“I am sorry for that. There is no great harm in the thing itself; but I dislike the parade of seeming to be unusually generous. I do not remember to have spoken of this circumstance where it would be likely to be repeated; and I beg you will be equally discreet.”
“The fact has not come from me, I can assure you, sir. It puts me in too awkward a position to delight me; and I make it a point to say as little as possible of what is disagreeable. I do not relish the idea of being thought selfish by my future constituents. Giniros’ty is my cue before them. But they say you work for love, sir.”
“Love!” answered Dunscomb, quickly—“Love of what?—or of whom?”
“Of your client—that’s the story now. It is said that you admire Miss Monson; that she is young, and handsome, and rich; and she is to marry you, if acquitted. If found guilty and hanged, the bargain is off, of course. You may look displeased, ’Squire; but I give you my word such is the rumour.”
Dunscomb was extremely vexed; but he was too proud to make any answer. He knew that he had done that which, among the mass of this nation, is a very capital mistake, in not placing before its observation an intelligible motive—one on the level of the popular mind—to prevent these freaks of the fancy dealing with his affairs. It is true, that the natural supposition would be that he worked for his fee, as did Timms, had not the contrary got out; when he became subject to all the crude conjectures of those who ever look for the worst motives for everything. Had he been what is termed a favourite public servant, the very reverse would have been the case, and there was little that he might not have done with impunity; but, having no such claims on the minds of the mass, he came under the common law which somewhat distinguishes their control. Too much disgusted, however, to continue this branch of the subject, the worthy counsellor at once adverted to another.
“Have you looked over the list of the jurors, Timms?” he demanded, continuing to sort his papers.
“That I never fail to do, sir, the first thing. It’s my brief, you know, ’Squire Dunscomb. All safe York law, now-a-days, is to be found in that learned body; especially in criminal cases. There is but one sort of suit in which the jury counts for nothing, and might as well be dispensed with.”
“Which is——?”
“An ejectment cause. It’s not one time in ten that they understand anything about the matter, or care anything about it; and the court usually leads in those actions—but our Duke’s county juries are beginning to understand their powers in all others.”
“What do you make of the list?”