“The light that has guided me through my professional life has been a love of the law.  As far as my small powers have gone, I have wished to preserve it intact.  I am sure that the Law and Justice may be made to run on all-fours.  I have been so proud of my country as to make that the rule of my life.  The chance has brought me into the position of having for a client a man the passion of whose life has been the very reverse.  Who would not say that for an attorney to have such a man as Mr. Scarborough, of Tretton, for his client, was not a feather in his cap?  But I have found him to be not only fraudulent, but too clever for me.  In opposition to myself he has carried me into his paths.”

“He has never induced you to do anything that was wrong.”

“‘Nil conscire sibi;’ that ought to be enough for a simple man.  But it is not enough for me.  It cannot be enough for a man who intends to act as an attorney for others.  Others must know it as well as I myself.  You know it.  But can I remain an attorney for you only?  There are some of whom just the other thing is known; but then they look for work of the other kind.  I have never put up a shop-board for sharp practice.  After this the sharpest kind of practice will be all that I shall seem to be fit for.  It isn’t the money.  I can retire with enough for your wants and for mine.  If I could retire amid the good words of men I should be happy.  But, even if I retire, men will say that I have filled my pockets with plunder from Tretton.”

“That will never be said.”

“Were I to publish an account of the whole affair,—­which I am bound in honor not to do,—­explaining it all from beginning to end, people would only say that I was endeavoring to lay the whole weight of the guilt upon my confederate who was dead.  Why did he pick me out for such usage,—­me who have been so true to him?”

There was something almost weak, almost feminine in the tone of Mr. Grey’s complaints.  But to Dolly they were neither feminine nor weak.  To her her father’s grief was true and well-founded; but for herself in her own heart there was some joy to be drawn from it.  How would it have been with her if the sharp practice had been his, and the success?  What would have been her state of mind had she known her father to have conceived these base tricks?  Or what would have been her condition had her father been of such a kind as to have taught her that the doing of such tricks should be indifferent to her?  To have been high above them all,—­for him and for her,—­was not that everything?  And was she not sure that the truth would come to light at last?  And if not here, would not the truth come to light elsewhere where light would be of more avail than here?  Such was the consolation with which Dolly consoled herself.

On the next two days Mr. Grey went to his chambers and returned, without any new word as to Mr. Scarborough and his affairs.  One day he did bring back some tidings as to Juniper.  “Juniper has got into some row about a horse,” he said, “and is, I fear, in prison.  All the same, he’ll get his five hundred pounds; and if he knew that fact it would help him.”