own!'

'Why, really, Sir Robert, it is a thing which one can hardly bear to
think of; but, begging ten thousand pardons for resuming what I was about
to say, a person of the same name is, as appears from these papers
(producing Dirk Hatteraick's pocket-book), mate to the smuggling vessel
who offered such violence at Woodbourne, and I have no doubt that this is
the same individual; which, however, your acute discrimination will
easily be able to ascertain.'

'The same, my good sir, he must assuredly be; it would be injustice even
to the meanest of the people to suppose there could be found among them
TWO persons doomed to bear a name so shocking to one's ears as this of
Vanbeest Brown.' 'True, Sir Robert; most unquestionably; there cannot be
a shadow of doubt of it. But you see farther, that this circumstance
accounts for the man's desperate conduct. You, Sir Robert, will discover
the motive for his crime--you, I say, will discover it without difficulty
on your giving your mind to the examination; for my part, I cannot help
suspecting the moving spring to have been revenge for the gallantry with
which Mr. Hazlewood, with all the spirit of his renowned forefathers,
defended the house at Woodbourne against this villain and his lawless
companions.'

'I will inquire into it, my good sir,' said the learned Baronet. 'Yet
even now I venture to conjecture that I shall adopt the solution or
explanation of this riddle, enigma, or mystery which you have in some
degree thus started. Yes! revenge it must be; and, good Heaven!
entertained by and against whom? entertained, fostered, cherished against
young Hazlewood of Hazlewood, and in part carried into effect, executed,
and implemented by the hand of Vanbeest Brown! These are dreadful days
indeed, my worthy neighbour (this epithet indicated a rapid advance in
the Baronet's good graces)--days when the bulwarks of society are shaken
to their mighty base, and that rank which forms, as it were, its highest
grace and ornament is mingled and confused with the viler parts of the
architecture. O, my good Mr. Gilbert Glossin, in my time, sir, the use of
swords and pistols, and such honourable arms, was reserved by the
nobility and gentry to themselves, and the disputes of the vulgar were
decided by the weapons which nature had given them, or by cudgels cut,
broken, or hewed out of the next wood. But now, sir, the clouted shoe of
the peasant galls the kibe of the courtier. The lower ranks ha