fat, old, bald-headed gent, with sharp eyes, was Mr. Quirk"a

"To be sure it was," interrupted Titmouse, with a half shudder.

"Why, that's the thing," continued Titmouse, in faltering tone, and with a depressed look-"That was what I wanted to know myself; for they said I'd better go back!! So I said, 'Gents,' said I, 'I'll "Was it? Well, then, I'd advise Old Nick to be if I'll go back to the shop any more;' and look sharp before he tackles that old gent, that's all!" I snapped my fingers at them-so! (for you know "Give me Mr. Gammon for my money-such an what a chap I am when my blood's up.) And they uncommon gentlemanlike-he's quite taken to me". all turned gashly pale-they did, upon my life-you "Ah, that was he with the black velvet waistcoat, never saw any thing like it! And one of them said and white hands! But he can look stern, too, Tit! then, in a humble way, Wouldn't I please to go You should have seen him ring-hem!-But what back to the shop, just for a day or two, till things is was I saying about the letter? Don't you see they got to rights a bit. Not a day nor a minute!" said say they'll be sure to write if any thing turns up?" I, in an immense rage. We think you'd better, "So they do, to be sure! Well-I'd forgot that!" really,' said they. Then,' says I, if that's your interrupted Titmouse, brightening up. plan, curse me if I won't cut with you all, and I'll "Then, isn't there their advertisement in the employ some one else!' and-would you believe me! Flash? They had'nt their eye on any thing when out I went, bang! into the street!!" they put it there, I dare say!-They can't get out of You did, Tit!!" that, any how!"

"I begin to feel all of a sweat, Hucky; I'm sure there's something in the wind yet!" said Titmouse, drawing nearer still to his comforter. "And more than that would they have said half they did to me last night"

66

6

They shouldn't have given me so much brandy and water as they did; I did'nt well know what I was about, what with the news and the spirits!" "And you went into the street?" enquired Huckaback, with a kind of horror.

"I did, indeed."

66

"Eh! hollo, by the way! I've not heard of what They'd given you the spirits to see what kind of went on last night! So you went to 'em? Well-chap you'd be if you got the property-only to try tell us all that happened and nothing but the truth, you, depend on it!"

be sure you don't; come, Titty !" said Huckaback, "Lord! I-I dare say they did!" exclaimed snuffing the candle, and then turning eagerly to his Titmouse, elevating his head with sudden amazecompanion. ment; totally forgetting that that same brandy and water he had asked for "and me never to think of

"Now are you quite sure you wasn't in a dream last night, all the while?"

"Well-they'd such a number of queer-looking papers before them, some with old German-text it at the time!" writing, and others with zig-zag marks-and they were so uncommon polite-they all three got up as I went in, and made ine bows, one after the other, and said, 'Your's most obediently, Mr. Titmouse,' and a great many more such things."

"Well-and then?"

"Why, Hucky, so help me! and 'pon my soul, that old gent, Mr. Quirk, told me"-Titmouse's voice trembled at the recollection-" he says, 'Sir, you're the real owner of Ten Thousand a-year'

"La!" ejaculated Huckaback, opening wider and wider his eyes and ears as his friend went on.

"And a title-a lord, or something of that sortand you've a great many country seats; and there's been £10,000 a-year saving up for you ever since you was born-and heaps of interest"".

"Oh, dear, I wish I had been-I do indeed, Hucky!"

66

Well you went into the street-what then?" enquired Huckaback, with a sigh of exhausted attention.

"Why, when I'd got there I was fit to bite my tongue off, as one may suppose; but, just as I was a-turning to go in again, who should come up to me but Mr. Gammon, saying, he humbly hoped there was no offence."

"Oh, glorious! So it was all set right again, then-eh?"

