"
"Good God!"
"He has been seen at The Hague, and again at Cuxhaven, by men of this
very port. Beckerleg will give you their names."
"But you tell me--the will, here, says--that he's joint guardian--"
"Yes: it's serious, if he finds out. Mr. Finch--I may say I've a
large respect for that attorney--Mr. Finch suggests that it may have
been his ghost. I think, Jack, we must take that explanation."
"Rubbish!"
"Ghosts have some useful properties."
"Name one or two."
"Well, to start with, they can be disbelieved in until seen."
"I begin to see."
"Then, again, should one appear, he can be believed in and walked
through. This is a rule without exceptions. If you have reason to
believe that a ghost stands before you, your first step would be to
make a hole in him to convince yourself."
"But if one should be mistaken?"
"If the apparition gives up the ghost, so to speak, and you find
yourself mistaken, I see no harm in owning it. As co-trustee of
aggrieved man, I will at any time listen to your apologies. By the
by, I have asked Mr. Finch to call upon you to-morrow and explain his
theory, among other matters of business. You will understand that I
bear no affection towards this boy of yours: on the contrary, I
sincerely desire my Sophia to shame him with her attainments.
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