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 bu siness, 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 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 con tinued 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 do cument. 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, t: iumphed 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 solicitors." "Stop, my lord," said the unabashed Silverlock; "whether I am a scoundrel for endeavouring to relieve my own necessities by making use of your's, 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 no where 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 conselatory 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 eonquered; 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 afterwards. 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. They afford a lesson to the proudest, on the power of a vicious appetency to break down the strongest bulwarks of pride. These often stand in the place of virtue, and it is grievous to see them fall, through selfinterest, at the foot of vulgar insolence and sordid crime. It is not without its use, therefore, to show how bad passions may level all distinction, and how near, in consequence, the toe of the peasant may come to the heel of the courtier. In this instance, it must be confessed, the kibe of Lord Cleveland was cruelly galled. CHAPTER XVII. THE CERTAINTIES OF LAW. Between two girls, which hath the merriest eye, SHAKSPEARE. THOUGH restored to self-consequence, in the grandeur of his house, and, the obsequiousness of his domestics, Lord Cleveland could not immediately recover his self-possession. His pride had been severely wounded by the intercourse which he had permitted himself to hold with not merely a villain, but one seemingly of the dregs of mankind; nor had the result of that intercourse been such as to satisfy his better feelings. On the contrary, locked in his closet, and any thing but easy in regard to the line of conduct he had pursued, he passed a self-examination by no means pleasant to his self-love. It could not be wrong, indeed, to seek for the proof of rights, of which he might have unjustly been deprived; but it could not be right, he thought, to connive with a robber in order to obtain them. He pursued this train till his thoughts became as unsatisfactory as they were tumultuous. A confused notion haunted him that he might himself be deemed a larcener, or at best a receiver of the fruits of larceny; nor was his shame lessened by the feeling that all this had been incurred with a view to attack the fortune of a kinswoman, and that kinswoman an orphan girl. Under these impressions, the insignia of a high order which belonged to him, and which lay on the table be.fore him, caught his eye. He shuddered, and murmured something about a stain to knighthood. Nor was Lord Cleveland insincere in this. VOL. 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