Ten Thousand a-Year. Volume 2. Samuel Warren
I trust, are out of the reach of inconvenience?" Mr. Aubrey's lips quivered, and he remained silent.
"Allow me a friend's freedom, Aubrey, and let me repeat my question; are your family provided for?"
"I will be frank, Lord C–," replied Mr. Aubrey, with a strong effort to preserve his composure. "The little provision which had been made for them, is lost, with Yatton; but for them—my wife, my children, my sister—I could have submitted to this misfortune with unshrinking fortitude; but they are, alas, involved in my ruin! My wife had nothing when I married her; and of course the settlements I made on her were out of the Yatton property; as also was the little income left my sister by my father. With Yatton all is gone—that is the plain fact; and there is no disguising it."
Lord C– seemed much moved.
"The Duke of –, I, and two or three other of your friends, were talking about these matters last night; we wish we could serve you. What is the sort of foreign service you would prefer, Aubrey?"
"Foreign service?" echoed Mr. Aubrey, significantly.
"Yes; an entire change of scene would be highly serviceable in diverting your thoughts from the distressing subjects which here occupy them, and must continue to occupy them for some time to come. Can there be a doubt of it?"
"It is very kindly meant, Lord C–; but do you really think I can for a single moment entertain the idea of quitting the country to escape from pecuniary liability?"
"That's the point, exactly; I decidedly think you ought to do so; that you must," replied Lord C–, in a matter-of-fact manner.
"Nothing upon earth shall induce me to do so," replied Mr. Aubrey, firmly. "The bare idea shocks me. It would be the meanest, most unprincipled conduct—it would reflect disgrace on the king's service."
"Poh—this is mere eccentricity—knight-errantry; I'm sure that when you are in a calmer mood you will think differently. Upon my honor, I never heard of such absurdity as yours, in my life. Are you to stay at home, to have your hands tied behind your back, and be thrust into prison—to court destruction for yourself and your family?" Mr. Aubrey turned aside his head, and remained silent.
"I must plead in favor of Mrs. Aubrey—your children—your sweet lovely sister;—good God! it's quite shocking to think of what you are bringing them to."
"You torture my feelings, Lord C–," said Mr. Aubrey, tremulously and very pale; "but you do not convince my judgment. Every dictate of conscience and honor combines to assure me that I should not listen to your proposal."
"Good God! what an outrage on common sense!—But has anything been yet said on the subject of these liabilities—these mesne profits, as I think you said they are called?"
"Nothing; but they follow as a matter of course."
"How is it that you owe only sixty thousand pounds, Aubrey?"
"Only sixty thousand!" echoed Mr. Aubrey, amazedly.
"At the rate of ten thousand a-year, you must have had at least a hundred thousand pounds of the money belonging to your successor"–
"The statute of limitations prevents more than six years' arrears being recoverable."
"But do you intend, Aubrey, to avail yourself of such a protection against the just claims of this poor, unfortunate, ill-used gentleman? Are not the remaining forty thousand pounds justly due—money of his which you have been making away with? Will you let a mere technical rule of law outweigh the dictates of honor and conscience?"
"I really don't exactly understand your drift, Lord C–," said Mr. Aubrey, coloring visibly.
"Well—I will explain. Your sovereign has a right to command your services; and, by obeying him and serving your country, you are enabled to prevent a malignant opponent from ruining you and your family, by extorting a vast sum of money not equitably due: I protest I see no difference in principle, Aubrey, between availing yourself of the statute of limitations, and of the call of the king to foreign service;—but we must talk of this again. By the way, what is the name of your worthy opponent? Tittlemouse, or some such strange name?"
"Titmouse!—By the way, you lose a seat for Yatton," said Aubrey, with a faint smile.
Lord C– pricked 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 principal 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:—
"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,
Note 9. Page 58.
It is by no means a matter of course, to apply for and obtain this nominal appointment, which occasions