“Do you adhere to your former opinion? would you try a compromise?”
“I would. The man has a case quite good enough to interest a speculative lawyer—good enough to go before a jury—good enough for everything but success. One half what the defence would cost you will probably satisfy his expectations, not to speak of all you will spare yourself in unpleasantness and exposure.”
“It is a hard thing to stoop to,” said Bramleigh, painfully.
“It need not be, at least not to the extent you imagine; and when you throw your eye over your lawyer's bill of costs, the phrase 'incidental expenses' will spare your feelings any more distinct reference to this transaction.”
“A most considerate attention. And now for the practical part. Who is this man's lawyer?”
“A most respectable practitioner, Kelson, of Temple Court. A personal friend of my own.”
“And what terms would you propose?”
“I 'd offer five thousand, and be prepared to go to eight, possibly to ten.”
“To silence a mere menace?”
“Exactly. It's a mere menace to-day, but six months hence it may be something more formidable. It is a curious case, cleverly contrived and ingeniously put together. Don't say that we could n't smash it; such carpentry always has a chink or an open somewhere. Meanwhile the scandal is spreading over not only England, but over the world, and no matter how favorable the ultimate issue, there will always remain in men's minds the recollection that the right to your estate was contested, and that you had to defend your possession.”