"Why-I-I can't quite exactly say that much, either-but-when I went back, (being obligated by "Lord, Tit! you take my breath away," gasped Mr. Gammon being so pressing,) the other two was sitHuckaback, his eyes fixed intently on his friend's ting as pale as death; and though Mr. Gammon and face. me went on our knees to the old gent, it wasn't any "Yes; and they said I might marry the most use for a long time; and all that he could be got to beautifulest woman that ever my eyes saw, for the say was, that perhaps I might look in again to-night asking." -(but they first made me swear a solemn oath on "You'll forget poor Bob Huckaback, Tit!" mur-the Bible never to tell any one any thing about the mured his friend despondingly.

"Not I".

fortune)-and then-you went, Huckaback, and you did the business; they of course concluding I'd sent

"Have you been to Dowlas's to-day, after hearing you!" all this?"

[The thermometer seemed to have been plunged out of hot water into cold-Titmouse was down at zero in a trice.]

"Oh that's it! 'Tis all gone again! What a fool I am! We've clean forgot this cursed letter

"Bother! that, can't be. Don't you see how fcivilly they speak of me in their letter? They're afraid of me, you may depend on it. By the way, Tit, how much did you promise to come down, if you got the thing?"

light had burst in upon him.

"Come down!-I-really-by Jove, I didn't! No! and that leads me to the end of what took place last-I'm sure I didn't!" answered Titmouse, as if new night. That cursed shop was what we split on!" "Split on the shop! eh? What's the meaning of that?" enquired Huckaback, with eager anxiety. VOL. XXXVIII.—JANUARY, 1840.

"Why, Tit, I never seed such a goose! That's it, depend upon it-it's the whole thing. That's

what they're driving at, in the note!-Why, Tit, -hem! Titty an't such a bad fellow, in the main, where was your wits? D'ye think such gents as after all."

them-great lawyers, too-will work for nothing? If Titmouse had been many degrees higher in the You write and tell them you will come down hand-grade of society, he would still have met with his Hucksome-say a couple of hundreds, besides expenses-aback; a trifle more polished, perhaps, but hardly Gad! 'twill set you on your pins again, Titty!-Rot more quick-sighted or effective than, in his way, had me! now I think of it, if I did'nt dream last night been the vulgar being he had just quitted! that you was a Member of Parliament, or something of that sort."

"A Member of Parliament! And so I shall, if all this turns up well."

"You see if my dream don't come true! You see, Titty, I'm always a-thinking of you, day and night. Never was two fellows that was such close friends as we was from the begining."

[They had been acquainted with each other about a year.]

66

Titmouse hastened homeward. How it was, he knew not; but the feelings of elation with which he had quitted Huckaback did not last long; they rapidly sunk, in the cold night-air, lower and lower, the farther he got from Leicester Square. He tried to recollect what it was that had made him take so very different a view of his affairs from that with which he had entered Huckaback's room. He had still a vague impression that they were not desperate; that Huckaback had told him so, and somehow proved

Hucky, what a cruel scamp I was to behave to it, but how he now knew not-he could not recollect. you in the manner I did-curse me, if I couldn't cry to see your eye bunged up in that way!"

As Huckaback had gone on, from time to time, Titmouse's little mind seemed to him to comprehend "Pho! dear Titty, I knew you loved me, all the and appreciate what was said, and to gather encour while and meant no harm; you wasn't yourself agement from it; but now-consume it!-he stopped when you did it-and besides, I deserved ten times rubbed his forehead-what the deuce was it? By more. If you had killed me, I should have liked the time that he had reached his own door, he felt in you as much as ever!" as deploring and despairing a humour as ever. He "Give us your hand, Hucky! Let's forgive one sat down to write his letter at once; but, after many another!" cried Titmouse, excitedly: and their hands vain efforts to express his meaning-his feelings bewere quickly locked together. ing not in the least degree relieved by the many "If we don't mismanage the thing, we shall be all oaths he uttered-he at length furiously dashed his right yet, Titty; but you won't do any thing without pen, point-wise, upon the table, and thereby destroyspeaking to me first-will you, Titty?" ed the only implement of the sort which he possessed. "The thoughts of it all going right again is enough Then he tore, rather than pulled off, his clothes; blew to set me wild, Hucky!-But what shall we do to out his candle with a furious puff; and threw himself set the thing going again?" on the bed-but in so doing banged the back of his

