bond
deliberately, returned it to Mr. Berryl. 'This paper is worth nothing to
me, sir--it is not witnessed.'

Mr. Berryl hastily left the room, and returned with Lord Colambre.
Mordicai changed countenance and grew pale, for a moment, at sight of
Lord Colambre.

'Well, my lord, since it so happens, I am not sorry that you should be
witness to this paper,' said, he; 'and indeed not sorry that you should
witness the whole proceeding; for I trust I shall be able to explain to
you my conduct.'

'I do not come here, sir,' interrupted Lord Colambre, 'to listen to any
explanations of your conduct, which I perfectly understand;--I come to
witness a bond for my friend Mr. Berryl, if you think proper to extort
from him such a bond.'

'I extort nothing, my lord. Mr. Berryl, it is quite a voluntary act,
take notice, on your part; sign or not, witness or not, as you please,
gentlemen,' said Mordicai, sticking his hands in his pockets, and
recovering his look of black and fixed determination.

'Witness it, witness it, my dear lord,' said Mr. Berryl, looking at his
mother and weeping sisters; 'witness it, quick!'

'Mr. Berryl must just run over his name again in your presence, my lord,
with a dry pen,' said Mordicai, putting the pen into Mr. Berryl's hand.

'No, sir,' said Lord Colambre, 'my friend shall never sign it.'

'As you please, my lord--the bond or the body, before I quit this
house,' said Mordicai.

'Neither, sir, shall you have; and you quit this house directly.'

'How! how!--my lord, how's this?'

'Sir, the arrest you have made is as illegal as it is inhuman.'

'Illegal, my lord!' said Mordicai, startled.

'Illegal, sir. I came into this house at the moment when your bailiff
asked and was refused admittance. Afterwards, in the confusion of the
family above stairs, he forced open the house door with an iron bar--I
saw him--I am ready to give evidence of the fact. Now proceed at your
peril.'

Mordicai, without reply snatched up his hat, and walked towards the
door; but Lord Colambre held the door open--the door was immediately
at the head of the stairs--and Mordicai, seeing his indignant look and
proud form, hesitated to pass; for he had always heard that Irishmen are
'quick in the executive part of justice.'

'Pass on, sir,' repeated Lord Colambre, with an air of ineffable
contempt; 'I am a gentleman--you have nothing to fear.'

Mordicai ran downstairs; Lord Colambre, before he went back into the
room,