Man of Law,.......
And a great suit is like to be between them."
BEN JONSON: Staple of News.

On arriving in London, Philip went first to the lodging he still
kept there, and to which his letters were directed; and, among some
communications from Paris, full of the politics and the hopes of the
Carlists, he found the following note from Lord Lilburne:--

"DEAR SIR,--When I met you the other day I told you I had been
threatened with the gout. The enemy has now taken possession of the
field. I am sentenced to regimen and the sofa. But as it is my rule in
life to make afflictions as light as possible, so I have asked a few
friends to take compassion on me, and help me 'to shuffle off this
mortal coil' by dealing me, if they can, four by honours. Any time
between nine and twelve to-night, or to-morrow night, you will find me
at home; and if you are not better engaged, suppose you dine with me
to-day--or rather dine opposite to me--and excuse my Spartan broth. You
will meet (besides any two or three friends whom an impromptu invitation
may find disengaged) my sister, with Beaufort and their daughter: they
only arrived in town this morning, and are kind enough 'to nurse me,' as
they call it,--that is to say, their cook is taken ill!

"Yours,

"LILBURNE
"Park Lane, Sept. --"

"The Beauforts. Fate favors me--I will go. The date is for to-day."

He sent off a hasty line to accept the invitation, and finding he had a
few hours yet to spare, he resolved to employ them in consultation with
some lawyer as to the chances of ultimately regaining his inheritance--a
hope which, however wild, he had, since his return to his native shore,
and especially since he had heard of the strange visit made to Roger
Morton, permitted himself to indulge. With this idea he sallied out,
meaning to consult Liancourt, who, having a large acquaintance among
the English, seemed the best person to advise him as to the choice of
a lawyer at once active and honest,--when he suddenly chanced upon that
gentleman himself.

"This is lucky, my dear Liancourt. I was just going to your lodgings."

"And I was coming to yours to know if you dine with Lord Lilburne. He
told me he had asked you. I have just left him. And, by the sofa of
Mephistopheles, there was the prettiest Margaret you ever beheld."

"Indeed!--Who?"

"He called her his niece; but I should doubt if he had any relation on
this side