'Oh, of course! I suppose the real fact is, that it is a matter of money. You want to be paid for what information you have got. That is about the long and the short of it; eh, Mr. Dockwrath?’
‘I don't know what you call the long and the short of it, Mr. Round; or what may be your way of doing business. As a professional man, of course I expect to be paid for my work;—and I have no doubt that you expect the same.’
‘No doubt, Mr. Dockwrath; but—as you have made the comparison, I hope you will excuse me for saying so—we always wait till our clients come to us.’
Mr. Dockwrath drew himself up with some intention of becoming angry; but he hardly knew how to carry it out; and then it might be a question whether anger would serve his turn. ‘Do you mean to say, Mr. Round, if you had found documents such as these, you would have done nothing about them—that you would have passed them by as worthless?’
‘I can’t say that till I know what the documents are. If I found papers concerning the client of another firm, I should go to that firm if I thought that they demanded attention.’
‘I didn’t know anything about the firm;—how was I to know?’
‘Well! you know now, Mr. Dockwrath, As I understand it, our client has referred you to us. If you have any anything to say, we are ready to hear it. If you have anything to show, we are ready to look at it. If you have nothing to say, and nothing to show—’
’Ah, but I have; only—’
‘Only you want us to make it worth your while. We might as well have the truth at once. Is not that about it?’
‘I want to see my way, of course.’
‘Exactly. And now, Mr. Dockwrath, I must make you understand that we don’t do business in that way.’
‘Then I shall see Mr. Mason again myself.’
‘That you can do. He will be in town next week, and, as I believe, wishes to see you. As regards your expenses, if you can show us that you have any communication to make that is worth our client's attention, we will see that you are paid what you are out of pocket, and some fair remuneration for the time you may have lost;—not as an attorney, remember, for in that light we cannot regard you.’
‘I am every bit as much an attorney as you are.’
’No doubt; but you are not Mr. Mason’s attorney; and as long as it suits him to honour us with his custom, you cannot be so regarded.’
’That's as he pleases.’
’No; it is not, Mr. Dockwrath. It is as he pleases whether he employs you or us; but it is not as he pleases whether he employs
