Felix Graham had been induced
to become one of that legal phalanx which was employed on behalf of
Lady Mason. It was now some days since he had left Noningsby, and
those days with him had been very busy. He had never yet undertaken
the defence of a person in a criminal court, and had much to
learn,--or perhaps he rather fancied that he had. And then that
affair of Mary Snow's new lover was not found to arrange itself
altogether easily. When he came to the details of his dealings with
the different parties, every one wanted from him twice as much money
as he had expected. The chemist was very willing to have a partner,
but then a partnership in his business was, according to his view
of the matter, a peculiarly expensive luxury. Snow pere, moreover,
came forward with claims which he rested on various arguments, that
Graham found it almost impossible to resist them. At first,--that is
immediately subsequent to the interview between him and his patron
described in a preceding chapter, Graham had been visited by a very
repulsive attorney who had talked loudly about the cruel wrongs of
his ill-used client. This phasis of the affair would have been by
far the preferable one; but the attorney and his client probably
disagreed. Snow wanted immediate money, and as no immediate money
was forthcoming through the attorney, he threw himself repentant at
Graham's feet, and took himself off with twenty shillings. But his
penitence, and his wants, and his tears, and the thwarted ambition
of his parental mind were endless; and poor Felix hardly knew where
to turn himself without seeing him. It seemed probable that every
denizen of the courts of law in London would be told before long
the sad tale of Mary Snow's injuries. And then Mrs. Thomas wanted
money,--more money than she had a right to want in accordance with
the terms of their mutual agreement. "She had been very much put
about," she said,--"dreadfully put about. She had had to change her
servant three times. There was no knowing the trouble Mary Snow had
given her. She had, in a great measure, been forced to sacrifice her
school." Poor woman! she thought she was telling the truth while
making these false plaints. She did not mean to be dishonest, but it
is so easy to be dishonest without meaning it when one is very poor!
Mary Snow herself made no claim on her lost lover, no claim for money
or for aught besides. When he parted from her on that day without
kissing her, Mary Snow kn