thought Gammon: and after some minutes' anxious consideration, determined on doing so- -and on threaten.

ing him, that if he did not change his courses, so far as money went, heGammon-would instantly blast him, by exposure of his real character and circumstances to the whole world. What might be the actual extent of his embarrassments, Gammon knew not, nor was he aware of the fact, that Titmouse was at that moment getting into the hands of swindling money-lenders. In point of dress and manners, Titmouse was the same that he had ever been, since fortune had given him the means of dressing according to his fancy, and the fashion; but any one looking at his face, could see in the slightly blood-shot eye, its jaded expression, and the puffy appearance of his face, the results of systematic excess and debauchery. When Gammon joined him at his chambers, and told him the events of the day, Titmouse exhibited affright, that to any other beholder than one so troubled as Gammon, would have appeared ludicrous; but as that gentleman's object was to subdue and terrify his companion into an implicit submission to his will, he dismissed him for the day, simply enjoining him to keep away from Grosvenor square and Park-lane till an early hour in the ensuing morning by which time events, which might have happened in the interval, might determine the course which Gammon should dictate to Titmouse. At that time Gammon was strongly inclined to insist on Titmouse's going to the Continent for a little while, to be out of harm's way; but, in fact, he felt dreadfully embarrassed to know how to dispose of Titmouse-regarding him with feelings somewhat, perhaps, akin to those with which Frankenstein beheld his monster.

But to return to Lord Dreddlington. The remedies resorted to so speedily after his seizure at Mr Gammon's chambers, had most materially counteracted the effects of the terrible shock which he had sustained, and which, but for such interference, would in all probability have proved fatal in its consequences. Shortly after his removal to his own house, he sank into tranquil and safe sleep, which continued, with a few interruptions, for several hours during which his brain

recovered itself, in a considerable measure, from the sudden and temporary pressure which had been upon it. Towards seven o'clock in the evening, there were sitting, on one side of the bed Miss Macspleuchan, and on the other the Lady Cecilia-who also had rallied from the shock which she had sustained, and now, occasionally shedding tears, sat gazing in melancholy silence at the countenance of her father. She was certainly a miserable young woman, was Lady Ceciliaignorant though she might be of the real extent of disaster consequent upon her alliance with Titmouse, whom she had long hated and despised, on all occasions avoiding his company. Their almost total estrangement was quite notorious in society. His lordship's physician had quitted the chamber for a few minutes, to make arrangements for continuing with him during the night; and neither Miss Macspleuchan nor Lady Cecilia had spoken for some time. At length the Earl, who had become rather restless, faintly muttered at intervals to himself the words,

"Bubble-villain-Blackwall"

"You see," whispered Miss Macspleuchan, "what he's thinking of. He dined with those people, you know." Lady Cecilia nodded in silence. Presently his lordship resumed

"Account closed!-Call on Mr Gammon-Is Mr Gammon at home?".

The current of his recollections had now brought him to the point of danger; and after pausing for a moment, a troubled expression came over his face -he was evidently realizing the commencement of the terrible scene in Mr Gammon's room-then he seemed to have lost the train of his thoughts for a while, as his features slowly resumed their previous placidity; but the troubled expression presently returned his lips were suddenly compressed, and his brow corrugated, as if with the emotion of anger or indignation.

"Monstrous! Two thousand pounds?“ He spoke these words in a much stronger voice than those preceding.

"Oh, dear!-I should have thought his lordship had lost much more than that," whispered Miss Macspleuchan, in a low tone.

"Insist!-Titmouse-Titmouse”his lips slightly quivered, and he paused for a while.

submitted to Dr FLARE for his opinion as to the admissibility of Mr Parkinson's draft of Lady Stratton's intended will, to probate-it did not take long to put him in possession of the wishes and intentions of Mr Runnington.

"Let us come away to Dr Flare at once," quoth Pounce, putting his watch into his fob.-"You'll catch him in just now, I know, and perhaps in good humour; and a short consultation with him will be worth half-adozen written opinions."

So they set off for the chambers of Dr Flare, which were at only a few yards' distance. Dr Flare was a very great man in the ecclesiastical court; in fact, by far the most eminent practitioner there. He was thoroughly versed in ecclesiastical law, and every species of learning connected with it; in fact, he had for the last thirty years been concerned in every case of the least importance which had come before that solemn, quaint, and mysterious tribunal. He was possessed of great acuteness and powers of arrangement, of wonderful industry, but his capital quality was that of thoroughly identifying himself with his cause. Into every case in which he was employed, he entered with all the keenness and vivacity which he could have displayed in one of vital personal consequence to himself. The moment he had possessed himself of the facts of his case, he was really convinced, to the end of the chapter, that he was on the right side-that the legal and moral merits were with his client-and that he ought to win. But, to be sure, such a temper was his! So fierce and fiery, that it scorched every body that came into contact with him. He was like an angry dog, who, if he has nothing else to snap at, will snap at his own tailand Dr Flare, when he had no one else to get into a passion with, would get into one with himself. His own quickness of perception was calculated to render him impatient and irritable under even the clearest and briefest statement of a case that could be addressed to him. He was, in a manner, the victim of his own acumen nimium. In spite of considerable impetuosity of temper, he was a kind, an honourable, and highminded man; and when not in actual conflict, lived on very good terms with the solemn, sleepy, old gentleman, to whom he was sometimes opposed. In person, he was short and spare; his slight grey whiskers looked as if they