"Quarter past one!" quivered the voice of the pa- head against the back of the bed-and which sufferralytic watchman beneath, startling the friends out of ed most, for some time after, probably Mr. Titmouse their exciting colloquy; his warning being at the was best able to tell.

same time silently seconded by the long-wicked can- Hath, then-oh, Titmouse! fated to undergo much! dle, burning within half an inch of its socket. They the blind jade Fortune, in her mad vagaries-she, hastily agreed that Titmouse should immediately the goddess whom thou hast so long foolishly worwrite to Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, a pro-shipped-at length cast her sportful eye upon thee, per [i. e. a most abject letter, solemnly pledging and singled thee out to become the envy of millions himself to obey their injunctions in every thing for of admiring fools, by reason of the pranks she will the future, and offering them a handsome reward for presently make thee exhibit for her amusement? If their exertions, if successful. this be indeed, as at present it promises, her intent,

"Well-good-night, Huck! good-night," said she truly, to me calmly watching her movements, Titmouse, rising. "I'm not the least sleepy-1 appears resolved first to wreak her spite upon thee sha'n't sleep a wink all night long! I shall sit up to the uttermost, and make thee pass through intense to write my letter-you haven't got a sheet of paper, sufferings! Oh me! Oh me! Alas! here, by the way?-I've used all mine." [That The accident, for such it was, by which Messrs. was, he had, some months before, bought a sheet to Quirk, Gammon, and Snap became possessed of write a letter, and had so used it.]

Huckaback produced a sheet, somewhat crumpled, from a drawer. "I'd give a hundred if I had them!" said he; "I sha'u't care a straw for the hiding I've got to-night-though I'm a leetle sore after it, tooand what the deuce am I to say to-morrow to Messrs. Diaper"

the important information which put them into motion, as we have seen, to find out by advertisement one yet unknown to them, it will not be necessary, for some time, for me to explain. Theirs was a keen house, truly; and they would not, one may be sure, have lightly committed themselves to their present extent, namely, in inserting such an advertisement in the newspapers, and above all, going so far in "Oh, you can't hardly be at a loss for a lie that'll their disclosures to Titmouse. Their prudence in suit them, surely!-So good-night, Hucky-good-the latter step however, was very questionable to night!" themselves, even; and they immediately afterwards Huckaback wrung his friend's hand, and was in a deplored together the precipitation with which Mr. moment or two alone. "Haven't my fingers been Quirk had communicated to Titmouse the nature and itching all the while to be at the fellow!" exclaimed extent of his possible good fortune. It was Mr. he, as he shut the door. "But, somehow, I've got Quirk's own doing, however, and after as much extoo soft a sperrit, and can't bear to hurt any one;-postulation as the cautious Gammon could venture and then-if the chap gets his £10,000 a-year-why to use. He, however, had his motive, as well as

