Toppleton's Client; Or, A Spirit in Exile Read online

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  TOPPLETON'S CLIENT

  OR

  _A SPIRIT IN EXILE_

  BY JOHN KENDRICK BANGS

  NEW YORK CHARLES L. WEBSTER & COMPANY 1893

  TO

  F. D. S.

  CONTENTS.

  CHAPTER I. PAGE INTRODUCING MR. HOPKINS TOPPLETON 1

  CHAPTER II. MR. HOPKINS TOPPLETON LEASES AN OFFICE 13

  CHAPTER III. MR. HOPKINS TOPPLETON ENCOUNTERS A WEARY SPIRIT 25

  CHAPTER IV. THE WEARY SPIRIT GIVES SOME ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF 39

  CHAPTER V. HOPKINS BECOMES BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH THE WEARY SPIRIT 55

  CHAPTER VI. THE SPIRIT UNFOLDS A HORRID TALE 73

  CHAPTER VII. A CHAPTER OF PROFIT AND LOSS 90

  CHAPTER VIII. FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MAKING OF A NAME 107

  CHAPTER IX. THE CROWNING ACT OF INFAMY 124

  CHAPTER X. THE SPIRIT'S STORY IS CONCLUDED 149

  CHAPTER XI. TOPPLETON CONSULTS THE LAW AND FORMS AN OPINION 167

  CHAPTER XII. TOPPLETON MAKES A FAIR START 184

  CHAPTER XIII. AT BARNCASTLE HALL 201

  CHAPTER XIV. THE DINNER AND ITS RESULT 218

  CHAPTER XV. BARNCASTLE CONFIDES IN HOPKINS 233

  CHAPTER XVI. MR. HOPKINS TOPPLETON MAKES A DISCOVERY 251

  CHAPTER XVII. EPILOGUE 268

  TOPPLETON'S CLIENT.

  CHAPTER I.

  INTRODUCING MR. HOPKINS TOPPLETON.

  MR. HOPKINS TOPPLETON, Barrister of London and New York, was consideredby his intimates a most fortunate young man. He was accounted the happypossessor of an income of something over fifty thousand dollars a year,derived from investments which time had shown to be as far removed frominstability, and as little influenced by the fluctuations of the stockmarket, as the pyramids of Egypt themselves. Better than this, however,better even than personal beauty, with which he was plentifully endowed,Mr. Hopkins Toppleton was blessed with a great name, which he hadreceived ready-made from his illustrious father, late head of the legalfirm of Toppleton, Morley, Harkins, Perkins, Mawson, Bronson, Smithersand Hicks. The value of the name to Hopkins was unquestionable, since itenabled him, at his father's death, to enter that famous aggregation oflegal talent as a special partner, although his knowledge of law wasscant, receiving a share of the profits of the concern for the use ofhis patronymic, which, owing to his father's pre-eminent success at theBar, Messrs. Morley, Harkins, _et al._, were anxious to retain. Thisdesire of Mr. Toppleton's late associates was most natural, for such wasthe tremendous force exerted by the name he bore, that plaintiffs whenthey perceived it arrayed in opposition to their claims, notinfrequently withdrew their suits, or offered terms upon which anydefendant of sense might be induced to compromise. On the other hand,when a defendant found himself confronted with the fact that HopkinsToppleton, Sen., had joined forces with the plaintiff, he usually eithersettled the claim against him in full or placed himself beyond thejurisdiction of the courts.

  When Toppleton, Sen., died, it was very generally believed that thefirm, whose name has already been mentioned at some length, lost notonly its head, but also a very large proportion of its brains,--asituation quite as logical as it was unfortunate for the gentlemen withwhom Mr. Toppleton had been associated. Nor was this feeling, that withthe departure of Toppleton, the illustrious, for other worlds the firmwas deprived of a most considerable portion of its claims to highstanding, confined to cavilling outsiders. No one recognized the unhappystate of affairs at the busy office on Broadway more quickly than didMessrs. Morley, Harkins, Perkins, Mawson, Bronson, Smithers, and Hicksthemselves, and at the first meeting of the firm, after the funeral oftheir dead partner, these gentlemen unanimously resolved that somethingmust be done.

  It was at this meeting that Mr. Hicks suggested that the only courseleft for the bereaved firm to pursue, if it desired to remain anaggressive force in its chosen profession, was to retain the name ofToppleton at the mast-head, and, as Mr. Mawson put it, "to bluff itout." Mr. Perkins agreed with Mr. Hicks, and suggested that the onlyhonest way to do this was to induce Mr. Toppleton's only son, known toall--even to the clerks in the office--as Hoppy, to enter the firm as afull partner.

