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which, from one of his squalid appearance, astonished Lord Cleveland not less than what followed.

"Your threat, my lord," said he, "is useless; for I am one who care too little for life, or even liberty, which is so much better, to fear any thing. But make yourself easy as to my purpose. In a word, the communications I have to make will give you a title to the Cleveland part of the Mowbray estates, and my price preliminary is fifty guineas."

"Preliminarily!"

"Yes! for without that this important deed," taking a parchment from under his coat, "which, upon my honour, is authentic-"

"Honour!" cried Lord Cleveland, whose pride and disgust, heightened by the terms proposed, now got the better of him.

The man immediately put the deed in his pocket, and a scowl came over him which was quite terrific. At length, recovering his tone, he almost haughtily said,

"Your lordship is the best judge of your own affairs, as I am of mine."

"Your affairs!" murmured the earl, in a suppressed but indignant tone.

"Yes, my lord; I suppose I am a man as well as your lordship, and have affairs perhaps as pressing. In a word, I am able to assist your wishes, and I am able too to refuse that assistance, unless I am paid for it. If you did not suppose I had some such power, why did you meet me?"

The earl bit his lip. He felt that the man had, at least, some reason on his side; but, from his manners and sordid figure, was angry that he should have exposed himself. to a situation to be thus addressed. But he was also divided between his pride and his interest, and only hesitated from the doubts which so mean an appearance raised, as to the possibility of making good these as

sertions.

The stranger, perhaps, saw this; for, with cool effrontery, and after looking at his own dress, he observed, "I see what is passing in your lordship's mind; but if I were what perhaps you take me for, how much easier would another course have been! If I wanted merely the sum I have asked, we are here by ourselves, and you are so far right in the difference you put between us, that, I agree with you, it would be a most suspicious cir

cumstance for the great Earl of Cleveland to be found alone in such a place, with such a wretch. What offers, therefore, against my honesty, might I not accuse you of?"

"Rascal!" cried Lord Cleveland, both exasperated and alarmed; 66 move off: I have trusted myself too long

with you."

So saying, he fairly pulled out one of his pistols and cocked it. The stranger, though still unmoved, and showing a coolness which the peer himself could not help admiring, took from his pocket a pistol on his part; but he also reproduced his parchment, and unfolding it, so as evidently to exhibit a legal instrument, observed, "You see I am armed as well as your lordship, should you proceed to violence. But this is the weapon I would rather oppose to yours. It is the actual deed of settlement made by your grand-uncle, John Cleveland, on his daughter, Lady Mowbray, To know its contents is surely worth what I ask; but to possess it, and if success attend it (which I professionally predict it will), your lordship must come down more largely. As to the success, however, I am willing to argue on the principle of no cure, no pay."

Lord Cleveland, having partly recovered from his anger, occasioned by the freedom and vulgarity of the man, began now to ponder upon the proposal. At length he accepted it, and instantly paid the money. The stranger, upon receiving it, said his name was Silverlock, an attorney, who, as he stated, had left off business, but which business, as it rather seemed, had left off him. He had formerly been employed under the solicitors of Lord Mowbray, and evidently (though he refused all account of it) must have robbed them of this important deed, which had been searched for in vain for years, though the loss had been kept secret.

Lord Cleveland, more and more startled at the infamy of the man, conceived the design of arresting him on the spot, but postponed it for the purpose of extracting more information from him. Being asked, therefore, for what purpose he had secreted this document so long ago, Silverlock fairly avowed it was because he thought a time might come when he might turn it to account, should his necessities require it, "as," added he, "they certainly do now."

"It seems, then, by your own account," said Lord Cleveland, "that you are a rogue?"

"No more," answered Silverlock, "than many who think themselves, and are believed to be, my betters." "It should seem, too, however," said the earl, surveying his figure again, “that you have not yet succeeded by your roguery."

"That is neither here nor there," replied Silverlock, with coolness. "I may have had passions to gratify as well as your lordship; though in prudence I own you have the advantage of me."

The earl cursed him in his heart for this insolent tone of equality, and then himself, for having given the sort of right he seemed to feel to assume it. But he was fain to swallow his vexation, in his anxiety to pursue the inquiry.

Retiring, therefore, to one of the alcoves, he read and pondered the instrument which Silverlock had produced to him; on which, however, he observed that the broken lawyer kept a ferocious eye, while he continued to clutch a corner of it with his hand during the whole time Lord Cleveland was employed upon it.