66

Mr. Gammon. I say they had not lightly taken up veyancer for about three years; and Quirk was ready the affair; they had not "acted unadvisedly." They to suffer death in defence of any opinion of Mr. were fortified, first, by the opinions of Mr. Mortmain, Mortmain. Mr. Gammen swore by Frank pledge, an able and experienced conveyancer; who thus who was his brother-in-law, and of course arising wound up an abstrusely learned opinion on the volu. man." Mortmain belonged to the old schoolminous case" which had been submitted to him:- Frankpledge steered by the new lights. The former “✶✶ Under all these circumstances, I am decid- which had been ruled according to his opinion, and could point to hundreds of cases in the Law Reports edly of opinion that the well-established rule of law above adverted to, viz., &c., &c., &c., is clearly ap- ter, although he had been only five years in practice, some fifty that had been over-ruled thereby; the latplicable to the present case; from which it follows, had written an opinion which led to a suit which had that the title to the estates in question is at this mo- ended in a difference of opinion between the Court ment not in their present possessor, but in 1789 of King's Bench and the Common Pleas, the credit passed through Dame Dorothy Dreddlington into the of having done which was really not a bit tarnished female line, and ultimately vested in Gabriel Tittlebat Titmouse-who, however, seems not to have by the decision of a Court of Error, without hearing been at all aware of the existence of his rights, or the other side against the opinion of Mr. Frankhe could hardly have been concerned in the pecuniary pledge. But arrangements sanctioned at fol. 33 of the case-and to the bottom of every thing-and was so civil. Mr. Frankpledge quoted so many cases, and went his heirs. Probably something may be heard of them by making careful enquiry in the neighbour-Mortmain's chambers, at eight o'clock in the evening. Well, the consultation caine off, at length, at Mr. hood where he was last heard of, and issuing adver- A few minutes before that hour, Messrs. Quirk and tisements for his heir-at-law; care of course being Gammon were to be seen in the clerk's room, in civil taken not to be so specific in the terms of such ad- conversation with that prim functionary, who explainvertisements as to attract the notice of A B, (the ed to them that he did all Mr. Mortmain's drafting; party, I presume, now in possession.) If such per- pupils were so idle that Mr. Mortmain did not score son should, by the means above suggested, be dis-out inuch of what he (the aforesaid clerk) had covered, I advise proceedings to be commenced forth-drawn; that he noted up Mr. Mortmain's new cases with, under the advice of some gentleman of experi- for him in the reports, Mr. M. having so little time;

ence at the common law bar.

"MOULDY MORTMAIN.

and that the other day the Vice Chancellor called on Mr. Mortmain, with several other matters of that “Line. Inn, January 19, 182–.” sort, calculated to enhance the importance of Mr. This was sufficiently gratifying to the "House" Mortmain, who, as the clerk was asking Mr. Gambut, to make assurance doubly sure, before embark- mon, in a good-natured way, how long Mr. Franking in so harassing and expensive an enterprise, the pledge had been in practice, and where his chambers same case (of course without Mr. Mortmain's opin- were, made his appearance, with a cheerful look and ion) was laid before a younger conveyancer; who, a bustling gait, having just walked down from his having much less business than Mr. Mortmain, house in Queen's Square, (somewhere in the wilds would, it was thought, "look into the case fully," of Bedford Square, as Mrs. Gore delights to call though receiving only one-third of the fee which had them, in her West-End pleasantry,) with a comfortabeen paid to Mr. Mortmain. And Mr. Fussy Frank-ble bottle of old port on board. Shortly afterwards, pledge that was his name-did "look into the case Mr. Frankpledge arrived, followed by his little clerk, fully," and in doing so, turned over two-thirds of bending beneath two bags of books, (unconscious his little library, and by note, and verbally, gleaned bearer of as much law as had well-nigh split the opinions upon the subject of some dozen or so of thousands of learned heads, broken tens of thousands his "learned friends;" to say nothing of the magni- of hearts, in the making of, being destined to have a ficent air with which he indoctrinated his eager and similar but far greater effect in the applying of,) and confiding pupils upon the subject. At length his imp the consultation began.

of a clerk bore the precious result of his master's la- As Frankpledge entered, he could not help casting bours to Saffron Hill, in the shape of "an opinion," a sheep's-eye towards a table that glistened with three times as long as, and indescribably more diffi- such an array of "papers," (a tasteful arrangement cult to understand, than the opinion of Mr. Mort- of Mr. Mortmain's clerk before every consultation ;) main, and which, if it demonstrated any thing beyond and down sate the two conveyancers and the two at. the prodigious cram which had been undergone by its torneys. I devoutly wish I had time to describe the writer for the purpose of producing it, demonstrated scene at length; but greater events are pressing upon this-namely, that neither the party indicated by me. The two conveyancers fenced with one another Mr. Mortmain, nor the one then actually in posses- for some time very guardedly and good-humouredly; sion, had any more right to the estate than the afore-pleasant was it to observe the conscious condescensaid Mr. Frankpledge; but that the happy individual sion of Mortmain, the anxious energy and volubility so entitled was some third person. Messrs. Quirk of Frankpledge. When Mr. Mortmain said any and Gammon hummed and hawed a good deal on pe- thing that seemed weighty or pointed, Quirk looked rusing these contradictory opinions of counsel learned with an elated air, a quick triumphant glance, at in the law; and the proper result followed-i. e. a Gammon; who, in his turn, whenever Mr. Frank"CONSULTATION," which was to solder up all the dif- pledge quoted an "old case" from Bendloe, Godsferences between Mr. Mortmain and Mr. Frank pledge, bolt, or the Year Books, (which, having always or at all events strike out some light which might piqued himself in his almost exclusive acquaintance guide their clients on their adventurous way. with the modern cases, he made a point of doing,) Now, Mr. Mortmain had been Mr. Quirk's con- gazed at Quirk with a smile of placid superiority.

