“No, of course not; only I thought I had been doing something.”
“You have been doing nothing, it seems to me,” said Miss Jerrold sharply.
“Really, I have done my best.”
“But I thought barristers were such clever people!”
“Oh, dear no,” said Guest seriously. “Very stupid folk as a rule. Sort of gun a barrister is. The solicitor is the clever man, and he has to load the barrister before he goes off.”
“Then for goodness’ sake get some solicitor to load you, and then go off and shoot something.”
“I wish you would load me, Miss Jerrold.”
“Well, look here, my dear boy. We seem to have settled down to a belief that Malcolm Stratton has been a great scamp, and that he drew back on his wedding morning in consequence of the interference of some lady who had a hold upon him.”
“Yes, that is what we thought,” said Guest sadly.
“And then tried to commit suicide out of misery and shame?”