North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1850-11-23
pRICEOF AN OPINION.

PRICE OF AN OPINION.
Tn a cool rioht in November, in the year 1928, a
man enveoped in a cloak, raped at the Goot oi one
of the most distinguished advocates In Paris. ne
was quickly shown into the cnamoef Oh 'he ie"f"0u
lawyer. 1. ,o,
.1 If naners am rich, but the suit that has beer
Instituted against to-day will entirely ruin me
nv age fortune is not to be rebuilt; SO that the
loss of my suit will condemn me fore ever 70 lhe
frobtfnl misery / come to ask the aid OF your tai
enfs Here are nv papers as to the facts, will, il
you please expose them to you,
The advocate listened atentively to the stranger
then opened the parcel, examined all the papers Il
contained and said Sir the action lald against you
&c fonnded in Justice and morality. Unfortunately,
in soite of the admirable perfection of codes, law
does not always accord with justice, and here the Law
is for you IT, therefore, you rest strictly upon the
law and avail Yourself without exception OF all the
means in your favor: it, above all, these means are
exnosed with cearness and force, you will infaliby
gain this suit. and nobody can afterwards dispute
the fortune which you fear to lose.'
Nobody in the world, replied the client, is sc
competant to do this business yourself. An opln
ion drawn up in this sense and signed by you, will
render me invunerable. am bold enough to hope
that you will not refuse 1t to me-
The skilful advocate reflected for some moments.
and taking up again the papers which he had pushed
away with an abruptness peculiar to him, said that
he would draw up the opinion, and that 1t should be
finished the following day at the same hour.
The client was punctual to his appointment. The
advocate presented him with the opinion, and with
out taking the trouble reply to the thanks with
which the other overwhelmed, said to him rudely-
Here is the opinion there is no judge, who, af-
ter having seen that, will condemn you Give me
5000 frances =
The client was struck dumb and motionless with
surprise.
.You are free to keep your money said the advo-
cate, as am to throw my opinion in the fire.
So speaking, he advanced towards the chimney !;
but the other stopped him, and declared that he would
pay the sum demanded but that he had only the half
with him.
He drew, in fact. from his pocket-book, 1900 francs
in bank notes. The advocate with one hand took the
notes. and with the other threw the opioion into the
drawer.
But said the client, / am going, if you please,
to give you my note for the remainder
want money. Bring me 1900 more francs, or
you shall not have one line.'
There was remedy, and the 1900 francs were
paid but the client to revenge himself for being so
pllaged, hastened circulate this anecdote 1t got
into the papers, and for fortnight there deluge
of wittcisms of all kinds upon the dsinterestedness
of the great advocate Those who did not laugh at
it, said it was deplorable that of such merit
should be tainted with vice so degrading as ava
rice. Even his friends were moved by it, and some
of his friends went far to demonstrate with him
Publicy; but the only reply he gave was by shrug-
gng his shoulders, and then, every thing is quick
y forgot at Paris, people ceased to talk of this
Ten years passed. One day the court of Cessation
in its red robes, descending the place of justice,
to be present at public ceremony. All at once a
female darts from the crowd, throws herself at the
feet OF the procureur general sezes the end of his
robe, and pressed it to her lips. The woman was
looked upon as deranged and they tried TO drag her
away.
8 Oh leave me alone, leave me alone,' she cried.
recognise hint is my preserver! Thanks to
him, have been able to bring up my large family.
Thanks to him my old age is happy. Oh, you don't
know me-
.One day-I was unhappy then-I was advised to
bring an action against distant relation of my late
husband who had possessed himself of rich heritage
that ought to have come to my children. Already
had sold halt my goods to begin the action, when
one evening saw gentleman enter my house, who
said to me:
DO not go to law; reason and morality are for
you, but the Ia" is against you. Keep the little you
have and add to it these 900 francs which are truly
yours remained speechless with surprise. When
would have spoken and thanked him he had disa D.
peared; and the bag of money was there, upon the
table, and the countenance of that generous man was
engraved upon my heart, never to be erased. Well,
this man-this preserver of my family-is here
Let me thank him before God and before men !''
The Court had stopped. The procureur general
appeared moved, bat conquering his emotion, he
said ..... tf.
Take away this good woman, and take care tina
no harm comes to her. don't think she is quit
right in her mind
he was mistaken the poor woman was not mad
only she had remembered, and NJ. Dupin had for
gotten.