Mr. Frankpledge talked almost the whole time; Mr. Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, resolved to ap Mortmain immovable in the view of the case which peal. To his chambers they, within a day or two he had taken in his "opinion," listened with an at- after their consultation at Mr. Mortmain's, despatched tentive, good-natured air, ruminating pleasantly the their case, with a highly respectable fee, and a special while upon the quality of the port he had been compliment to his clerk, hoping to hear from that drinking, (the first of the bin which he had tasted,) awful quarter within two months-which was the and the decision which the Chancellor might come earliest average period within which Mr. Tresayle's to on a case brought into court, on his advice, and opinions found their way to his patient but anxious which had been argued that afternoon. At last clients. It came, at length, with a note from Mr. Frankpledge unwittingly fell foul of a favourite Faithful, his clerk, intimating that they would find crotchet of Mortmain's and at it they went, hammer him at chambers the next morning, prepared to exand tongs, for nearly twenty minutes, (it had nothing plain the opinion to them; having just had it read whatever to do with the case they were commenting over to him by Mr. Tresayle, for it proved to be in upon.) In the end, Mortmain of course adhered to No. II. The opinion occupied about two pages; his points, and Frank pledge entrenched himself in and the handwriting bore a strong resemblance to his books; each slightly yielded to the views of the Chinese, or Arabic, with a quaint intermixture of the other on immaterial points, (or what could have ap- Uncial Greek character-it was impossible to conpeared the use of the consultation ?) but did that template it without a certain feeling of awe! In vain which both had resolved upon doing from the first, did old Quirk squint at it, from all quarters for nearly i. e. sticking to his original opinion. Both had talk- a couple of hours, (having first called in the assisted an amazing deal of deep law, which had at least ance of a friend of his, an old attorney of upwards of one effect, viz., it fairly drowned both Quirk and fifty years' standing;) nay-even Mr. Gammon, Gammon, who as they went home, with not (it must foiled at length, could not for the life of him retrain be owned) the clearest perceptions in the world of from a soft curse or two. Neither of them could what had been going on, (though, before going to the make any thing of it-(as for Snap, they never consultation, each had really known a good deal showed it to him; it was not within his provinceabout the case,) stood each stoutly by his conveyan-i. e. the Insolvent Debtor's Court, the Old Bailey, cer's opinion, each protesting that he had never been the Clerkenwell Sessions, the Inferior business of once misled--Quirk by Mortmain, or Gammon by the Common Law Courts, and the worrying of the Frankpledge and each resolved to give his man clerks of the office-a department in which he was more of the business of the House than he had before. perfection itself.)

