“What a chap you are! And so you had a regular fight with keepers, and nearly did for one; and all you said this morning was that the whole thing was a failure and a sell. And even when we talked about gamekeepers catching poachers, and the poachers resisting, you kept it all dark.”
“Why, it was a serious thing to talk about, you see,” said Saurin.
“Well, I think you might have trusted me at all events,” replied Edwards somewhat reproachfully.
“Trust you! My dear fellow I would trust you with my life,” said Saurin. “But I thought it better to keep Marriner’s attack on this keeper secret for your sake. There was sure to be a row, and in case of the inquiry coming in this direction, and your being questioned, it would be so much jollier for you to be able to say that you knew nothing about it. Whereas, if I had entered into all the details, it would have bothered you. For, to tell the truth, I feared the man was killed; now he is not hurt much, I don’t care.”
“They would not have got anything out of me,” said Edwards.
“Perhaps not,” replied Saurin. “But those lawyers are awful fellows when they get you into the witness-box, and make you say pretty nearly what they like. I had much rather have nothing to tell them myself if I were to be put in such a position, and I thought you would feel the same.”
“You are right, so I do,” said Edwards. “What a fellow you are, Saurin, you think of everything!”
“It is different, now that they have got hold of that ass, Buller; what a joke it all is, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” replied Edwards, in a tone of hesitation, however, as if he did not quite see the humour of it. “Rather rough upon Buller, though, don’t you think?”
“Not a bit of it; he has got off his flogging.”