Pointview, Conn.
To the Honorable Judges of Decency and Good Behavior the World Over:
My friend, the novelist, has prevailed upon me to write this brief in
behalf of my country and against certain feudal tendencies therein. I
have tried to tell the truth, but with that moderation which becomes a
lawyer of my age 'and experience. It is bad manners to give a guest more
wine than he can carry or more truth than he can believe. In these pages
there is enough wine, I hope, for the necessary illusion, and enough
truth, I know, for the satisfaction of my conscience. I hasten, to add
that there is not enough of wine or truth to stagger those who are not
accustomed to the use of-either. I warned the novelist that nothing
could be more unfortunate for me than that I should betray a talent for
fiction. He assures me that my reputation is not in danger.