all in vain. The property was sweet, but that sweetness was tasteless when compared to the sweetness of revenge.
'Nothing shall make me tamper with justice;—nothing,' said he.
'But even if it were as you say, you cannot do anything to her,' said Round.
'I'll try,' said Mason. 'You have been my attorney, and what you know in the matter you are bound to tell. And I'll make you tell, sir.'
'Upon my word,' said Round, 'this is beyond bearing. Mr. Mason, I must trouble you to walk out of my office.' And then he rang the bell. 'Tell Mr. Mat I want to see him.' But before that younger partner had joined his father Joseph Mason had gone. 'Mat,' said the old man, 'I don't interfere with you in many things, but on this I must insist. As long as my name is in the firm Mr. Joseph Mason of Groby shall not be among our customers.'
'The man's a fool,' said Mr. Furnival. 'The end of all that will be that two years will go by before he gets his property; and, in the meantime, the house and all about it will go to ruin.'
In these days there was a delightful family concord between Mr. Furnival and his wife, and perhaps we may be allowed to hope that the peace was permanent. Martha Biggs had not been in Harley Street since we last saw her there, and was now walking round Red Lion Square by the hour with some kindred spirit, complaining bitterly of the return which had been made for her friendship. 'What I endured, and what I was prepared to endure for that woman, no breathing creature can ever know,' said Martha Biggs, to that other Martha; 'and now———'
'I suppose the fact is he don't like to see you there,' said the other.
'And is that a reason?' said our Martha. 'Had I been in her place I would not have put my foot in his house again till I was assured that my friend should be as welcome there as myself. But then, perhaps, my ideas of friendship may be called romantic.'
But though there were heart-burnings and war in Red Lion Square, there was sweet peace in Harley Street. Mrs. Furnival had learned that beyond all doubt Lady Mason was an unfortunate woman on whose behalf her husband was using his best energies as a lawyer; and though rumours had begun to reach her that were very injurious to the lady's character, she did not on that account feel animosity against her. Had Lady Mason been guilty of all the sins in the calendar except one, Mrs. Furnival could find it within her heart to forgive her.
But Sophia was now more interested about Lady Mason than was her mother, and during those days of the trial was much more eager to learn the news as it became known. She had said nothing to her mother about Lucius, nor had she said anything as to Augustus
