whirligigs-第7部分

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A　tall　lady；　of　commanding　presence　and　sternly　hand…

some；　entered　the　room。　　She　wore　robes　　robes；　not

clothes　　ample　and　fluent。　　In　her　eye　could　be　per…

ceived　the　lambent　flame　of　genius　and　soul。　　In　her

hand　was　a　green　bag　of　the　capacity　of　a　bushel；　and　an

umbrella　that　also　seemed　to　wear　a　robe；　ample　and

fluent。　　She　accepted　a　chair。



〃Are　you　Mr。　Phineas　C。　Gooch；　the　lawyer？〃　　she

asked；　in　formal　and　unconciliatory　tones。



〃I　am；〃　answered　Lawyer　Gooch；　without　circum…

locution。　　He　never　circumlocuted　when　dealing　with

a　woman。　　Women　circumlocute。　　Time　is　wasted　when

both　sides　in　debate　employ　the　same　tactics。



〃As　a　lawyer；　sir；〃　began　the　lady；　〃you　may　have

acquired　some　knowledge　of　the　human　heart。　　Do　you

believe　that　the　pusillanimous　and　petty　conventions　of

our　artificial　social　life　should　stand　as　an　obstacle　in

the　way　of　a　noble　and　affectionate　heart　when　it　finds　its

true　mate　among　the　miserable　and　worthless　wretches

in　the　world　that　are　called　men？〃



〃Madam；〃　said　Lawyer　Gooch；　in　the　tone　that　he

used　in　curbing　his　female　clients；　〃this　is　an　office　for

conducting　the　practice　of　law。　　I　am　a　lawyer；　not　a

philosopher；　nor　the　editor　of　an　'Answers　to　the

Lovelorn'　column　of　a　newspaper。　　I　have　other

clients　waiting。　　I　will　ask　you　kindly　to　come　to　the

point。〃



〃Well；　you　needn't　get　so　stiff　around　the　gills　about

it；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　snap　of　her　luminous　eves　and

a　startling　gyration　of　her　umbrella。　　〃Business　is　what

I've　come　for。　　I　want　your　opinion　in　the　matter　of　a

suit　for　divorce；　as　the　vulgar　would　call　it；　but　which　is

really　only　the　readjustment　of　the　false　and　ignoble　con…

ditions　that　the　short…sihhted　laws　of　man　have　interposed

between　a　loving　〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　madam；〃　interrupted　Lawyer

