawsuit against him--may be--I am _sure_--you would stop it all."