"And which first—the action or the indictment? or both together?" asked Mr. Rumsey.
"That for counsel too. Only my general direction is, let the onset be as sudden, violent, and determined as possible. You see?"
The attorney nodded gently, tying up his last bundle of papers as softly as a lady might knot her ribbon round the neck of her lap-dog.
"You see?"
"Yes, sir; your object is destruction. Delenda est Carthago—that's the word," murmured Mr. Rumsey, plaintively.
"Yes—ha, ha!—what you call double him up!" clanged out Varbarriere, with an exulting oath and a chuckle.
The attorney had locked up his despatch-box now, and putting the little bunch of keys deep into his trowsers pocket, he said, "Yes, that's the word; but I suppose you have considered—"
"What? I'm tired considering."
"I was going to say whether some more certain result might not be obtainable by negotiation; that is, if you thought it a case for negotiation."
"What negotiation? What do you mean?"