Rising in the World CHAPTER 5.
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Even before Hudson succeeded in getting his diploma, Dunbar had come before the court in a case of great importance, and made quite an impression on the public mind. His argument was reported. On the day his report appeared in the newspapers, something brought to his mind his old friend and college companion, whom he had not met for nearly a year. He did not analyze very carefully, the feeling which induced him to look in upon Hudson; if he had, he would have discovered something like a desire to exhibit his rising greatness, and cause him to appreciate the contrast between them. He found Hudson engaged in preparing his thesis to be submitted to the professors of the Medical College at an approaching examination of students.
"Ah! How are you, my old friend?" he said, in a mirthful, off-hand manner, as he met Hudson. "I was passing through, and thought I would just look in and see if you were yet alive. What are you about? Haven't you graduated yet?"
"Not yet; but if fortunate, I shall have my diploma in a week or two," returned Hudson.
"And then?"
"And then I shall see what can be done in the way of making a beginning in the world."
"Do you expect to remain in this city?"
"I have not yet determined that question. It is probable that I may go South."
"More chance there for you, I would think. It is too healthy here. I truly believe there are as many doctors as sick people in this goodly city."
"Though not so many lawyers as rogues and scoundrels," returned Dunbar, with a smile; "therefore the more chance for you."
"Just it. The fact is, Lloyd," and Dunbar slapped the student upon the shoulder, "if it was not for the sins and iniquities of the people, I don't know what you or I would do. We should make great allowance for them, don't you think so?"
"We should do all in our power to lessen the amount of evil and suffering in the world." replied Hudson.
"And starve for our pains. If there were no cheating and roguery in the world — what would become of all the lawyers? and if there were no sickness — what would become of the doctors?"
"They would find some better employment, I hope. I am not afraid but that I would get along quite as well, if not better, than under the present system of things."
"I am very well satisfied as it is. By the way, did you see the report of my argument before the court, in the case of Holton vs. Nix?"
"I did."
"Well, what do you think of it?"
"It was ingenious."
"Nothing more?"
"Yes, ingenious in making the worse appear the better reason."
"The highest compliment you could pay me. We had the worse side of the case."
"So I perceived."
"And, in spite of it, succeeded in gaining for our client."
"And doing a great wrong!"
"I have nothing to do with that. My duty was to my client. I was bound to gain his cause for him, and I did so."
"At the expense of truth, justice, and integrity!"
"If you please to say so. That comes under the head of abstract morals. But with such abstractions, lawyers have nothing to do. We are bound in conscience to take care of our client's interests. He commits them to our hands, and honor and honesty demand that we should protect them by every means in our power."
"Not by unfair means," said Hudson.
"If your client's course is not sound — how can you sustain it by just arguments? You must divert the attention of the court from the true point at issue, and take advantage of every defect or error of your opponent to make his good cause appear a bad one. Here lies the test of a truly good lawyer. I see no great credit that a man deserves for gaining a perfectly plain case. Anybody ought to do that. It is in the bad cause which the lawyer shows his real power."
"And this is legal integrity!" said the student.
"No, Lawrence Dunbar, I will not credit it! The lawyer may be the guardian of rights, and yet remain true to himself. Believe me you have mistaken the true character of the profession."
"There can be but two sides to a question — a right side and a wrong side. And one of these a lawyer has to argue. If he is on the wrong side, how is he to do justice to his client and not violate what you would call legal integrity?"
"True," said the student, "there is, to every question in dispute, a right side and a wrong side; but where the right and where the wrong lies, is not so easily determined. What the lawyer has to do is to advocate or defend his client's rights, nothing more. This is his use in the community; and when he goes beyond it, he goes beyond what his client has a right to demand — or he a right to give. Depend upon it, Lawrence — and you must pardon my plain utterance of what is in my mind — the lawyer who permits himself to use unfair means to gain a client's cause, will not find it a hard task to continue his client's cause year after year, in order, if possible, to swell the amount of his fees."
"I don't know that you are far out of the way," was the young man's unblushing avowal. "In fact, that is done every day. I know a young lawyer who has yet had but two cases of importance, and he nurses them well, I assure you. They afford him a very comfortable support. Now would not he be a fool to close up these cases in a week, when it is the easiest thing in the world to continue them for a year or eighteen months? Do you blame him?"
"I do, for he is not an honest man!"
"He's not a saint, I will admit. But, as to honesty, there are different opinions about that. I, for one, don't blame him. If people are the fools to go to law, they must expect to lose some of their surplus feathers."
"Would you do so?"
"Certainly I would — and I am doing it. Mr. Harker, with whom I am now professionally connected, as you are no doubt aware, has a large business. He is a good lawyer, but never possessed the tact which some other men have of making the most of his cases. It will be my business to reform this, and I have already commenced it."
"Does he not object?"
"He? No indeed. He is pleased at it. Why not? It will put money into his pocket as well as mine. My interest in his business is worth now at the rate of two thousand dollars a year, but before a twelvemonth passes, I will make it equal to three thousand dollars."
"By nursing cases?"
"Yes, by that; and also by infusing more energy into all our business. I am bound to go up, you know. That is my ambition. If anybody is fool enough to bend his head for me to place my feet upon his shoulders — you will not find me hesitating about making good use of the opportunity. Do you blame me?"
"Yes, I certainly do."
"Why?"
"Because the means of rising that you propose to yourself, I do not believe to be just."
"It's the custom in our profession, and he who neglects to fall in with it, will be apt to remain in status quo."
"I must still doubt that. Had I chosen law for a profession, instead of medicine — I would have tried the honest course."
"And remained a poor devil of a lawyer all your life," said Dunbar, a little rudely. The plain words of his old friend had touched him a little, indifferently as he treated them.
"As to the result — I never think of that," returned Hudson. "I ask myself, 'Is it right?' and trustfully await the outcome. I feel that I have talents, and I believe that if we possess ability and use it faithfully for the good of others, we shall have our reward — if in nothing else, an approving conscience."
Dunbar tossed his head with a slight air of contempt, as he said —
"How soon do you expect your profession, conducted on your principles, to give you an income of two thousand dollars a year?"
"I don't know that it ever will."
"And can you be content with that, or less than that?"
"With whatever comes — I will strive to be content."
"And even say, thank God for nothing! if nothing comes."
There was something insolent in the young lawyer's manner which was felt by Hudson, and against which his fine spirit rebelled.
"One thing is plain," he said, speaking in a voice changed from its former tone, and looking somewhat sternly at Dunbar, "that you and I have different principles, and that these lead us in the present, and will lead us in the future — into different practices. There is no harmony between these principles — and therefore, can be no sympathy between us. It is therefore better, perhaps, that we should not meet — for we cannot meet as friends."
"As you please," said Dunbar, with an offended air, rising as he spoke. "I rather think I shall lose nothing. Good day!"
"Good day," returned Hudson, bowing with cold politeness.
And thus the two young men parted. They met for a brief season, but to sunder their friendship forever.
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