I grieve to add that they parted that night with a To their great delight, Mr. Tresayle's opinion trifle less of cordiality than had been their wont. In completely corroborated Mr. Mortmain's, (neither the morning, however, this little irritation and com- whose nor Mr. Frankpledge's had been laid before petition had passed away; and they agreed before him.) Nothing could be more terse, perspicuous, and giving up the case, to take the final opinion of MR. conclusive than the great man's opinion. Mr. Quirk TRESAYLE the great Mr. Tresayle. He was, in- was in raptures, and immediately sent out for an deed, a wonderful conveyancer-a perfect miracle of engraving of Mr. Tresayle, which had lately come real-property law-learning. He had such an enor- out, for which he paid 5s., and ordered it to be framed mous practice for forty-five years, that for the last and hung up in his own room, where already grinned ten he had never put his nose out of chambers for a quaint resemblance, in black profile, of Mr. Mortpure want of time, and at last of inclination; and main. In special good-humour he assured Mr. had been 'so conversant with Norman French and Gammon, (who was plainly somewhat crestfallen law Latin, in the old English letter, that he had al- about Mr. Frank pledge,) that every-body must have most entirely forgotten how to write the modern a beginning; and he (Quirk) had been once only a English character. His opinions made their appear- beginner.

ance in three different kinds of hand-writing. First, Once fairly on the scent, Messrs. Quirk and Gamone that none but he and his old clerk could make mon soon began secretly but energetically, to push out; secondly, one that none but he himself could their enquiries in all directions. They discovered read; and thirdly, one that neither he, nor his clerk, that Gabriel Tittlebat Titmouse, having spent the nor any one on earth could decipher. The use of any chief portion of his blissful days as a cobbler at one of these styles depended on-the difficulty of the Whitehaven, had died in London, somewhere about case to be answered. If it were an easy one, the the year 1792 or 1793. At this point they stood for answer was very judiciously put into No. I; if rather a long while, in spite of two advertisements, to difficult, it, of course, went into No. II; and if ex- which they had been driven with the greatest relnctceedingly difficult, (and also important,) it was very ance, for fear of attracting the attention of those most properly thrown into No. II; being a question that interested in thwarting them. Even that part of the really ought not to have been asked, and did not de-affair had been managed somewhat skilfully. It The fruit within these uncouth was a stroke of Gammon's to advertise not for shells, however, was precious, Mr. Tresayle's law Heir at Law," but "Next of Kin," as the reader was supreme over every body's else. It was cur- has seen. The former might have challenged a rently reported that Lord Eldon even (who was notice of unfriendly curiosity, which the latter was himself slightly acquainted with such subjects) re- hardly calculated to attract. At length-at the verently deferred to the authority of Mr. Tresayle;" third time of asking"-up turned Tittlebat Titand would lie winking and knitting his shaggy eye- mouse, in the way which we have seen. brows half the night, if he thought that Mr. Tresayle's tionship with Mr. Gabriel Tittlebat Titmouse was opinion on a case and his own differed. This was indisputable; in fact, he was that "deceased perthe great authority to whom, as in the last resort, son's" heir-at-law. The reader may guess the chagrin

serve an answer.

His rela

of Mr. Gammon at the appearance, manner, and ly expecting but soon recoiling eyes-always, howcharacter of the person whom he fully believed, on ever, making due allowances for one or two cheering first seeing him at Messrs. Dowlas's, to be the right- indications, on Mr. Titmouse's part, of a certain raful owner of the fine estates held by one who, as pacious and litigious humour, which might pleasantagainst Titmouse, had no more real title to them than ¡ly and profitably occupy their energies for some time had Mr. Tag-rag; and for whom their house was to to come! Their position and interests had long made undertake the very grave responsibility of instituting them sharp observers; but when did ever before low such proceedings as would be requisite to place Mr. and disgusting qualities force themselves into revoltTitmouse in the position which they believed him ing prominence, as his had done, in the very moment entitled to occupy-having to encounter a hot and of an expected display of the better feelings of human desperate opposition at every point, from those who nature-such as enthusiastic gratitude? They had had nine-tenths of the law-to wit, possession-on in their time had to deal with some pleasant specitheir side, on which they stood as upon a rock; and mens of humanity, to be sure-but where any more with immense means for carrying on the war defen-odious and impracticable than Tittlebat Titmouse sive. That Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, did threatened to prove himself? What hold could they get not contemplate undertaking all this, without having upon such a character as his? Beneath all his calculated upon its proving well worthy their while, coarseness and weakness, there was a glimmer of was only reasonable. They were going voluntarily low cunning which might, cæteris paribus, keep their to become the means of conferring immense benefits superior and practised astuteness in full play. These upon one who was a total stranger to them—who had were difficulties, cheerless enough in the contemplanot a penny to expend upon the prosecution of his own tion, truly; but, nevertheless, the partners could not rights. Setting aside certain difficulties which col-bear the idea of escaping from them by throwing up lected themselves into two awkward words, MAIN- the affair altogether. Then came the question-How TENANCE and CHAMPERTY, and stared them in the were they to manage Titmouse?-how acquire an face whenever they contemplated any obvious method early and firm hold of him, so as to convert him into of securing the just reward of their enterprise and a capital client? His fears and his interests were obtoils-setting aside all this, I say, it might turn out, viously the engines with which their experienced only after a ruinous expenditure, that the high au- hands were to work; and several long and most anxithorities which had sanctioned their proceedings, in ous consultations had Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and point of law, had expressed their favourable opinions Snap had on this important matter. The first great on a state of facts, which, however plain and com- question with them was-To what extent, and when, pact they looked on paper, could not be properly they should acquaint him with the nature of his exsubstantiated, if keenly sifted, and determinedly re- pectations?

