Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-23
A LAWYER WITH TWO CHARACTERS.

Onecold evening Of November. ten years ago,
man wrapped in a large cloak knocked at the
door OF yons Dupin, one of the most able ad-
vocates of Paris. He entered, and drawing
frop under his cloak large package Of docu-
msnts, laid them on the table.
Monsieur, said he Il am rich; but a law
suit, which is commenced against me may
ruin me utterly. At my age, n lost fortune Is
not TO be remade The loss of this suit there
fore, would condemn me to the most frightful
misery came to implOre your aid. Here
are the papers which explain my claims
Inc advocate listened attentively, while his
unknown visitor thu briefly explained his
business Then, opening the bundle of docu-
ments, he went through them with the search
ing rapidity ef his professional eye
They were, at last, laid upon the table.
he action whichis commenced against you
For this property" said he, sis based upon JUS
tice and right-legal and moral The property
belongs to your opponent. But, unfortunately,
IN spite OF the admirable elaboration of our
code, law and justice do not always 60 together;
and, here. the law is on your side. If. there
lore, You rest your case entirely on the law
and use without reserve all its technicalities
and quibbles, and if the legal points in your
favor are all stated clearly and ably to the
court, You will inevitably gain your cause"
No man living" said the stranger. can
do what you thus describe so ably as yourself.
Might venture to hope that you would reduce
your legal opinion TO writing, and thus render
Inc invulnerable2"
The advocate reflected for minute or two,
and then taking up again the documents which
at the first word of the request he had roughly
pushed away, he said he would do as the stran-
ger wished On the morrow, at the same hour
the legal opinion would DO ready
lhe client was punctual. The paper was
presented to Ohim-accOmpanied with a demand.
very abruptly made, for fee Of three Mon
kie stood mute with astonishment
fou are at liberty to keep your money!
said the lawyer. Z" aud am at liberty to throw
my written opinion into the fire"
Advancing toward the chimney apparently
for the purpose he was stopped by the visitor
will pay the sum, he said, q but must
give you my written acceptance for it,
The money in gold," said the advocate.
or you shall not have a line ~
Inc client saw that it was inevitable and
taxing his leave for the moment returned soon
with the coin. He paid it-but, in revenge,
after gaining his cause he told the story in
every corner OF Paris. The journals got hold
OF 1t. 1t was soon as universal as the name
and fame of the great lawyer himself La
ments were made by the editors over the grasp
ing advantage thus taken of a client in his ex-
tremity, and even friends expressed their re-
grets to him for this betrayal Of avarice. But
ne simply shrugged his shoulders and as eve.
rytn'ns Is soon forgotten at Paris, it passed out
OF the public mind.
len years went by; and a few days since
at a celebration of which the dignitaries of the
courts OF law formed part, the procession was
interrupted by woman, who suddenly sprang
from the crowd and seized the hands of Mons
Dupln, the PrOcureur-General
" 1t IS he it is he ~ she exclaimed as she
nurst into tears and covered his hands with
Kisses; this is my benefactor, my friend, the
angel by whose timely kindness L was saved
from rum and spared To educate my children ~
" Poor woman ~ said NJ. DUNN, she has
lost her reason '''
But no she insisted on explaining to the by-
standers that there was reason in her tears
and gratitude. She stated il brokenIy Ten
years ago, after the death Of her husband. a
claim was put in by a relative for the property
upon which she had relied to support and edn
cate her children. She resolved to defend her
possession of that which she knew to be her
own and had already sold half her furniture
I"Pay the commencement of the process-when
one day, stranger called upon her He ab-
ruPtiy announced his business lie told her
tnat the suit, for which she was running al
Ieady into expense, would be u losing one
tnat the law was against her, though Justice
was on her side-that she had better abandon
IL and save what she still possessed. He then
auded tnat from having been employed on the
case, he had been able to rescue some portion
OF what was wrongfully taken from her, and
that 1t was contained in the bag of gold, which
he laid on the table-abrubtly taking his leave
ana giving her astOnished senses no opportu-
nifty for thanks or inquiry. The three thou
sand francs with which she was thus enriched.
enabled her to re-estabIish herself with her
children, and to commence a timely support of
them. And, from that day she had been try
ing In vain to discover who was her benefactor.
But his features were cngrayen on her heart
anu, thank God, she recognised and could
thank him now,''
=, And So, after ten years of misrepresentation.
Mons Dupin's grasping avarice'' was ex
planned to his legal brethren and the public, as
quite another thing. Like some other people.
ne had two characters-One which the news
papers make him out TO be, and another and
very different one which he was.