"Precisely what the Elder said. It has not been forgotten."
"There were the two De Lanceys——"
"Yes, to be sure! And why did he trouble himself about them? There are enough of De Lanceys to look after De Lanceys."
"The injustice of the affair was every man's business. These two De Lanceys were private gentlemen, who, because they had some words with a German chasseur, were seized in their homes and tried by court-martial—though they had no connection whatever with the army: at the worst it was a simple assault, the most trifling offense the civil law notices, yet the De Lanceys were degraded and imprisoned for two months, and then compelled to beg this German mercenary's pardon before all the troops at Kingsbridge. Remember Mr. Hicks, turned out of his hotel by General Patterson at the request of that unmentionable creature Loring—because Loring wanted it for one of his parasites. Remember poor Amberman, the miller at Hempstead, who, because he asked Major Stockton for payment for the flour he had bought, was nearly flogged to death, and then run through with Major Crew's sword, and kicked out of the way—dead. Nothing was done to Stockton; I met him on the street an hour ago, still an officer in His Majesty's service. I could add one hundred examples to these—but what is the use? And why are we lawyers? There is no law. The will of any military officer is the law."
"Still we are lawyers, Neil; and special counselors to three of the commissaries."
"I shall not be counselor much longer. I am going to write my resignation now."
"Are you mad? These fees are about all the ready money we make."
"I should deserve to be called mad, or worse, if I continued to serve a government which had just fined me for not being careful of its interests."
"For Heaven's sake, don't throw hundreds a year away for a figment!"
"Honor is something more than a figment. But you had better go to court early this morning. When you come back, I want you to let me have two hundred pounds until I can sell some property."