At this hint he moved to the door. As they went towards the hall he said:--
"I hope you are building no high hopes upon your interview with my sister. I know my sister, you understand; and though she is the best woman in the world, I fear that she attached so little importance to the bag that she has allowed its fate to escape her memory altogether."
"One does allow unimportant matters to escape one's memory, doesn't one?"
Her words were ambiguous. He wondered what she meant. It was she who started the conversation when they were in the cab.
"Would it be very improper to ask what you think of the case so far as it has gone?"
He was sensible that it would be most improper. But, then, there had been so much impropriety about his proceedings already that perhaps he felt that a little more or less did not matter. He answered as if he had followed the proceedings with unflagging attention.
"I think your case is very strong."
"Really? Without the bag?"
It was a simple fact that he had but the vaguest notion of what had been stated upon the other side. Had he been called upon to give even a faint outline of what the case for the opposition really was he would have been unable to do so. But so trivial an accident did not prevent his expressing a confident opinion.
"Certainly; as it stands."