"Mr.Dreamer will see you now,sir."
They filed in,Mr.Bellby going first,and Soames escorting Winifred after an interval of one minute by his watch.
Dreamer Q.C.,in a gown but divested of wig,was standing before the fire,as if this conference were in the nature of a treat;he had the leathery,rather oily complexion which goes with great learning,a considerable nose with glasses perched on it,and little greyish whiskers;he luxuriated in the perpetual cocking of one eye,and the concealment of his lower with his upper lip,which gave a smothered turn to his speech.He had a way,too,of coming suddenly round the corner on the person he was talking to;this,with a disconcerting tone of voice,and a habit of growling before he began to speak--had secured a reputation second in Probate and Divorce to very few.Having listened,eye cocked,to Mr.Bellby's breezy recapitulation of the facts,he growled,and said:
"I know all that;"and coming round the corner at Winifred,smothered the words:
"We want to get him back,don't we,Mrs.Dartie?"Soames interposed sharply:
"My sister's position,of course,is intolerable."Dreamer growled."Exactly.Now,can we rely on the cabled refusal,or must we wait till after Christmas to give him a chance to have written--that's the point,isn't it?""The sooner."Soames began.