But whatever his future purpose in regard to Silverlock, his lordship was far from comfortable with himself. For he had admitted a scoundrel, and that of the lowest kind, in some measure to his confidence; nor can we pity the indications of fear and shame which he exhibited, lest he should be discovered in the disgraceful tête-à-tête to which he had condescended.

He hurried over the deed in tremulous anxiety, at intervals looking out to observe if any of his acquaintance might be approaching; so that he was by no means in a condition to make himself fully master of the document. Meanwhile, his companion, who seemed to be a compound of selfishness and misanthropy, enjoyed his embarrassment, and seeing how much the equality of manner he had assumed annoyed the earl, triumphed, as it were, in making him feel it.

"Never fear, my lord," he cried; "you may spoil all by being ashamed of me. We are embarked, you see, in the same cause."

Lord Cleveland's eyes flashed anger, but Silverlock

went on:

"You will not be able to comprehend what I have obliged you with, if you let this shame interfere with

your powers of apprehension. You had better read the whole of the deed over again; and, as you seem not to relish it here, I would propose having the honour of waiting upon you at Cleveland House."

"Never!" cried the earl, absolutely shuddering with scorn, which called up almost as much scorn from Silverlock. At length, however, though irritated beyond all patience, and still determined to bring the villain to justice, yet, as far as concerned himself, unwilling to lose the benefit of his treachery, Cleveland observed,

"You say right. To be seen with so consummate a scoundrel must preclude all power of deliberation. As I have purchased you, I must see you again, but not at Cleveland House. Meet me, therefore, to-morrow, and bring the deed with you to my solicitor's."

"Stop, my lord," said the unabashed Silverlock; "whether I am a scoundrel for endeavouring to relieve my own necessities by making use of yours may or may not be true, but you have not yet purchased me. I sold you the sight of this deed, which you are at liberty again to peruse, here, but nowhere else. Or, if nothing will satisfy you but possession, a shorter way by far presents itself on the spot, by which the deed may be instantly yours."

"Be brief, sir," replied Cleveland, stifling a fit of passion," and let me know the full price of your iniquity." "I thank you, my lord," returned Silverlock; " and I think I am but moderate if I propose for a check on your bankers for 500l. to deliver that to you which may put you in possession of ten thousand a-year."

Cleveland was startled; but as the other refused to relax an inch, or to attend him again unless he complied, he found that his design of arresting him was probably suspected, and would be frustrated unless he executed it himself. This he had resolution enough to have attempted, notwithstanding the desperation of the party; but he was embarrassed by fears for the deed and the probable loss of all the advantages which had appeared, however obscurely, in view. As, therefore, there was no time for deliberation, he decided at all events upon getting possession of so important a document; encouraging himself on the instant with the consolatory notion that he might contrive other means for bringing the villain to justice. Silverlock knew quite enough of human nature to perceive that he had conquered; and Lord Cleveland murmuring

something of wanting means to draw the check in that place, and the expediency, therefore, of their meeting in town, the difficulty was avoided, as if it had been foreseen, by the attorney's pulling out an inkhorn and paper, and presenting it to Lord Cleveland.

"One thing more, however," added he, "is wanting to this bargain. Your lordship must give me your honour that you will not return to town until I have had time to receive the check, and, moreover, that you will make no search for me afterward. Without this, I am off the contract."

"Contract!" exclaimed the earl, with a mixed sensation of contempt for his companion and dissatisfaction with his own conduct.

Silverlock was not wanting in a look of hatred on his part; but he waited with a curl of his lip as if in subdued resentment until the peer should decide.

"And how," said Lord Cleveland, after ruminating a few moments, "if your future services should be wanting in proving this deed, or towards any suit that I may bring upon it?"

"My lord," replied Silverlock, "I am ready to trust you, for your interest is concerned in it."

Lord Cleveland again felt uneasy, while Silverlock proceeded:

"I say I am ready to trust that you, my lord, will take no proceedings against me, at least until you have thoroughly ascertained the value of this document. But others may, whose interest lies the other way; and you will excuse me, therefore, for not revealing the place of my abode. But let your pride think what it please of me, I scorn to take your money for an unavailing service. Should you, therefore, hereafter want explanations in regard to the deed you are about to purchase, I promise to be forthcoming (as far, at least, as may be necessary to perfect my assistance) on an application to this address."

So saying, he pulled out a dirty card, with a reference to some man in Lyon's-inn; and perceiving the earl to be too much disgusted even to touch it, a storm of resentment in his turn gathered on his brow. For the peer nothing was now left. He took down the address in his pocket-book, signed the check which put him in possession of the precious deed, and fled from Kensington as he would from the plague..

Let not the details of this scene be thought too minute.

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