Carlyle, who observed my lord thenceforth with covert curiosity; and to me it
restored the certainty that we were acting for the best in view of my lord's
health and reason.
    Except for this explosion the interview was very successfully conducted. No
doubt Mr. Carlyle would talk, as lawyers do, little by little. We could thus
feel we had laid the foundations of a better feeling in the country, and the
man's own misconduct would certainly complete what we had begun. Indeed, before
his departure, the lawyer showed us there had already gone abroad some
glimmerings of the truth.
    »I should perhaps explain to you, my lord,« said he, pausing, with his hat
in his hand, »that I have not been altogether surprised with your lordship's
dispositions in the case of Mr. Bally. Something of this nature oozed out when
he was last in Durrisdeer. There was some talk of a woman at St. Bride's, to
whom you had behaved extremely handsome, and Mr. Bally with no small degree of
cruelty. There was the entail, again, which was much controverted. In short,
there was no want of talk, back and forward; and some of our wise-acres took up
a strong opinion. I remained in suspense, as became one of my cloth; but Mr.
Mackellar's docket here has finally opened my eyes - I do not think, Mr.
Mackellar, that you and I will give him that much rope.«
 
The rest of that important day passed prosperously through. It was our policy to
keep the enemy in view, and I took my turn to be his watchman with the rest. I
think his spirits rose as he perceived us to be so attentive, and I know that
mine insensibly declined. What chiefly daunted me was the man's singular
dexterity to worm himself into our troubles. You may have felt (after a horse
accident) the hand of a bone-setter artfully divide and interrogate the muscles,
and settle strongly on the injured place? It was so with the Master's tongue,
that was so cunning to question; and his eyes, that were so quick to observe. I
seemed to have said nothing, and yet to have let all out. Before I knew where I
was the man was condoling with me on my lord's neglect of my lady and myself,
and his hurtful indulgence to his son. On this last point I perceived him (with
panic fear) to return repeatedly. The boy had displayed a certain shrinking from
his