“‘I have not brought them with me,’ I said, having only brought the 150 dinars previously asked for.
“‘It is nothing, My Lord,’ he answered, waving his hand majestically (and again, I thought, as in the case of my friend, with a touch of patronage). ‘We all know and respect your position of late Councillor, and I should be the last to press you.’
“I begged him to wait a moment until I should return. I hurried to my wretched lodgings and quickly came back with the sum which he required. He put it into the little metal box. I thought he was ready to dismiss me, and I was about to ask on what date the case might first be tried, when he said, to my surprise:
“‘But we must first have Pleader’s Opinion.’
“‘But, Great Heavens!’ said I, ‘have we not got it?’
“‘Why, no,’ said he. ‘We have not yet a Pleader’s Opinion. We have, so far, only the Opinion of Pleaders.’
“‘And what in the name of Fatimeh and Katisha is the difference?’
“‘Surely,’ said he, ‘you have heard of the distinction? The Opinion of Pleaders is the verbal response to the Scrivener, but the law requires that another response shall be added in writing, and this we call Pleader’s Opinion.’
“Once more I could find no other commentary but a cry.