The Lawyers, A Drama in Five Acts Part 12

_P. Coun._ (pauses.) Are you possessed of such an argument? (With surprise.) It will be welcome.

_Well._ Indeed! what you should call truly welcome?--

_P. Coun._ By heaven, very welcome!

_Well._ Then give me the embrace of a good man, (Privy Counsellor goes to embrace him,) without touching my hands, which at this present time labour under the _chiragra_. (Embraces him.) So our town has doubted your humanity, and been of opinion that it is detained as a prisoner in a gold purse.--You blush;--well, that for a Privy Counsellor is a good sign; I will circulate it among the mult.i.tude. Now my _argumentum_ is, that--

SCENE VI.

Enter Aulic Counsellor REISSMAN.

_Reiss._ Ay, see there our old honest friend Wellenberg. (Shakes him by the hand.)

_Well._ Oh!--oh dear, oh dear! that G.o.d--

_Reiss._ What is the matter?

_Well._ (puts one hand in his bosom.) _Quoad_, old and honest? Yes, _Quoad_, friend?--The _status amicitiae_ case cannot exist; for, if that were the case, you ought to have known that I am afflicted with the _chiragra_, and not to have squeezed my hands so as to make me cry out in such harsh tones, for which I ought to crave, and do crave, pardon of my most honoured Sir.

_P. Coun._ A particular circ.u.mstance has taken place. The gentleman thinks he has found an argument that will invalidate the sentence p.r.o.nounced in the cause of the disputed legatees, and re-instate the heirs of Brunnig in that property.

_Reiss._ What?

_Well._ Yes, it is so. Doctor Kannenfeld, namely, has been visited by heaven with a severe fit of illness, and brought near the gates of death. Moved by the exhortations of his spiritual director, he sent for me to attend, and, amidst tears and groans, confessed that he has deprived the children of their lawful property--

_P. Coun._ What is that?

_Reiss._ (frightened.) How?

_Well._ Being, by a certain _quidam_, whom the finger of heaven, whilst we are here speaking about the matter, has severely touched, persuaded, and bribed, partly to conceal, and even partly to deny the insanity of the testatrix, at the time when the will was made, which robs the true heirs of their due.

_P. Coun._ (in a low voice.) My G.o.d! (Pauses.)

_Well._ It is so.

_Reiss._ (embarra.s.sed) Is Doctor Kannenfeld ill? Ay, ay?

_Well._ He is very ill. He has stated and deposed all the particulars concerning the certain _quidam_.

_Reiss._ Well,--and,--

_Well._ Ay, if I were in your stead, I would say to myself, "True, I have won the cause, but I will not keep what is not mine;" your conscience then would applaud you, and your fellow-citizens would esteem you; you would find consolation under every affliction, and when the cold hand of death had arrested almost every faculty, and benumbed almost every sense, your soul would look up with trembling confidence to heaven. The poor orphans would gather round your dying bed, and weep for their second father. Thus speaks old Wallenberg, gentlemen, whose life has been spent in settling the disputes of this world according to the mild precepts of christianity, a religion that at once consults our happiness here and hereafter. [Exit.

_P. Coun._ (to Reissman.) For heaven's sake!

_Reiss._ Poh! no matter, (Calls after Wellenberg.) Mr. Wellenberg!

_Well._ (turns round, without however coming back.) Well? _P[oe]nitet me?_

_Reiss._ What ails Dr. Kannenfeld?

_Well._ A burning fever.

_Reiss._ So? Ho ho! A burning fever!--ha, ha, ha! old gentleman!--and his intellects? When a man lies in a raging fever, and denounces honest people, what credit ought to be attached to it?

_Well._ _In lucidis intervallis?_

_Reiss._ Burning fever is only another word for madness; the denunciations of a madman is valid only with madmen.

_Well._ Shall I take them in the presence of witnesses? Shall the faculty make an affidavit of the state of his mind?

_Reiss._ Do as you please.

_Well._ And should he die and leave such a deposition?

_Reiss._ Then it is the deposition of a madman.

_Well._ Hem! (musing.) And if, aided by all the courts, I were to put you to an oath concerning the foul means you employed to get that will made in your favour--

_Reiss._ What then?

_Well._ Then you will--

_P. Coun._ It is a disagreeable affair I see; and Mr. Reissman has already declared that at all events he was disposed, through mere benevolence, to give up part of the legacy.

_Reiss._ What?

_Well._ What he means to do, let him do in full, and not by halves.

_Reiss._ Nothing; not a single penny! as you want to compel me, not a single penny! Your sick madman is a calumniator, and so--

_Well._ _Vera laus est laudari a viro laudato._

_Reiss._ Now, do not rouze my pa.s.sion, but get you gone. In writing, do as you think proper; I shall know what to do on my side.

_Well._ _Fiat!_--Then I will set to work, that the judgment of G.o.d may be made manifest on the unjust. [Exit.

SCENE VII.

Privy Counsellor CLARENBACH, Aulic Counsellor REISSMAN.

_P. Coun._ (confused.) Sir, you see me go perplexed--

_Reiss._ Do not you talk, you have spoiled all.

_P. Coun._ I will run after him.