sisted. All this, too-all their time, labour, and Gammon was for keeping him comparatively in money, to go for nothing-on behalf of a vulgar, sel- the dark, till success was within reach; during that fish, ignorant, presumptuous, ungrateful puppy, like interval, (which might be a long one,) by alternateTitmouse. Well indeed, therefore, might Mr. Gam-ly stimulating his hopes and fears; by habituating inon, as we have seen he did, give himself and him to an entire dependence in them; by persuading partners a forty-eight hours' interval between his in-him of the extent of their exertions and sacrifices on terview with Titmouse and formal introduction of his behalf-they might do something; mould him a him to the firm, in which to consider their position little into shape fit for their purposes; and persuade and mode of procedure. The taste of his quality him that his affairs must needs go to ruin but in their which that first interview afforded them all so far hands. Something like this was the scheme of the surpassing all that the bitter description of him given cautious, acute, and placid Gammon. Mr. Quirk to them by Mr. Gammon had prepared them for-thought thus:-tell the fellow at once the whole exfilled them with inexpressible disgust, and would tent of what we can do for him, viz., turn a halfhave induced them to throw up the whole affair-so starving linen-draper's shopman into the owner of getting rid both of it and him together. But then, £10,000 a-year, and a great store of ready money. on the other hand, there were certain very great ad- This will, in a manner, stun him into submission, vantages, both of a professional and even directly and make him at once and for all what we want him pecuniary kind, which it would have been madness to be. He will immediately fall prostrate with reveindeed for any office lightly to throw away. It was rent gratitude-looking at us, moreover, as three really, after all, an unequal struggle between feel-gods, who at our will can shut him out of heaven. ing and interest. If they should succeed in unseat-That's the way, said Mr. Quirk; and Mr. Quirk had ing the present wrongful possessor of a very splendid been forty years in practice-had made the business property, and putting in his place the rightful owner, what it was still held half of it in his own hands, by means alone of their own professional ability, per- (two-thirds of the remaining half being Gammon's, severance, and heavy pecuniary outlay, (a fearful and the residue Snap's;) and Gammon, moreover, consideration, truly !) what recompense could be too had a very distinct perception that the funds for cargreat for such resplendent services? To say nothing rying on the war would come out of the tolerably of the eclat which it would gain for their office, in the well-stored pockets of their senior partner. So, after profession and in the world at large, and the substan- a long discussion, he openly yielded his opinion to tial and permanent advantages, if, as they ought to that of Mr. Quirk-cherishing, however, a very be, they were entrusted with the general manage- warm respect for it in his own bosom. As for Snap, ment of the property by the new and inexperienced, that distinguished member of the firm was very little and confiding owner-ay, but there was the rub! consulted in the matter; which had not yet been What a disheartening and disgusting specimen of brought into that stage where his powerful energies such new owner had disclosed itself to their anxious-could come into play. He had of course, however,