There was a scene in the private room of Mr Wickerby, the attorney in Hatton Garden, which was very distressing¹ indeed to the feelings of Lord Fawn², and which induced his lordship to think that he was being treated without that respect which was due to him as a peer and a member of the Government. There were present at this scene Mr Chaffanbrass, the old barrister, Mr Wickerby himself, Mr Wickerby’s confidential⁴ clerk, Lord Fawn, Lord Fawn’s solicitor⁵, that same Mr Camperdown whom we saw in the last chapter calling upon Lady Eustace — and a policeman. Lord Fawn had been invited to attend, with many protestations of regret as to the trouble thus imposed upon him, because the very important nature of the evidence about to be given by him at the forthcoming trial seemed to render it expedient⁶ that some questions should be asked. This was on Tuesday, the 22nd June, and the trial was to be commenced on the following Thursday. And there was present in the room, very conspicuously⁷, an old heavy grey great coat, as to which Mr Wickerby had instructed Mr Chaffanbrass that evidence was forthcoming, if needed, to prove that that coat was lying on the night of the murder in a downstairs room in the house in which Yosef Mealyus was then lodging⁸. The reader will remember the history of the coat. Instigated⁹ by Madame Goesler, who was still absent from England, Mr Wickerby had traced the coat, and had purchased the coat, and was in a position to prove that this very coat was the coat which Mr Meager¹⁰ had brought home with him to Northumberland Street on that day. But Mr Wickerby was of opinion that the coat had better not be used. “It does not go far enough,” said Mr Wickerby. “It don’t go very far, certainly,” said Mr Chaffanbrass. “And if you try to show that another man has done it, and he hasn’t,” said Mr Wickerby, “it always tells against you with a jury.” To this Mr Chaffanbrass made no reply, preferring to form his own opinion, and to keep it to himself when formed. But in

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