Novel: The woman in white

[Tom]

Hello everybody

The novel "WOMAN IN LOVE" starts:

" If the machinery of the Law could be depended on to fathom every case of suspicion, and to conduct every process of inquiry, with moderate assistance only from the lubricating influences of oil of gold, the events which fill these pages might have claimed their share of the public attention in a Court of Justice."

I understand nothing

Please explain in simple English, please

And many thanks

Tom

[Jamie (K)]