Paramor smiled.
"That's an expression we always use," he said. "It means that when we
give a thing away, we reserve to ourselves the right of taking it back
again."
Mrs. Pendyce, who did not understand, murmured:
"I see. But what have they given away?"
Paramor put his elbows on the desk, and lightly pressed his finger-tips
together.
"Well," he said, "properly speaking, in a matter like this, the other
side and I are cat and dog.
"We are supposed to know nothing about each other and to want to know
less, so that when we do each other a courtesy we are obliged to save
our faces by saying, 'We don't really do you one.' D'you understand?"
Again Mrs. Pendyce murmured:
"I see."
"It sounds a little provincial, but we lawyers exist by reason of
provincialism. If people were once to begin making allowances for each
other, I don't know where we should be."
Mrs. Pendyce's eyes fell again on those words, "Bellew v. Bellew and
Pendyce," and again, as though fascinated by their beauty, rested there.
"But you wanted to see me about something else too, perhaps?" said Mr.
Paramor.
A sudden panic came over her.
"Oh no, thank you. I just wanted to know what had been done. I've come
up on purpose to see George. You told me that I----"
Mr. Paramor hastened to her aid.
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