"Let me ask you—did you come to me in any sense at the instance of your client?" said Sydney, suspiciously.
"By no means. Mr. Walcott does not know I have thought of you in connection with his defence."
"Nor at the instance of another?"
"Certainly not. It is entirely my own idea."
Sydney looked relieved. He could not ask outright if there had been any communication with his sister, but that was what he was thinking about.
"I hope we may rely upon you," said Mr. Larmer.
"I don't know. I am not sure that you can. This is, as you said, a perfectly informal conversation, and I may frankly tell you that what you ask is out of the question. I hope you will think no more about it."
Mr. Larmer was troubled.
"It seemed to me, Mr. Campion, that the idea would commend itself at once. I fear you did not quite take my meaning when I spoke of possible side issues and irrelevant questions which might arise during the trial?"
"Surely I did. You meant that counsel for the prosecution might think to advance his cause by referring to other proceedings, past or future, and might even go so far as to name a lady who has been most wantonly and cruelly maligned by one of the parties to this case?"