  "I do not think," Mr. Perkins said, "that it is quite proper for us toassume a virtue that we do not possess, and while Hoppy--I should sayHopkins--has never studied law, I think he could be induced to do so, inwhich event he could be taken in here, and we should have a perfectlyequitable claim to all the business which the name of Toppleton wouldcertainly bring to us."

  "I am afraid," Mr. Bronson put in at this point, "I am very much afraidthat such a course would require the entire reorganization of the firm'smachinery. It would never do for the member whose name stands at thehead of our partnership designation, to be on such terms of intimacywith the office boys, for instance, as to permit of his being addressedby them as Hoppy; nor would it conduce toward good discipline, I amconvinced, for the nominal head of the concern to be engaged in makingpools on baseball games with our book-keepers and clerks, which, duringhis lamented father's life, I understand was one of the lad's mostcherished customs. Now, while I agree with my friend Perkins that it isdesirable that the firm should have an unassailable basis for itsretention of the name of Toppleton, I do not agree with him that youngHopkins should be taken in here if we are to retain our present highlyefficient force of subordinates. They would be utterly demoralized inless than a month."

  "But what do you suggest as an alternative?" inquired Mr. Morley.

  "I believe that we should make Hopkins a special partner in the firm,and have him travel abroad for his health," returned Mr. Bronson after amoment's reflection.

  "I regret to say," objected Mr. Hicks, "that Hoppy's health isdistressingly good. Your point in regard to the probable demoralizationof our office force, however, is well taken. Hopkins must go abroad ifhe becomes one of us; but I suggest that instead of sending him for hishealth, we establish a London branch office, and put him in charge on asalary of, say, 10,000 dollars. We have no business interests outside ofthis country, so that such a course, in view of his absolute ignoranceof law, would be perfectly safe, and we could give Hoppy to understandin the event of his acceptance of our proposition that he shall be freeto take a vacation whenever he pleases, for as long a period of time ashe pleases, and the oftener the better."

  "That's the best plan, I think," said Mr. Mawson. "In fact, if Hoppydeclines that responsible office, I wouldn't mind taking it myself."

  And so it happened. The proposition was made to Hopkins, and he acceptedit with alacrity. He did not care for the practice of the law, but hehad no objection to receiving an extra ten thousand dollars a year as asilent partner in a flourishing concern with headquarters in London,particularly when his sole duties were to remain away from the of
fice ona perpetual vacation.

  "I was born with a love of rest," Hoppy once said in talking over hisprospects with his friends some time before the proposition of hisfather's partners had been submitted to him. "Even as a baby I was fondof it. I remember my mother saying that I slept for nearly the whole ofmy first year of existence, and when I came to my school days myreputation with my teachers was, that in the enjoyment of recess and inassiduous devotion to all that pertained to a life of elegant leisure,there was not a boy in school who could approach me."

  The young man never railed at fate for compelling him to lead a lifewhich would have filled others of robuster ideas with ennui, but he didon occasions find fault with the powers for having condemned him tobirth in a country like the United States, where the man of leisure isregarded with less of reverence than of derision.

  "It is a no harder fate for the soul of an artist to dwell in the bodyof a pork-packer," he had said only the night before the plan outlinedby Mr. Hicks was brought to his attention, "than for a man of my restfultendencies to be at home in a land where the hustler alone inspiresrespect. What the fates should have done in my case was clearly to havehad me born a rich duke or a prince, whose chief duty it would be tolead the fashionable world and to set styles of dress for others tofollow. I'd have made a magnificent member of the House of Lords, orproprietor of a rich estate somewhere in England, with nothing to do butto spend my income and open horse shows; but in New York there is noleisure class of recognized standing, excepting, of course, themessenger-boys and the plumbers, and even they do not command therespect which foreign do-nothings inspire. It's hard luck. The onlyredeeming feature of the case is that owing to a high tariff I can spendmy money with less effort here than I could abroad."

  Then came the proposition from the firm, and in it Hoppy recognized theingredients of the ideal life--a life of rest in a country capable ofunderstanding the value to society of the drones, a life free fromresponsibility, yet possessing a semblance of dignity bound to impressthose unacquainted with the real state of affairs. Added to this was theencouragement which an extra ten thousand a year must invariably bringto the man appointed to receive it.

  "It's just what I needed," he said to Mr. Hicks, "to make my incomewhat it ought to be. Fifty thousand dollars is, of course, a handsomereturn from investments, but it is an awkward sum to spend. It doesn'tdivide up well. But sixty thousand a year is simply ideal. Twelve goesinto sixty five times, and none over--five thousand a month meanssomething, and doesn't complicate accounts. Besides, the increase willpay the interest on a yacht nicely."

  "You are a great boy, Hoppy," said Mr. Hicks, when the young man hadthus unbosomed himself, "but I doubt if you will ever be a great man."

