"No;—I daresay not. You see the difficulty is this. He's so stiff-necked,—will do nothing himself. Well, that will do for one proof of temporary insanity. The real truth is, Mr. Robarts, he is as mad as a hatter."
"Upon my word I've often thought so."
"And you wouldn't mind saying so in evidence,—would you? Well, you see, there is no helping such a man in any other way. He won't even employ a lawyer to defend him."
"That was what I had come to you about."
"I'm told he won't. Now a man must be mad who won't employ a lawyer when he wants one. You see, the point we should gain would be this,—if we tried to get him through as being a little touched in the upper story,—whatever we could do for him, we could do against his own will. The more he opposed us the stronger our case would be. He would swear he was not mad at all, and we should say that that was the greatest sign of his madness. But when I say we, of course I mean you. I must not appear in it."
"I wish you could, Mr. Walker."
"Of course I can't; but that won't make any difference."
"I suppose he must have a lawyer?"
"Yes, he must have a lawyer;—or rather his friends must."
"And who should employ him, ostensibly?"