The lawyer was in his office, and disengaged. After his morning's experience Mr. Twist was quite surprised and much relieved by being admitted at once. He was received neither coldly nor warmly, but with unmistakable interest.
"I've come to consult you," said Mr. Twist.
The lawyer nodded. He hadn't supposed he had come not to consult him, but he was used to patience with clients, and he well knew their preference in conversation for the self-evident.
"I want a straight answer to a straight question," said Mr. Twist, his great spectacles glaring anxiously at the lawyer who again nodded.
"Go on," he said, as Mr. Twist paused.
"What I want to know is," burst out Mr. Twist, "what the hell—"
The lawyer put up a hand. "One moment, Mr. Twist," he said. "Sorry to interrupt—"
And he got up quickly, and went to a door in the partition between his office and his clerks' room.
"You may go out to lunch now," he said, opening it a crack.
He then shut it, and came back to his seat at the table.