o
that hope delayed which sickens the heart.'

The force of this appeal to feeling made as much impression on the Bench
as had been previously effected by the clearness of Alan's argument.
The absurd form of Peter himself, with his tow-wig, was fortunately not
present to excite any ludicrous emotion, and the pause that took place
when the young lawyer had concluded his speech, was followed by a murmur
of approbation, which the ears of his father drank in as the sweetest
sounds that had ever entered them. Many a hand of gratulation was thrust
out to his grasp, trembling as it was with anxiety, and finally with
delight; his voice faltering as he replied, 'Aye, aye, I kend Alan was
the lad to make a spoon or spoil a horn.' [Said of an adventurous gipsy,
who resolves at all risks to convert a sheep's horn into a spoon.]

The counsel on the other side arose, an old practitioner, who had noted
too closely the impression made by Alan's pleading not to fear the
consequences of an immediate decision. He paid the highest compliments
to his very young brother--'the Benjamin, as he would presume to call
him, of the learned Faculty--said the alleged hardships of Mr.
Peebles were compensated by his being placed in a situation where
the benevolence of their lordships had assigned him gratuitously such
assistance as he might not otherwise have obtained at a high price--and
allowed his young brother had put many things in such a new point of
view, that, although he was quite certain of his ability to refute them,
he was honestly desirous of having a few hours to arrange his answer,
in order to be able to follow Mr. Fairford from point to point. He
had further to observe, there was one point of the case to which
his brother, whose attention had been otherwise so wonderfully
comprehensive, had not given the consideration which he expected; it was
founded on the interpretation of certain correspondence which had passed
betwixt the parties soon after the dissolution of the copartnery.'

The court having heard Mr. Tough, readily allowed him two days for
preparing himself, hinting at the same time that he might find his task
difficult, and affording the young counsel, with high encomiums upon the
mode in which he had acquitted himself, the choice of speaking,
either now or at the next calling of the cause, upon the point which
Plainstanes's lawyer had adverted to.

Alan modestly apologized for what in fact had been an omission very
pardon