f the case of those Hills!
How can any one expect that any one else will ever trust a lawyer
again after that? But that's Mr Bideawhile's bell. How can any one
expect it? He will see you now, I dare say, Mr Gresham."

So it turned out, and Frank was ushered into the presence of Mr
Bideawhile. He had got his lesson by heart, and was going to rush
into the middle of his subject; such a course, however, was not in
accordance with Mr Bideawhile's usual practice. Mr Bideawhile got up
from his large wooden-seated Windsor chair, and, with a soft smile,
in which, however, was mingled some slight dash of the attorney's
acuteness, put out his hand to his young client; not, indeed, as
though he were going to shake hands with him, but as though the hand
were some ripe fruit all but falling, which his visitor might take
and pluck if he thought proper. Frank took hold of the hand, which
returned him no pressure, and then let it go again, not making any
attempt to gather the fruit.

"I have come up to town, Mr Bideawhile, about this mortgage,"
commenced Frank.

"Mortgage--ah, sit down, Mr Gresham; sit down. I hope your father is
quite well?"

"Quite well, thank you."

"I have a great regard for your father. So I had for your
grandfather; a very good man indeed. You, perhaps, don't remember
him, Mr Gresham?"

"He died when I was only a year old."

"Oh, yes; no, you of course, can't remember him; but I do, well: he
used to be very fond of some port wine I had. I think it was '11;'
and if I don't mistake, I have a bottle or two of it yet; but it is
not worth drinking now. Port wine, you know, won't keep beyond a
certain time. That was very good wine. I don't exactly remember what
it stood me a dozen then; but such wine can't be had now. As for the
Madeira, you know there's an end of that. Do you drink Madeira, Mr
Gresham?"

"No," said Frank, "not very often."

"I'm sorry for that, for it's a fine wine; but then there's none
of it left, you know. I have a few dozen, I'm told they're growing
pumpkins where the vineyards were. I wonder what they do with all the
pumpkins they grow in Switzerland! You've been in Switzerland, Mr
Gresham?"

Frank said he had been in Switzerland.

"It's a beautiful country; my girls made me go there last year. They
said it would do me good; but then you know, they wanted to see it
themselves; ha! ha! ha! However, I believe I shall go again this
autumn. That is to Aix, or some of those places; ju