he brought down, and
old Salmon the Jew being robbed of the bond I gave him after leaving my
house, [Footnote: These exploits of Mr. Lyndon are not related in the
narrative. He probably, in the cases above alluded to, took the law into
his own hands.] the people would not trust themselves within my walls
any more. Our rents, too, were in the hands of receivers by this time,
and it was as much as I could do to get enough money from the rascals to
pay my wine-merchants their bills. Our English property, as I have
said, was equally hampered; and, as often as I applied to my lawyers and
agents for money, would come a reply demanding money of me, for debts
and pretended claims which the rapacious rascals said they had on me.

It was, then, with some feelings of pleasure that I got a letter from
my confidential man in Gray's Inn, London, saying (in reply to some
ninety-ninth demand of mine) that he thought he could get me some money;
and inclosing a letter from a respectable firm in the city of London,
connected with the mining interest, which offered to redeem the
incumbrance in taking a long lease of certain property of ours, which
was still pretty free, upon the Countess's signature; and provided they
could be assured of her free will in giving it. They said they heard
she lived in terror of her life from me, and meditated a separation, in
which case she might repudiate any deeds signed by her while in durance,
and subject them, at any rate, to a doubtful and expensive litigation;
and demanded to be made assured of her Ladyship's perfect free will in
the transaction before they advanced a shilling of their capital.

Their terms were so exorbitant, that I saw at once their offer must be
sincere; and, as my Lady was in her gracious mood, had no difficulty in
persuading her to write a letter, in her own hand, declaring that the
accounts of our misunderstandings were utter calumnies; that we lived
in perfect union, and that she was quite ready to execute any deed which
her husband might desire her to sign.

This proposal was a very timely one, and filled me with great hopes.
I have not pestered my readers with many accounts of my debts and law
affairs; which were by this time so vast and complicated that I never
thoroughly knew them myself, and was rendered half wild by their
urgency. Suffice it to say, my money was gone--my credit was done. I was
living at Castle Lyndon off my own beef and mutton, and the bread, turf,
and p