nd
Mr Bideawhile. But there was an importance in it that sustained him
amidst his troubles. It is said that if you were to take a man of
moderate parts and make him Prime Minister out of hand, he might
probably do as well as other Prime Ministers, the greatness of the
work elevating the man to its own level. In that way Dolly was
elevated to the level of a man of business, and felt and enjoyed his
own capacity. 'By George!' It depended chiefly upon him whether such a
man as Melmotte should or should not be charged before the Lord Mayor.
'Perhaps I oughtn't to have promised,' he said to Squercum, sitting in
the lawyer's office on a high-legged stool with a cigar in his mouth.
He preferred Squercum to any other lawyer he had met because
Squercum's room was untidy and homely, because there was nothing awful
about it, and because he could sit in what position he pleased, and
smoke all the time.

'Well; I don't think you ought, if you ask me,' said Squercum.

'You weren't there to be asked, old fellow.'

'Bideawhile shouldn't have asked you to agree to anything in my
absence,' said Squercum indignantly. 'It was a very unprofessional
thing on his part, and so I shall take an opportunity of telling him.'

'It was you told me to go.'

'Well;--yes. I wanted you to see what they were at in that room; but
I told you to look on and say nothing.'

'I didn't speak half-a-dozen words.'

'You shouldn't have spoken those words. Your father then is quite
clear that you did not sign the letter?'

'Oh, yes;--the governor is pig-headed, you know, but he's honest.'

'That's a matter of course,' said the lawyer. 'All men are honest; but
they are generally specially honest to their own side. Bideawhile's
honest; but you've got to fight him deuced close to prevent his
getting the better of you. Melmotte has promised to pay the money on
Friday, has he?'

'He's to bring it with him to Bruton Street.'

'I don't believe a word of it;--and I'm sure Bideawhile doesn't. In
what shape will he bring it? He'll give you a cheque dated on Monday,
and that'll give him two days more, and then on Monday there'll be a
note to say the money can't be lodged till Wednesday. There should be
no compromising with such a man. You only get from one mess into
another. I told you neither to do anything or to say anything.'

'I suppose we can't help ourselves now. You're to be there on Friday.
I particularly bargained for that. It you're there, there won't