Lord C---- p.r.i.c.ked up his ears. "Ay, ay! how's that?"

"The gentleman whom you have named professes, I understand, Liberal principles; probably he will sit for the borough himself; at all events, he will return the member."

"He's a poor ignorant creature, isn't he? What has made him take up with Liberal principles? By taking a little notice of him early, one might--eh?--influence him;--but--of course you don't intend to vacate this session?"

"I intend this day to apply for the Chiltern Hundreds; and this evening, if you like, a new writ may be moved for the borough of Yatton."

"You _must_ come down to-night, my dear Aubrey, you really must," said Lord C----, with undisguised anxiety--with more than he had shown during the interview. "The numbers will run very close; they are stirring heaven and earth!--Good heavens! my dear Aubrey, a vote's invaluable to-night;--gad, you _sha'n't_ have the Chiltern Hundreds;[9] you mustn't really apply for it--at all events, not till to-morrow."

"I shall sit no more in the House of Commons," said Mr. Aubrey, with a sad determined air; "besides, I leave for Yatton by to-night's mail.

There are those waiting for me whom you would not have me disappoint, Lord C----!"

"Not for worlds, my dear Aubrey," replied Lord C----, half absently. He was intensely disappointed at not obtaining Mr. Aubrey's vote that evening; and rose to go.

"Then I am to direct to Yatton, when I may have occasion to write to you?" said he.

"For the next three weeks only--my movements after that period are not yet fixed."

"Adieu, Aubrey; and I entreat of you to remember me most sincerely to Mrs. Aubrey and your sister; and when you look at them,--recollect--pray, recollect our conversation of to-day."

With this Lord C---- took his departure, and left poor Aubrey much depressed. He quickly, however, roused himself, and occupied the princ.i.p.al part of the day in making the necessary and melancholy arrangements for breaking up his establishment in Grosvenor Street, and disposing of his wines, books, and furniture at Yatton. He also instructed a house-agent to look out for two or three respectable but small houses in the outskirts of town, out of which might be chosen the one appearing most suitable to himself and Mrs. Aubrey, on their arrival in London. About eight o'clock he got into the York mail, and his heart was heavy within him.

CHAPTER III.

The result of a very long consultation between Mr. Runnington and his partners, held on the day after his last interview with Mr. Aubrey, was, that he drew up the following draft of a letter, addressed to Messrs.

Quirk, Gammon, and Snap:--

"_Lincoln's Inn, 26th April 18--._

"GENTLEMEN:

"_Doe_ d. _t.i.tmouse_ v. _Jolter_.

"In answer to your letter of yesterday, (the 25th inst.,) we beg to inform you, that after the judgment in this cause p.r.o.nounced yesterday in the Court of King's Bench, our client, Mr. Aubrey, does not intend to resist the claim of Mr. t.i.tmouse to the residue of the Yatton property. We now, therefore, beg to give you notice, that on the 17th of next month you will be at liberty, on behalf of your client, Mr. t.i.tmouse, to take possession of all the property at Yatton, at present in the possession of Mr. Aubrey. The whole of the last quarter's rents, due at Ladyday, have been paid into the bank of Messrs. Harley at Grilston, and will, on the day above mentioned, be placed at the disposal of your client.

"We are also instructed to request the delivery of your bill at as early a period as may suit your convenience, with a view to its immediate examination and settlement.

"We cannot forbear adding, while thus implicitly following the instructions of our client, our very great surprise and regret at the course which he has thought fit to adopt; since we have the strongest reasons for believing, that had he been disposed to contest your client's claim farther, in accordance with advice received from a high quarter, his case would have been materially strengthened, and your difficulties greatly increased, and rendered, in fact, absolutely insuperable. We feel confident that the magnanimity displayed by our client, will be duly appreciated by _yours_.

"We are, Gentlemen, your obedient servants,

"RUNNINGTON & CO.

"MESSRS. QUIRK, GAMMON, & SNAP."

"Really," said Mr. Runnington, when he had read over the above to his partners, "I _must_ throw in a word or two about those accursed mesne profits--yet it's a very ticklish subject, especially with such people as these--eh?"

One partner shook his head, and the other looked very thoughtful.

"We must not compromise Mr. Aubrey," said the former of the two.

"We have had no instructions on that point," said the latter,--"on the contrary, you told us yourself that your instructions were to announce an unconditional surrender."

"That may be; but in so desperate a business as this, I do think we have a discretion to exercise on behalf of himself and family, which I must say, he seems quite incapable of exercising himself. Nay, upon my honor, I think we are _bound_ not to forego the slightest opportunity of securing an advantage for our client in this unrighteous claim!"

