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. _Titmouse_ v. _Jolter_.

"In answer to your letter of yesterday, (the 25th inst.,) we beg to inform you, that after the judgment in this cause pronounced yesterday in the Court of King's Bench, our client, Mr. Aubrey, does not intend to resist the claim of Mr. Titmouse 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. Titmouse, 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 anticipate 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 Titmouse 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 assure 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 Titmouse'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 assure 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!--Titmouse--by the way--is a queer hand to deal with--isn't he? Wasn't he strange and bumptious 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.

"You'll excuse me, Gammon," at length said he, with rather a disturbed air; "but there's no fathoming you, when you get into one of your mysterious humors; and you always look so particularly strange whenever we get on this subject! What can you know that I don't--or _ought_ not to know?"

"Nothing--nothing, I assure you," replied Gammon, with a gay smile.

"Well, I should have _thought_ not. But, coming back to the main point, if one could but _touch_ some part of that same ten thousand pounds, I _should_ be a happy man!--Consider Gammon, what a draught there has been on my purse for this last sixteen months! Ecod!--the sleepless nights it has cost me!"

"Well, can you doubt being soon richly repaid, my dear sir? Only don't be too hasty."

"I take it, Gammon, we've a lien on the rents now in the banker's hands, and to become due next quarter-day, and on the first instalment of the mesne profits, both for our bill of costs, and in respect of that same bond?"

"Mesne profits, Mr. Quirk?" echoed Gammon, rather quickly; "you seem to take it for granted that they are all ready to be paid over! Even supposing Titmouse not to grow restive, do you suppose it probable that Mr. Aubrey, after so vast and sudden a sacrifice, can have more than a very few thousands--probably hundreds--to keep him and his family from immediate want, since we have reason to believe he has got no other resources than Yatton?"

"Not got 'em--not got 'em? D--n him! then he must look sharp and _get_ 'em, that's all! You know we can't be trifled with; we must look after the interests of--Titmouse. And what's he to start with, if there's no mesne profits forthcoming? But, hang it! they must; I should say a gentle pressure, by-and-by, as soon as Aubrey's fairly got out of Yatton, must produce money, or _security_--he must know quantities of people of rank and substance that would rush forward, if they once heard him squeal"----

"Ah, you're for putting the thumbscrews on at once--eh?" inquired Gammon, with subdued energy, and a very strange sort of smile.

"Ay--capital--that's _just_ what I meant!"--quoth Quirk.

"Eugh! you heartless old reprobate!" thought Gammon, nearly on the point of expressing as much; but his momentary excitement passed off unobserved by Mr. Quirk. "And, I must say, I agree with you," added Gammon, calmly, "we ought in justice to see you first reimbursed your very heavy outlays, Mr. Quirk."

"Well, that's honorable, Gammon.--Oh, Gammon, how I _wish_ you would let me make a friend of you!" suddenly added Mr. Quirk, eying wistfully his surprised companion.

"If you have one sincere, disinterested friend in the world, Mr. Quirk, I am he," said Mr. Gammon, throwing great warmth into his manner, perceiving that Mr. Quirk was laboring with some communication of which he wished to deliver himself.

"Gammon, Gammon! how I _wish_ I could think so!" replied Quirk, looking earnestly, yet half distrustingly, at Gammon, and fumbling about his hands in his pockets. The mild and friendly expression of Gammon's countenance, however, invited communicativeness; and after softly opening and shutting the two doors, to ascertain that no one was trying to overhear what might be passing, he returned to his chair, which he drew closer to Gammon, who noticed this air of preparation with not a little curiosity.

"I may be wrong, Gammon," commenced Mr. Quirk, in a low tone; "but I do believe you've always felt a kind of personal friendship towards me; and there ought to be no secrets among friends. _Friends_, indeed? Perhaps it's premature to mention so small a matter; but at a certain silversmith's, not a thousand miles from the Strand, there's at this moment in hand, as a present from me to you"--(Oh dear, dear! Mr. Quirk! what a shocking untruth! and at your advanced period of life, too!)--"as elegant a gold snuff-box as can be made, with a small inscription on the