Whatever you and I
as private individuals may do, a judge has only one course open to him.
He must take the view that the law takes. That's why I say that it's
quite natural for Sir Gilbert to go and stop with his niece and kiss
her, though, as I said before, it was really she who kissed him. If he
didn't, he'd be admitting publicly that the law was wrong, and he can't
do that without giving himself and his whole position away hopelessly."
"It doesn't strike me as a bit natural," said the Major. "In fact,
it's quite impossible. That's why I say--"
"I can understand your feeling," said Meldon. "Indeed I was a good
deal surprised at first; but when I came to think it all out, and to
realise the sort of way the judge would look at it, I saw, as you'll
probably be able to see some time tomorrow--"
"No. I won't. I'll never see that. It's absurd to suppose--"
"I don't deny," said Meldon, "that when we consider Sir Gilbert
Hawkesby as a private individual, separating for a moment the man from
the judge, we must credit him with the feeling that Miss King is rather
a--what the French would call a _mauvais sujet_."
"A what?"
"A black sheep," said Meldon, "a disgrace to the family.
Pages:
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303