VOL. XLIX. NO. CCCVIII.

had been calcined by his cheeks, which, though thin, were of a florid red colour; his forehead was ample; and there was an expression about his piercing grey eyes which seemed to ask, with a curse, of any one entering, "why d'ye interrupt_me?" When Mr Pounce and Mr Runnington entered his room-which was covered with papers and open books-the Doctor was settling in furore, articles extending over many hundred folios, against an unhappy curate, flourishing on forty pounds a-year in Rutlandshire, "touching and concerning his soul's health, and the lawful correction and reformation of his manners and excesses," (such was the solemn and affectionate strain in which the reverend delinquent was addressed,) in having refused to baptize a child by the name of "JUDAS ISCARIOT"-that being the name desired to be given to his infant by a little Radical cobbler, a chattering infidel, who sought, by that means, to evince his hatred of the Christian religion. Now, Dr Flare was himself an ardent friend of the church, and a sincere Christian: but he had brought himself to look upon this poor clergyman as guilty of a most flagrant piece of wickedness; and was forging, con amore, the bolt to be presently levelled at so enormous an offender. But a few minutes before their val, an incident had occurred to the Doctor which had roused him into a kind of fever: he had been interrupted by an applicant to be sworn to some matter or other, for which the Doctor was entitled to the usual fee of one shilling. The deponent had only half-a-crown; so the Doctor had to take out his purse, and give him the difference, (eighteenpence,) with a muttered curse: and you may guess the scene that ensued on the deponent's presently returning, and requesting that the sixpence which the Doctor had given him might be changed, being a bad one!- Mr Runnington was prepared to go fully into his case before Doctor Flare; but on catching sight of him, he looked so startling a contrast to the calm and affable Attorney-General, that his heart suddenly failed him; and after observing, that instead of interrupting the Doctor at that time, he would immediately lay a written case before him, he and Mr Pounce made their escape into the open air; the former looking so relieved of apprehension, that Mr Pounce

3 н

almost died with laughter. But it oceured to Mr Runnington, that in the present step of the business, Mr Pounce was just as satisfactory an adviser as Dr Flare could be-and he determined upon being guided by Mr Pounce, whom he immediately instructed to retain Dr Flare; and then talked over the whole case, in all its bearings-the result being, that Mr Pounce entirely corroborated the view taken by the Attorney-General, and pointed out so clearly and forcibly the peculiar advantages attending the contemplated mode of procedure, that Mr Runnington nearly made up his mind on the spot, to venture on the experiment; but at all events, undertook to give his final decision within twenty-four hours' time. The next morning, how ever, he received information from Mr Pounce, which was calculated to quicken his motions; viz. that Mr Titmouse was moving, and had just" warned the caveat," with a view to discovering who his opponent was, and what was the ground of his opposition. Now, this chanced to occur on the very day of Lord de la Zouch's arrival in London; his servant calling at Mr Runnington's office with a note requesting his attendance in Dover Street, within a few hours of Mr Runnington's receiving intelligence of the movement of Mr Titmouse. The result of a very long and animated discussion between Mr Runnington and Lord de la Zouch was, that his lordship acquiesced in the expediency of the course suggested to him, namely, to suspend for a month or two carrying into effect the scheme which he had formed for extricating Mr Aubrey from all his liabilities, since the proceedings about to be instituted in the ecclesiastical court might possibly render unnecessary the very large pecuniary sacrifice contemplated by his lordship, by disentitling Mr Titmouse to receive any part of the demand he was at present enforcing against Mr Aubrey. His lordship then gave a carte blanche to Mr Runnington, and authorised him instantly to commence, and most vigorously prosecute every proceeding that might be necessary to spare no expense or exertion-to give and take no quarter; for Lord de la Zouch expressed the warmest indignation at the whole conduct of Mr Gammon-particularly his presumptuous advances towards Miss Aubrey, and the audacious mea