Gooch；　with　some　impatience；　〃for　reminding　you　again

that　this　is　a　law　office。　　Perhaps　Mrs。　Wilcox　　〃



〃Mrs。　Wilcox　is　all　right；〃　cut　in　the　lady；　with　a　hint

of　asperity。　〃And　so　are　Tolstoi；　and　Mrs。　Gertrude

Atherton；　and　Omar　Khayyam；　and　Mr。　Edward　Bok。

I've　read　'em　all。　　I　would　like　to　discuss　with　you　the

divine　right　of　the　soul　as　opposed　to　the　freedom…destroy…

ing　restrictions　of　a　bigoted　and　narrow…minded　society。

But　I　will　proceed　to　business。　　I　would　prefer　to　lay

the　matter　before　you　in　an　impersonal　way　until　vou

pass　upon　its　merits。　　That　is　to　describe　it　as　a　sup…

posable　instance；　without　　〃



〃You　wish　to　state　a　hypothetical　case？〃　　said　Lawyer

Gooch。



〃I　was　going　to　say　that；〃　said　the　lady；　sharply。

〃Now；　suppose　there　is　a　woman　who　is　all　soul　and

heart　and　aspirations　for　a　complete　existence。　　This

woman　has　a　husband　who　is　far　below　her　in　intellect；　in

taste　　in　everything。　　Bah！　　he　is　a　brute。　　He　despises

literature。　　He　sneers　at　the　lofty　thoughts　of　the　world's

great　thinkers。　　He　thinks　only　of　real　estate　and　such

sordid　things。　　He　is　no　mate　for　a　woman　with　soul。

We　will　say　that　this　unfortunate　wife　one　day　meets

with　her　ideal　…a　man　with　brain　and　heart　and　force。

She　loves　him。　　Although　this　man　feels　the　thrill　of　a

new…found　affinity　he　is　too　noble；　too　honourable　to

declare　himself。　　He　flies　from　the　presence　of　his

beloved。　　She　flies　after　him；　trampling；　with　superb

indifference；　upon　the　fetters　with　which　an　unenlightened

social　system　would　bind　her。　　Now；　what　will　a　divorce

cost？　　Eliza　Ann　Timmins；　the　poetess　of　Sycamore　Gap；

got　one　for　three　hundred　and　forty　dollars。　　Can　I　

I　mean　can　this　lady　I　speak　of　get　one　that　cheap？〃



〃Madam；〃　said　Lawyer　Gooch；　〃your　last　two　or

three　sentences　delight　me　with　their　intelligence　and

clearness。　　Can　we　not　now　abandon　the　hypothetical

and　come　down　to　names　and　business？〃



〃I　should　say　so；〃　exclaimed　the　lady；　adopting　the

practical　with　admirable　readiness。　　〃Thomas　R。　Bil…

lings　is　the　name　of　the　low　brute　who　stands　between

the　happiness　of　his　legal　　his　legal；　but　not　his　spiri…

tual　　wife　and　Henry　K。　Jessup；　the　noble　man　whom

nature　intended　for　her　mate。　　I；〃　concluded　the　client；

with　an　air　of　dramatic　revelation；　〃am　Mrs。　Billings！〃



〃Gentlemen　to　see　you；　sir；〃　shouted　Archibald；　invad…

ing　the　room　almost　at　a　handspring。　　Lawyer　Gooch

arose　from　his　chair。



〃Mrs。　Billings；〃　he　said　courteously；　〃allow　me　to

conduct　you　into　the　adjoining　office　apartment　for　a　few

minutes。　　I　am　expecting　a　very　wealthy　old　gentleman

on　busines　connected　with　a　will。　　In　a　very　short　while

I　will　join　you；　and　continue　our　consultation。〃



With　his　accustomed　chivalrous　manner；　Lawyer

Gooch　ushered　his　soulful　client　into　the　remaining

unoccupied　room；　and　came　out；　closing　the　door　with

circumspection。



The　next　visitor　introduced　by　Archibald　was　a　thin；

nervous；　irritable…looking　man　of　middle　age；　with　a

worried　and　apprehensive　expression　of　countenance。

He　carried　in　one　hand　a　small　satchel；　which　he　set　down

upon　the　floor　beside　the　chair　which　the　lawyer　placed

for　him。　　His　clothing　was　of　good　quality；　but　it　was　worn

without　regard　to　neatness　or　style；　and　appeared　to　be

covered　with　the　dust　of　travel。



〃You　make　a　specialty　of　divorce　cases；〃　he　said；　in；

an　agitated　but　business…like　tone。



〃I　may　say；〃　began　Lawyer　Gooch；　〃that　my　prac…

tice　has　not　altogether　avoided　　〃



〃I　know　you　do；〃　interrupted　client　number　three。

〃You　needn't　tell　me。　　I've　heard　all　about　you。　　I　have

a　case　to　lay　before　you　without　necessarily　disclosing

any　connection　that　I　might　have　with　it　　that　is　　〃



〃You　wish；〃　said　Lawyer　Gooch；　〃to　state　a　hvpo…

thetical　case。



〃You　may　call　it　that。　　I　am　a　plain　man　of　business。

I　will　be　as　brief　as　possible。　　We　will　first　take　up

hypothetical　woman。　　We　will　say　she　is　married　uncon…

