“No!” said Miss Pink, asserting the most immovable obstinacy under the blandest politeness of manner.  “Your time, Mr. Troy, is really too valuable!  Not even your trained intellect can excuse conduct which is manifestly inexcusable on the face of it.  Now you know my opinion of Lady Lydiard, you will not be surprised to hear that I decline to trust her Ladyship.  She may, or she may not, cause the necessary inquiries to be made for the vindication of my niece’s character.  In a matter so serious as this—­I may say, in a duty which I owe to the memories of my sister and my parents—­I will not leave the responsibility to Lady Lydiard.  I will take it on myself.  Let me add that I am able to pay the necessary expenses.  The earlier years of my life, Mr. Troy, have been passed in the tuition of young ladies.  I have been happy in meriting the confidence of parents; and I have been strict in observing the golden rules of economy.  On my retirement, I have been able to invest a modest, a very modest, little fortune in the Funds.  A portion of it is at the service of my niece for the recovery of her good name; and I desire to place the necessary investigation confidentially in your hands.  You are acquainted with the case, and the case naturally goes to you.  I could not prevail on myself—­I really could not prevail on myself—­to mention it to a stranger.  That is the business on which I wished to consult you.  Please say nothing more about Lady Lydiard—­the subject is inexpressibly disagreeable to me.  I will only trespass on your kindness to tell me if I have succeeded in making myself understood.”

Miss Pink leaned back in her chair, at the exact angle permitted by the laws of propriety; rested her left elbow on the palm of her right hand, and lightly supported her cheek with her forefinger and thumb.  In this position she waited Mr. Troy’s answer—­the living picture of human obstinacy in its most respectable form.

If Mr. Troy had not been a lawyer—­in other words, if he had not been professionally capable of persisting in his own course, in the face of every conceivable difficulty and discouragement—­Miss Pink might have remained in undisturbed possession of her own opinions.  As it was, Mr. Troy had got his hearing at last; and no matter how obstinately she might close her eyes to it, Miss Pink was now destined to have the other side of the case presented to her view.

“I am sincerely obliged to you, madam, for the expression of your confidence in me,” Mr. Troy began; “at the same time, I must beg you to excuse me if I decline to accept your proposal.”

Miss Pink had not expected to receive such an answer as this.  The lawyer’s brief refusal surprised and annoyed her.

“Why do you decline to assist me?” she asked.

“Because,” answered Mr. Troy, “my services are already engaged, in Miss Isabel’s interest, by a client whom I have served for more than twenty years.  My client is—­”