Anthony Trollope

“ A premeditated infraction of our rules is not better than a row.'
'Did you say premeditated?' said Kantwise. 'I think not premeditated.'
'I did say premeditated, and I say it again.'
'It looks uncommon like it,' said Snengkeld.
'When a gentleman,' said Gape, 'who does not belong to a society—'
'It's no good having more talk,' said Moulder, 'and we'll soon bring this to an end. Mr. ——; I haven't the honour of knowing the gentleman's name.'
'My name is Dockwrath, and I am a solicitor.'
'Oh, a solicitor; are you? and you said last night you was commercial! ”

“ The struggle, the long hot hour of the honest fight, the grinding work—when the teeth are set, and the skin moist with sweat and rough with dust, when all is doubtful and sometimes desperate, when a man must trust to his own manhood knowing that those around him trust to it not at all,—that is the happy time of life. ”

“ Dockwrath was immediately aware that a crisis had come upon him which demanded an instant decision. If he complied with the president's invitation he would have to pay his proportion of all the wine bill that might be incurred that evening by the seven commercial gentlemen at the table, and he knew well that commercial gentlemen do sometimes call for bottle after bottle with a reckless disregard of expense. ”

“ There is nothing like it; long work, grinding weary work, work without pay, hopeless work; but work in which the worker trusts himself, believing it to be good. Let him, like Mahomet, have one other to believe in him, and surely nothing else is needed. ”

“ And then the waiter came to Mr. Dockwrath. 'What's this?' said the attorney, taking up the bill and looking at it. The whole matter had been sufficiently explained to him, but nevertheless Mr. Moulder explained it again. 'In commercial rooms, sir, as no doubt you must be well aware, seeing that you have done us the honour of joining us here, the dinner bill is divided equally among all the gentlemen as sit down. It's the rule of the room, sir. You has what you like, and you calls for what you like, and conwiviality is thereby encouraged. ”

“ Now he says as how he's a lawyer. What's a poor man to do?'
'I'm a commercial lawyer,' said Dockwrath.
'He must leave the room, or I shall leave the house,' said Moulder.
'Gentlemen, gentlemen!' said Crump. 'This kind of thing does not happen often, and on this occasion I must try your kind patience. If Mr. Moulder would allow me to suggest that the commercial gentlemen should take their wine in the large drawing-room up stairs this evening, Mrs. C. will do her best to make it comfortable for them in five minutes. ”

“ You can't think it's a happiness to me going away from my own home where I have lived respectable so many years, or leaving you whom I've loved with all my whole heart. It makes me very very unhappy, so that I could sit and cry all day if it weren't for pride and because the servants shouldn't see me. ”

“ I know that a woman has to obey her husband, and I have always obeyed you, and thought it no hardship even when I was left so much alone; but a woman is not to see a slut brought in under her very nose,—and I won't put up with it. We've been married now going on over twenty-five years, and it's terrible to think of being driven to this. I almost believe it will drive me mad, and then, when I'm a lunatic, of course you can do as you please.
'I don't want to have any secrets from you. Where I shall go I don't yet know, but I've asked Martha Biggs to take lodgings for me somewhere near her. ”

“ There is no human bliss equal to twelve hours of work with only six hours in which to do it. And when the expected pay for that work is worse than doubtful, the inner satisfaction is so much the greater. Oh, those happy days in Keppel Street, or it may be over in dirty lodgings in the Borough, or somewhere near the Marylebone workhouse;—anywhere for a moderate weekly stipend. ”

“ Moulder interrupted him. 'You had better pay your five shillings, sir, and have no jaw about it. The man is standing idle there.'
'It's not the value of the money,' said Dockwrath, 'but I must decline to acknowledge that I am amenable to the jurisdiction.'
'There has clearly been a mistake,' said Johnson from Sheffield, 'and we had better settle it among us; anything is better than a row.' Johnson from Sheffield was a man somewhat inclined to dispute the supremacy of Moulder from Houndsditch.
'No, Johnson,' said the president. 'Anything is not better than a row. ”

“ If there were any hope of union for the future it must come from a parting for the present. So she went upstairs and summoned Rachel, remaining with her in consultation for some half-hour. Then she descended with her bonnet and shawl, got into a cab while Spooner stood at the door looking very serious, and was driven away,—whither, no one knew in Harley Street except Mrs. Furnival herself, and that cabman. ”

“ Beautiful widows don't have personal interviews with barristers in their chambers over and over again, let them have what law business they may. At any rate Mrs. Furnival took upon herself to say that they ought not to have such interviews. She would go down to Orley Farm and she would have an interview with Lady Mason. ”

“ You've made your own way in the world, and perhaps it's only right you should enjoy it. I don't think so much dining at the club can be good for you, and I'm afraid you'll have gout, but I don't want to bother you about that. Send me a line to say that you won't see her any more, and I'll come back to Harley Street at once. ”

“ But its P. P. here, as every commercial gentleman knows, Kantwise as well as the best of us.'
'P. P., that's the rule,' growled Snengkeld, almost from under the table.
'In commercial rooms, as the gentleman must be aware, the rule is as stated by my friend on my right,' said Mr. Gape. 'The wine is ordered by the president or chairman, and is paid for in equal proportions by the company or guests,' and in his oratory Mr. Gape laid great stress on the word 'or.' 'The gentleman will easily perceive that such a rule as this is necessary in such a society ”

“ Moulder bowed his head very solemnly, winked at Snengkeld, and then drank wine with that gentleman.
'It's the rule of the room,' whispered Mr. Kantwise into Mr. Dockwrath's ear; but Mr. Dockwrath pretended not to hear him, and the matter was allowed to pass by for the time.
But Mr. Snengkeld asked him for the honour, as also did Mr. Gape, who sat at Moulder's left hand; and then Mr. Dockwrath began to wax angry. 'I think I remarked before that I don't drink wine to my dinner,' he said ”

“ Don't tell me it's about law business. Ladies don't go to barristers' chambers about law business. All that is done by attorneys. I've heard you say scores of times that you never would see people themselves, and yet you see her. ”

“ She felt sure that it was Lady Mason, but she could not be quite sure. The woman, though she came out from the entry which led to her husband's chambers, might have come down from some other set of rooms. Had she been quite certain she would have attacked her rival there, laying bodily hands upon her in the purlieus of the Lord Chancellor's Court. As it was, the poor bruised creature was allowed to pass by, and as she emerged out into the light at the other end of the passage Mrs. Furnival became quite certain of her identity. ”

“ Snengkeld and Mr. Gape, they're my old friends, and they knows me. And they knows the way of a commercial room—which some gentlemen don't seem as though they do. I don't want to insult no one; but as chairman here at this conwivial meeting, I asks that gentleman who says he is a solicitor whether he means to pay his dinner bill according to the rules of the room, or whether he don't?'
'I've paid for what I've had already,' said Dockwrath, 'and I don't mean to pay for what I've not had.'
'James,' exclaimed Moulder—and all the chairman was in his voice as he spoke,—'my compliments to Mr. ”

“ Mason with an idea of his own sharpness, and perhaps something also towards breaking the prestige which surrounded the names of the great London firm. He would now go to that firm and make his terms with them. They would probably be quite as ready to acquiesce in the importance of his information as had been Mr. Mason. ”