genially。　　In　many　ways　she　is　a　superior　woman。　　Phys…

ically　she　is　considered　to　be　handsome。　　She　is　devoted

to　what　she　calls　literature　　poetry　and　prose；　and

such　stuff。　　Her　husband　is　a　plain　man　in　the　business

walks　of　life。　　Their　home　has　not　been　happy；　although

the　husband　has　tried　to　make　it　so。　　Some　time　ago　a

man　　a　stranger　　came　to　the　peaceful　town　in　which

they　lived　and　engaged　in　some　real　estate　operations。

This　woman　met　him；　and　became　unaccountably　infatu…

ated　with　him。　　Her　attentions　became　so　open　that　the

man　felt　the　community　to　be　no　safe　place　for　him；　so

he　left　it。　　She　abandoned　husband　and　home；　and

followed　him。　　She　forsook…　her　home；　where　she　was

provided　with　every　comfort；　to　follow　this　man　who　had

inspired　her　with　such　a　strange　affection。　　Is　there　any…

thing　more　to　be　deplored；〃　concluded　the　client；　in　a

trembling　voice；　〃than　the　wrecking　of　a　home　by　a

woman's　uncalculating　folly？〃



Lawyer　Gooch　delivered　the　cautious　opinion　that　there

was　not。



〃This　man　she　has　gone　to　join；〃　resumed　the　visitor；

〃is　not　the　man　to　make　her　happy。　　It　is　a　wild　and

foolish　self…deception　that　makes　her　think　he　will。　　Her

husband；　in　spite　of　their　many　disagreements；　is　the　only

one　capable　of　dealing　with　her　sensitive　and　peculiar

nature。　　But　this　she　does　not　realize　now。〃



〃Would　you　consider　a　divorce　the　logical　cure　in　the

case　you　present？〃　　asked　Lawyer　Gooch；　who　felt　that

the　conversation　was　wandering　too　far　from　the　field　of

business。



〃A　divorce！〃　　exclaimed　the　client；　feelingly　…　almost

tearfully。　　〃No；　no…not　that。　　I　have　read；　Mr。　Gooch；

of　many　instances　where　your　sympathy　and　kindly　inter…

est　led　you　to　act　as　a　mediator　between　estranged　hus…

band　and　wife；　and　brought　them　together　again。　　Let　us

drop　the　hypothetical　case　　I　need　conceal　no　longer

that　it　is　I　who　am　the　sufferer　in　this　sad　affair　　the

names　you　shall　have　　Thomas　R。　Billings　and　wife　

and　Henry　K。　Jessup；　the　man　with　whom　she　is

infatuated。〃



Client　number　three　laid　his　hand　upon　Mr。　Gooch's

arm。　　Deep　emotion　was　written　upon　his　careworn

face。　　〃For　Heaven's　sake〃；　he　said　fervently；　〃help

me　in　this　hour　of　trouble。　　Seek；　out　Mrs。　Billings；　and

persuade　her　to　abandon　this　distressing　pursuit　of　her

lamentable　folly。　　Tell　her；　Mr。　Gooch；　that　her　husband

is　willing　to　receive　her　back　to　his　heart　and　home　

promise　her　anything　that　will　induce　her　to　return。　　I

have　heard　of　your　success　in　these　matters。　　Mrs。　Bil…

lings　cannot　be　very　far　away。　　I　am　worn　out　with　travel

and　weariness。　　Twice　during　the　pursuit　I　saw　her；

but　various　circumstances　prevented　our　having　an　inter…

view。　　Will　you　undertake　this　mission　for　me；　Mr。

Gooch；　and　earn　my　everlasting　gratitude？〃



〃It　is　true；〃　said　Lawver　Gooch；　frowning　slightly　at

the　other's　last　words；　but　immediately　calling　up　an

expression　of　virtuous　benevolence；　〃that　on　a　number

of　occasions　I　have　been　successful　in　persuading　couples

who　sought　the　severing　of　their　matrimonial　bonds　to

think　better　of　their　rash　intentions　and　return　to　their

homes　reconciled。　　But　I　assure　you　that　the　work　is

often　exceedingly　difficult。　　The　amount　of　argument；

perseverance；　and；　if　I　may　be　allowed　to　say　it；　eloquence

that　it　requires　would　astonish　you。　　But　this　is　a　case

in　which　my　sympathies　would　be　wholly　enlisted。　　I

feel　deeply　for　you　sir；　and　I　would　be　most　happy　to　see

husband　and　wife　reunited。　　But　my　time；〃　concluded

the　lawyer；　looking　at　his　watch　as　if　suddenly　reminded

of　the　fact；　〃is　valuable。〃



〃I　am　aware　of　that；〃　said　the　client；　〃and　if　you

will　take　the　case　and　persuade　Mrs。　Billings　to　return

home　and　leave　the　man　alone　that　she　is　following　

on　that　day　I　will　pay　you　the　sum　of　one　thousand

dollars。　　I　have　made　a　little　money　in　real　estate　during

the　recent　boom　in　Susanville；　and　I　will　not　begrudge

that　amount。〃



〃Retain　your　seat　for　a　few　moments；　please；〃　said