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Rh and especially at the arm-chair and carpet, he was aware that the legal gentleman who motioned him to a seat could be no ordinary clerk.

The manner of this legal gentleman was not, as Mr. Dockwrath thought, quite so ceremoniously civil as it might be, considering the important nature of the business to be transacted between them. Mr. Dockwrath intended to treat on equal terms, and so intending would have been glad to have shaken hands with his new ally at the commencement of their joint operations. But the man before him—a man younger than himself too—did not even rise from his chair, 'Ah! Mr. Dockwrath,' he said, taking up a letter from the table, 'will you have the goodness to sit down? And Mr. Matthew Round wheeled his own arm-chair towards the fire, stretching out his legs comfortably, and pointing to a somewhat distant seat as that intended for the accommodation of his visitor. Mr. Dockwrath seated himself in the somewhat distant seat, and deposited his hat upon the floor, not being as yet quite at home in his position; but he made up his mind as he did so that he would be at home before he left the room.

'I find that you have been down in Yorkshire with a client of ours, Mr. Dockwrath,' said Mr. Matthew Round.

'Yes, I have,' said he of Hamworth.

'Ah! well—; you are in the profession yourself, I believe?'

'Yes; I am an attorney.'

'Would it not have been well to have come to us first?'

'No, I think not. I have not the pleasure of knowing your name, sir.'

'My name is Round—Matthew Round.'

'I beg your pardon, sir; I did not know,' said Mr. Dockwrath, bowing. It was a satisfaction to him to learn that he was closeted with a Mr. Round, even if it were not the Mr. Round. 'No, Mr. Round, I can't say that I should have thought of that. In the first place I didn't know whether Mr. Mason employed any lawyer, and in the next'

'Well, well; it does not matter. It is usual among the profession; but it does not in the least signify. Mr. Mason has written to us, and he says that you have found out something about that Orley Farm business.'

'Yes; I have found out something. At least, I rather think so.'

'Well, what is it, Mr. Dockwrath?'

'Ah! that's the question. It's rather a ticklish business, Mr. Round; a family affair, as I may say.'

'Whose family?'

'To a certain extent my family, and to a certain extent Mr. Mason's family. I don't know how far I should be justified in laying all the facts before you—wonderful facts they are too—