His partners seemed struck with his observation; and Mr. Runnington, after a few moments' consideration, added the following postscript:--

"P. S.--As to the _mesne profits_, by the way, of course we antic.i.p.ate no difficulty in effecting an amicable arrangement satisfactory to both parties, due consideration being had for the critical position in which our client finds himself placed so suddenly and unexpectedly. Indeed, it is not difficult to conceive that Mr. Aubrey, in taking the step of which we have above advised you, must have contemplated"----(here Mr. Runnington paused for a considerable time,) "being met in a similar frank, liberal, and equitable spirit."

It was agreed, at length, that the whole amount and effect of the above postscript ought to be regarded as a spontaneous suggestion of Messrs.

Runnington, not in any way implicating, or calculated in any event to annoy, Mr. Aubrey; and a fair copy of the letter and postscript having been made, it was signed by the head of the firm, and forthwith despatched to Saffron Hill.

"Struck, by Jove, Gammon!" exclaimed Mr. Quirk, as, with the above letter open in his hands, he hurried, the instant after he had read it, into the room of his wily partner, and threw it down exultingly before him. Gammon read it with apparent calmness, but a slight flush overspread his cheek; and, as he finished the perusal, a subdued smile of excitement and triumph stole over his acute and placid countenance.

"Lord, Gammon! isn't it glorious?" quoth Mr. Quirk, heatedly, rubbing his hands together; "give us your hand, friend Gammon! We've fought a precious hard battle together"--and he shook his partner's hand with vehement cordiality. "This fellow Aubrey is a trump--isn't he?--Egad, if I'd been in his shoes--one way or another, I'd have stuck at Yatton for a dozen years to come--ah, ha!"

"Yes, I am sure you would--if you had been able," replied Gammon, dryly, and with a smile--the real character of which was not perceived by Mr.

Quirk.

"Ay, that I would," replied he, with a triumphant chuckle--"but now to come to business. By next quarter-day t.i.tmouse will have 5,000 in hard cash--half of it on the 17th of next month.--Lord! what have we done for him!" he added with a sort of sigh.

"We've put an ape into possession of Paradise--that's all"--said Gammon, absently and half aloud, and bitterly and contemptuously.

"Humph!--what of that?" said Mr. Quirk--"It answers _our_ purposes, at any rate! By the way, Gammon, you see what's said about our bill--eh?

The sooner it's made out the better, I should say--and--ahem!

hem!--while Mr. Aubrey's on the tight rope he won't think of looking down at the particular items, will he? I should say, _now's_ our time; and we should strike while the iron's hot! I've got _rather_ a stiff entry, I can a.s.sure you. I must say Snap's done his duty; and _I've_ not had my eyes shut--or my pen idle! You know one _must_ live in these hard times--eh?" Here Mr. Quirk winked very knowingly.

"You must not _overdo_ it, Mr. Quirk--but all that I leave, as usual, to your admirable management, as to that of a first-rate man of business.

You know I'm a sad hand at accounts; but you and Snap are perfect adepts--in short, I'm satisfied you'll do all that should be done."

"Ay, ay, trust us!" interrupted Quirk, quickly, with a significant nod, and fancying himself and Snap already at work, plundering the poor Aubreys. "And, by the way, Gammon, there are the mesne profits--that's a mighty fine postscript of theirs, isn't it?" and replacing his spectacles, he read it over aloud. "All my eye, of course!" he added, as he laid down the letter--"but I suppose one must give 'em a little time; it _is_ a little hard on him just at present; but then, to be sure, that's _his_ look-out--not ours, or t.i.tmouse's!--Off-hand, I should say we ought to be content with--say--twenty thousand down, and the rest within two years, so as to give him time to look about him a little"----

"That will be quite an after consideration," said Mr. Gammon, who, for the last few minutes, had appeared lost in thought.

"Egad--an _after_ consideration? Hang me if I think so, Gammon! There's a certain _bond_--eh? don't you recollect"----

"I a.s.sure you, Mr. Quirk, that my eye is fixed quite as steadily and anxiously on that point as yours," said Gammon, gravely.

"Thank you--thank you, Gammon!" replied Quirk, with the air of a man suddenly relieved from apprehension--"it couldn't possibly be in better hands. Lud--to go wrong _there_! It would send me to my grave at a hand gallop--it would, so help me Heaven, Gammon!--t.i.tmouse--by the way--is a queer hand to deal with--isn't he? Wasn't he strange and b.u.mptious the other day? Egad, it made me quake! Need we tell him, just yet," he dropped his voice, "of the letter we've got? Couldn't we safely say only that they have sent us word that we shall have Yatton by the 17th of next month?"

"Very great caution is necessary, Mr. Quirk, just now"----

"You _don't_ think the young scamp's going to turn round on us, and snap his fingers in our face, eh?" inquired Mr. Quirk, apprehensively, violently twirling about his watch-key.

"If you leave him implicitly to me, you shall get all you want," replied Gammon, very gravely, and very pointedly. Quirk's color changed a little, as he felt the keen gray eye of Gammon fixed upon him, and he involuntarily shrank under it.