My worthy uncle, true to himself, played a very different part from

these gentlemen. He hung back, forbore all words on the subject of

my debut, and of the promising auspices under which my career was

begun, and actually placed certain matters of legal business into

the hands of another lawyer. Of this, he himself gave me the first

information in very nearly this language:-"I have just had to sue Yardle & Fellows, and a few others, Edward,

and I thought of employing you, but you are young, and there may

be some legal difficulties in the way:--but when you get older, and

arrive at some experience, we will see what can be done for you."

"You are perfectly right, sir," was my only answer, but the smile

upon my lips said everything. I saw, then, that HE COULD NOT

SMILE. He was now exchanging the feeling of scorn which he formerly

entertained for one of a darker quality. Hate was the necessary

feeling which followed the conviction of his having done me wilful

injustice--not to speak of the duties left undone, which were

equally his shame.

There were several things to mortify him in my progress. His sagacity

as a man of the world stood rebuked--his conduct as a gentleman--his

blood as a relation, who had not striven for the welfare and good

report of his kin, and who had suffered unworthy prejudices, the

result of equal avarice and arrogance, to operate against him.

There is nothing which a base spirit remembers with so much malignant

tenacity as your success in his despite. Even in the small matter

just referred to, the appropriation of his law business, the

observant fates gave me my revenge. By a singular coincidence of

events, the very firm against which he had brought action the day

before were clients of Mr. Edgerton. That gentleman was taken

with a serious illness at the approach of the next court, and the

business of their defence devolved upon his son and myself; and

finally, when it was disposed of, which did not happen till near

the close of that year, it so happened that I argued the case; and

was successful.

Mr Clifford was baffled, and you may judge the feeling with which

he now regarded me. He had long since ceased to jest with me and

at my expense. He was now very respectful, and I could see that

his dislike grew daily in strict degree with his deference. But the

deportment of Mr. Clifford--springing as it did from that devil,

which each man is supposed to carry at times in his bosom, and of

whose presence in mine at seasons I was far from unaware--gave me

less annoyance than that of another of his household. Julia, too,

had put on an aspect which, if not that of coldness, was at least,

that of a very marked reserve. I ascribed this to the influence of

her parents--perhaps, to her own sense of what was due to their

obvious desires--to her own feeling of indifference--to any and

every cause but the right one.




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