  "Oh, I don't know," said Hoppy; "there's no telling what may develop. Ofcourse, Mr. Hicks, I shall go into the study of the law very seriously;I couldn't think of accepting your offer without making some effort toshow that I deserved it. I shall give up the reading of my irresponsibledays, and take to reading law. I shall stop my subscription to thesporting papers, and take the _Daily Register_ and _Court Calendar_instead, and if you think it would be worth while I might also subscribeto the _Albany Law Journal_, with which interesting periodical I amalready tolerably familiar, having kept my father's files in order forsome years."

  "No, Hoppy," said Mr. Hicks, with a smile, "I don't think you'd bettergive up the sporting papers; 'all work and no play makes Jack a dullboy.'"

  "Perhaps you are right," said Hopkins, in reply to this. "But I _shall_read Blackstone, and accumulate a library on legal subjects, Mr. Hicks.In that I am firm. I am a good deal of a book-lover anyhow, and sincelaw is to be my profession I might as well suit my books to my needs.I'll order a first edition of Blackstone at once."

  "You'd better get the comic Blackstone," said Mr. Hicks, gravely. "Youwill find it a very interesting book."

  "Very well, Mr. Hicks," returned the amiable head-partner-elect of thefamous legal firm, "I'll make a note of that. I will also purchase the'Newgate Calendar,' and any other books you may choose torecommend,--and I tell you what, Mr. Hicks, when my collection getsgoing it will be the talk of the town. I'll have 'em all in absolutefirsts, and as for the bindings, your old yellow-backed tomes at theoffice will be cast utterly in the shade by my full crushed levantmorocco books in rich reds and blues. Just think of the hundred or morevolumes of New York reports in Russia leather, Mr. Hicks!"

  "It takes my breath away, Hoppy," returned the lawyer. "Every one of thevolumes will be absolutely uncut, I suppose, eh?"

  "Never you mind about that," retorted Hopkins; "you think I'm joking,but you'll find your mistake some day. I'm serious in this business,though I think I'll begin my labours by taking a winter at Nice."

  "That is wise," said Mr. Hicks, approvingly; "and then you might put inthe summer in Norway, devoting the spring and autumn to rest and quiet."

  "I'll think about that," Hopkins answered; "but the first step to take,really, is to pack up my things here, and sail for London and secure anoffice."

  "A very proper sentiment, my dear boy," returned Mr. Hicks; "but let meadvise you, do not be rash about plunging into the professional vortex.Remember that at present your knowledge of the law is limited entirelyto your theories as to what it ought to be, and law is seldom that; normust you forget that in asking you to represent us in London, it is notour desire to inflict upon you any really active work. We simply desireyou to live in an atmosphere that, to one of your tastes, is necessarilybroadening, and if you find it advisable to pursue intellectual breadthacross the continent of Europe to the uttermost parts of the earth, youwill find that the firm stands ready to furnish you with materialassistance, and to remove all obstacles from your path."

  "Thanks for your kindness, Mr. Hicks," said Hopkins. "I shall endeavourto prove myself worthy of it."

  "I have no doubt of it, my boy," rejoined Mr. Hicks, rising. "And, inparting with you, let me impress upon you the importance, both to youand to ourselves in the present stage of your legal development, of themaxim, that to a young lawyer not sure of his law, and devoid ofexperience, there is nothing quite so dangerous as a client. Avoidclients, Hoppy, as you would dangerous explosives. Many a young lawyerhas seemed great until fate has thrown a client athwart his path."

  With these words, designed quite as much for the protection of the firm,as for the edification of that concern's new head, Mr. Hicks withdrew,and Hopkins turned his attention to preparations for departure; payinghis bills, laying in a stock of cigars, and instructing his valet as tothe disposition of his lares and penates. Four weeks later he sailed forLondon, arriving there in good shape early in June, ready for all thedelights of the season, then at its height.

  It was not until Hopkins had been four days at sea, that the firm ofToppleton, Morley, Harkins, Perkins, Mawson, Bronson, Smithers, andHicks learned that the new partner had presided at a Coney Islandbanquet, given by himself to the office-boys, clerks, book-keepers, andstenographers of the firm, on the Saturday half-holiday previous to hisdeparture. It is doubtful if this appalling fact would have come tolight even then, had not Mr. Mawson, in endeavouring to discharge one ofthe office-boys for insubordination, been informed by the delinquentthat he defied him; the senior member of the firm, the departed Hoppy,having promised to retain the youth in his employ at increased wages,until he was old enough to go to London, and assist him in looking afterthe interests of his clients abroad. An investigation, which followed,showed that Hopkins had celebrated his departure in the mannerindicated, and also divulged the interesting fact that the runningexpenses of the office, according to the new partner's promises, wereimmediately to be increased at least twenty-five per cent. per annum insalaries.