MY AUNT'S GREAT POLICE CASE. 221 



written suspicions of the Company, then explanations as to 

 her fear that the banker wasn't taking much trouble about 

 the matter, then of her anxiety lest some other claimant, 

 some other Administrator, might step in (this was her great 

 dread), and claim the whole sum, whatever it was. " In which 

 case," she continues, " you know there would be law proceed- 

 ings ; and," she adds, with some amount of family pride, and 

 with a view to the interest on the aforesaid Conveyancer's 

 hundred pounds, ^^ you could appear for me." We then get 

 out a Law Dictionary (date 1720), and she is much impressed 

 by an article headed " Administrators," extracts from which 

 she takes to be the part of the results of my vast legal erudi- 

 tion, and consequently as so much interest on her capital to 

 which she is entitled. 



The consultation being finished, the cab is sent for. 



The process of " putting up " for several hours has had a 

 considerable effect on the driver, who, on being asked if he 

 recollects the address he had driven from in the afternoon 

 (it is now past ten at night), replies, hazily, " Rightchar,'' 

 meaning, it is supposed, " Right you are ;" adding an exhor- 

 tation to my Aunt to " Step up, will yer ?" 



"That man is drunk," I say, judicially, to the sen^ant. 

 The servant is uncertain. A friend stopping with me agrees 

 with me, but is inclined to give him a chance. My Aunt 

 doesn't believe in his inebriety, but proposes some theory 

 about the night-air and the uncertain light. The man him- 

 self denies the imputation warmly. 



Not wishing for a row (which means, in a general way, 

 '• having my head punched ") I assist my Aunt into the cab. 



