session be made out. You stand on a
mountain; and it is for your adversary to displace you, not by showing
merely that you have no real title, but that _he has_. If he could prove
all your title-deeds to be merely waste paper--that in fact you have no
more title to Yatton than I have--he would not, if he were to stop
there, have advanced his own case an inch; he must _first_ establish in
himself a clear and independent title; so that you are entirely on the
defensive; and rely upon it, that though never so many screws may be
loose, so acute and profound a lawyer as the Attorney-General will
impose every difficulty on our opponents"----

"Nay, but God forbid that any unconscientious advantage should be taken
on my behalf!" said Mr. Aubrey. Mr. Runnington and Mr. Parkinson both
opened their eyes pretty wide at this sally; the latter could not at
first understand why _everything_ should not be fair in war; the former
saw and appreciated the nobility of soul which had dictated the
exclamation.

"I suppose the affair will soon become public," said Mr. Aubrey, with an
air of profound depression, after much further conversation.

"Your position in the county, your eminence in public life, the
singularity of the case, and the magnitude of the stake--all are
circumstances undoubtedly calculated soon to urge the affair before the
notice of the public," said Mr. Runnington.

"What disastrous intelligence to break to my family!" exclaimed Mr.
Aubrey, tremulously. "With what fearful suddenness it has burst upon us!
But something, I suppose," he presently added with forced calmness,
"must be done immediately?"

"Undoubtedly," replied Mr. Runnington. "Mr. Parkinson and I will
immediately proceed to examine your title-deeds, the greater portion of
which are, I understand, here in the Hall, and the rest at Mr.
Parkinson's; and prepare, without delay, a case for the opinion of the
Attorney-General, and also of the most eminent conveyancers of the
kingdom. Who, by the way," said Mr. Runnington, addressing Mr.
Parkinson--"who was the conveyancer that had the abstracts before him,
on preparing Mr. Aubrey's marriage-settlement?"

"Oh, you are alluding to the '_Opinion_' I mentioned to you this
evening?" inquired Mr. Parkinson. "I have it at my house, and will show
it you in the morning. The doubt he expressed on one or two points gave
me, I recollect, no little uneasiness--as _you_ may remember, Mr.
Aubrey."

"I certainly do," he re