“It has that advantage, I confess; and before it is done, it will take all the law out of the Latin. They tell me it was proposed to call the old process of ‘ne exeat’ a writ of ‘no go.’”
“Well, to my mind, the last would be the best term of the two.”
“Ay, to your mind, it might, Timms. How do you like the fee-bills, and the new mode of obtaining your compensation?”
“Capital! The more they change them matters, the deeper we’ll dig into ’em, ’Squire! I never knew reform help the great body of the community—all it favours is individdles.”
“There is more truth in that, Timms, than you are probably aware of yourself. Reform, fully half the time, does no more than shift the pack-saddle from one set of shoulders to another. Nor do I believe much is gained by endeavouring to make law cheap. It were better for the community that it should be dear; though cases do occur in which its charges might amount to a denial of justice. It is to be regretted that the world oftener decides under the influence of exceptions, rather than under that of the rule. Besides, it is no easy matter to check the gains of a thousand or two of hungry attorneys.”
“There you’re right, ’Squire, if you never hit the nail on the head before! But the new scheme is working well for us, and, in one sense, it may work well for the people. The compensation is the first thing thought of now; and when that is the case, the client stops to think. It isn’t every person that holds as large and as open a purse as our lady at Biberry!”
“Ay, she continues to fee you, does she, Timms? Pray, how much has she given you altogether?”
“Not enough to build a new wing to the Astor Library, nor to set up a parson in a gothic temple; still, enough to engage me, heart and hand, in her service. First and last, my receipts have been a thousand dollars, besides money for the outlays.”
“Which have amounted to——”
“More than as much more. This is a matter of life and death, you know, sir; and prices rise accordingly. All I have received has been handed to me either in gold or in good current paper. The first troubled me a good deal; for I was not certain some more pieces might not be recognized, though they were all eagles and half-eagles.”