The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Advocate, by Charles Heavysege

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Title: The Advocate

Author: Charles Heavysege

Posting Date: March 11, 2010 [EBook #31212]
Release Date: February 7, 2010

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVOCATE ***

Produced by Gardner Buchanan with corrections by Bowerbird

THE
ADVOCATE

A NOVEL

BY
CHARLES HEAVYSEGE,
Author of "Saul," "Jephthah's Daughter."
&c., &c., &c.

ILLUSTRATED BY J. ALLAN.
(engraved by John Henry Walker after illustrations by J. Allan)

MONTREAL
RICHARD WORTHINGTON,
GREAT ST. JAMES STREET.

1865.

M. LONGMOORE & CO., PRINTERS.

[Illustration: Stillyside]

THE ADVOCATE.

CHAPTER I.

"Take, oh take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn;
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn:
But my kisses bring again,
bring again
Seals of love, but sealed in vain,
seal'd in vain."

_Measure for Measure._

On a bright day during the month of September, of the year 1800,
two persons were in earnest conversation in a lawyer's office in
the city of Montreal. One of them was the most distinguished
advocate of that place; a man of some three score years, and of a
commanding yet wild and singular aspect. His companion was a
well-dressed female of middle age, and comely, though mournful
countenance. Some disagreeable topic seemed to have just ruffled
both of their tempers, for her face was moist with tears, and
darkened with an expression of disappointment. His own was slightly
marked with annoyance, and, suddenly ceasing to arrange some folded
law papers that he held in his hands, and had gathered up from the
table at which he was standing, he exclaimed in tones of mingled
surprise and asperity: "Still at the old song! still harping,
harping, harping! Peace, no more of it. Heaven would be insufferable
with but one hymn, hell thrice horrible with but one howl, earth
uninhabitable with but one evil. Oh, variety, what a charm hast
thou!"

"Is this, then, all your answer?" enquired the female, sorrowfully.

"Is it not decisive?" he demanded sharply.