,
whose business he suspected, rather than knew, was stagnating (this
enterprise afterwards slowly declined, and was ultimately sold for a
song to an American syndicate); and a long conference at Waterbuck,
Q.C.'s chambers, attended by Boulter, by Fiske, the junior counsel, and
Waterbuck, Q.C., himself.
The case of Forsyte v. Bosinney was expected to be reached on the
morrow, before Mr. Justice Bentham.
Mr. Justice Bentham, a man of common-sense rather than too great legal
knowledge, was considered to be about the best man they could have to
try the action. He was a 'strong' Judge.
Waterbuck, Q.C., in pleasing conjunction with an almost rude neglect of
Boulter and Fiske paid to Soames a good deal of attention, by instinct
or the sounder evidence of rumour, feeling him to be a man of property.
He held with remarkable consistency to the opinion he had already
expressed in writing, that the issue would depend to a great extent on
the evidence given at the trial, and in a few well directed remarks he
advised Soames not to be too careful in giving that evidence. "A little
bluffness, Mr. Forsyte," he said, "a little bluffness," and after he had
spoken he laughed firmly, closed his lips tight, and scratched his head
just below where he had pushed his wig back, for all the world like
the gentleman-farmer for whom he loved to be taken.
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