The Leithen Stories by John Buchan

Author:John Buchan [John Buchan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781847675576
Publisher: Canongate Books
Published: 2009-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

FIVE

IN THAT HOPE I was mistaken. A fortnight later the Treasury Solicitor sent me the papers in one of those intricate international cases which were the debris of the war. It was a claim by a resident abroad, who had not lost his British nationality, for compensation for some oppressive act of one of the transient Greek Governments. I left the thing to my ‘devil’, and just skimmed his note before the necessary conference with the plaintiff’s solicitors. To my surprise I saw that it had to do with the island of Plakos and the name of Arabin.

Mr Mower, of the reputable firm of Mower & Lidderdale, was not unlike a sheep in appearance – a Leicester ewe for choice. He had a large pale high-boned face, rimless spectacles, a crop of nice fleecy white-hair, and the bedside manner of the good family solicitor. My hasty study of the papers showed me that the oppressive acts were not denied, but that the title of the plaintiff was questioned.

‘This is a matter of domestic law,’ I said – ‘the lex loci rei sitœ. If the title to the land is disputed, it is a case for the Greek courts.’

‘We have reason to believe that the defence is not seriously put forward, for the title is beyond dispute, and we are at a loss to understand the attitude of the Greek Government. The documents are all in our possession, and we took Mr Blakeney’s advice on them. His opinion is among the papers left with you – and you will see that he has no doubt on the matter.’

Mr Blakeney certainly had not, as I saw from his opinion, nor had my ‘devil’. The latter characterised the defence as ‘monstrous’. It seemed to be based on an arbitrary act of the old Greek National Assembly of 1830. My note said that the title was complete in every respect, and that the attempt to question it seemed to be a species of insanity. A name caught my attention.

‘What is Koré?’ I asked.

‘It is Miss Arabin’s Christian name. Greek, I presume,’ said Mr Mower, very much in the tone in which Mr Pecksniff observed, ‘Pagan, I regret to say.’

I read the note again, and Blakeney’s opinion. Blakeney was an authority from whom I was not disposed to differ, and the facts seemed too patent for argument. As I turned over the papers I saw the name of another solicitor on them.

‘You have not always acted for the Arabin family?’ I asked.

‘Only within the last few months. Derwents were the family solicitors, but Miss Arabin was dissatisfied with them and withdrew her business. Curiously enough, they advised that the claim of the Greek Government was good, and should not be opposed.’

‘What!’ I exclaimed. Derwents are one of the best firms in England, and the senior partner, Sebastian Derwent, was my oldest client. He was not only a sound lawyer, but a good scholar and a good fellow. What on earth had induced him to give

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.