sures he had resorted to for the purpose of securing her favour. His lordship also felt, in common with the Attorney-General and Mr Runnington, that Mr Gammon's avowal to Miss Aubrey of his absolute control over the enjoyment of the Yatton property, warranted the suspicion that the vigorous proceedings about to be instituted would lead to the most important results. Thus fortified, Mr Runnington immediately gave instructions to Mr Pounce to proceed; and that person at once entered formally into battle with his brother proctor, Mr QUOD, who was acting for Mr Titmouse. Supposing it to be all a very simple straightforward affair on the part of Mr Titmouse, Mr Quod did not give himself any particular concern about the step taken by Mr Pounce, and with which he did not acquaint Mr Gammon, till that gentleman called to enquire in what state the proceedings were; and when he found the ground taken by Mr Aubrey, and that it would compel Mr Titmouse to prove over again every link in the chain which connected him with the elder branch of the Aubrey family, he was not a little agitated, though he made a great effort to conceal it, while listening to Mr Quod's account of the process about to be commenced. Each party, it seemed, would have to give in to the court "an allegation," or statement of the pedigree he intended to establish, and which would be lodged at the registry. Each would then, in due course, obtain a copy of his opponent's allegation, in order to guide him in framing his own proof and interrogatories. A COMMISSION would then be sent by the court into the county where the witnesses resided, to examine themthe examiner being an officer of the court, a proctor-and representing the court in the proceeding. This officer having been furnished by the parties with a copy of the two allegations, the names of the witnesses, and the interrogatories, would proceed to examine the witnesses; but in a manner very different from any adopted by the courts of law, viz. one by one, alone, secretly, and in the most searching and thorough manner; and having given his or her evidence, the witness would be formally threatened with the terrors of the ecclesiastical court, if he or she should presume to disclose to any person, much less the

parties, the evidence that had been extracted by the examiner. When the whole of the evidence had been in this mysterious way collected, it could be lodged in the proper office of the court; and till the arrival of the proper time for "publication passing," i. e., permitting both parties to take copies of the evidence they would be in total ignorance as to the exact nature of the evidence which had been given by even their own witnesses. Mr Quod added, that the briefs which had been used at the trial of the action of ejectment, would of themselves furnish almost the entire "allegations," and greatly facilitate and accelerate the proceedings.

"Then, do the parties, or their proctors, go down beforehand to the spot where the commission is to be held?"

"Oh yes, both parties, of course— Pounce and I shall be both at work down there, rummaging registries, records, churchyards-brushing up every man, woman, and child, that's got a word to say on the subject warm work, warm work, Mr Gammon! We sha'n't leave a stone unturned on either side,” said Mr Quod, rubbing his hands, with a pleased and confident air that strangely contrasted with the reserved and disconcerted manner of his companion, who, in fact, had been thrown into a cold perspiration by what he had heard.

"Pounce is a keen hand, but I know one that is not afraid of him any day! But I'm sorry they've secured Dr Flare, I own".

"Ah, well, that can't be helped now, you know. Good-day, Mr Quod," said Gammon, with a sickly smile, "I shall be with you about this time to-morrow, to make arrangements." And with this he withdrew.

"Curse Lady Stratton-her will her policy-every thing connected with the old creature," said Gammon to himself, vehemently, as he sat that evening alone, in his chamber, meditating upon this most unexpected turn which the thing had taken; "nothing but vexation, and disappointment, and danger, by Heaven !-attends every move I make in her accursed affairs! Was there ever such a twist, for instance, as this? Who could have dreamed of it? What may it not lead to?" Here he got up hastily, and walked for some minutes to and fro. "By Heavens, it won't do! We must

Yet

give it up without a contest. that's throwing away a clear twenty thousand pounds, too! And Titmouse will be kicking, too, at that! But I'll quickly silence him!" Another pause. Stay-stay-that won't do either! Oh, murder, no!--not for a moment! What will they not conclude from our sudden striking? Of course, that our case is rotten-that we dare not bring Titmouse's pedigree again into the light; and, besides, by relinquishing to them so large a sum, shall we not be putting weapons into their hands against ourselves? Ay, to be sure! So, by, here we are in for it whether we will or not-and no escape!" The latter words he uttered aloud, at the same time snapping his fingers with a desperate air; and then, throwing himself down upon the sofa, he continued for a long time in a state of most direful perplexity and alarm. Then another thought occurred to him. "Suppose that one were to sound Aubrey or Runnington on the subject, and tell them that I have prevailed on Titmouse to withdraw his claim to administer-in consideration of the moral certainty there is that Lady Stratton intended they should have her property-Bah! that won't do! They'd never believe us! But who the deuce is finding the funds for such a serious contest as this? Runnington has no doubt got some of Aubrey's friends to come forward and make a last experiment on his behalf. But why take this particular move?" He drew a long breath, and every particle of colour fled from his cheek. "Alas! alas! I now see it all. Aubrey has betrayed me! She has told to her brother-to Runningtonwhat, in my madness, I mentioned to her! That explains all! Yes, you beautiful fiend, it is your hand that has commenced the work of destruction, as you suppose!"

Miss

Neither Lord de la Zouch nor Mr Runnington saw any necessity for hesitating to apprize Mr Aubrey of the steps they meditated taking on his behalf, as soon as they had come to the determination above recited, and which, of course, it became necessary that he should distinctly sanction. During the course, therefore, of the day after that on which their determination had been taken, at Lord de la Zouch's desire, Mr Runnington undertook to make the important communication to Mr Aubrey. For a while he seemed