"I feel it; and yet, do you know, Whitcomb, it hangs in the balance whether I ever walk into court any more."
"If you think so, it is little you know of your nature. What you call the genie will have the last word to say on that subject."
"Like every other mud-colored materialist your intelligence is admirably lucid as far as it goes."
"Compliments are flying. But is it not the faculty of youth to despise the common sense to which one day it is only too glad to return?"
"I would spew mediocrity out of my mouth," said Northcote, suddenly overmastered by arrogance.
"Common sense and mediocrity are not quite the same; but you can take it from me, dear boy, that genius has always to learn sooner or later that mediocrity has its uses."
The solicitor was amazed to see tears spring to the eyes of the advocate.
"I have learnt that already," he said huskily; "I learnt it last night after the rising of the court."
"I presume you are referring to poor old Bow-*wow, the type of all mediocrity."
"Yes, to the poor dear old blunderer who, after the manner of his kind, consecrated his life to a public display of his incapacity. Yet I weep for Adonais, he is dead!"
"I say, my boy," said the solicitor, amazed by the depth of emotion that was revealed in the face of the young man, "you did not suppose for one moment that I was in earnest when I said you had killed him?"
