use.

"Dora, my dear! Mr. Titmouse will take wine with you!--Jack," (to the
servant,) "fill Miss Quirk's and Mr. Titmouse's glasses to the brim."

"Oh no! _dearest_ papa---- gracious!" she exclaimed, removing her glass.

"Pho! pho!--nonsense--the first time of asking, you know, ah, ha!"

"Well! If it _must_ be," and with what a graceful inclination--with what
a sly searching glance, and fascinating smile, did she exchange
courtesies with Titmouse! He felt disposed to take wine with her a
second time immediately; but Gammon restrained him. Mr. Toady Hug,
having become acquainted with the brilliant prospects of Titmouse,
earnestly desired to exert his little talents to do the agreeable, and
ingratiate himself with Mr. Titmouse; but there was a counteracting
force in another direction--viz. the attorney, Mr. Flaw, who had the
greatest practice at the Clerkenwell sessions; who sat beside him and
received his most respectful and incessant attentions; Hug speaking ever
to him in a low confidential whisper, constantly casting a furtive
glance towards Bluster and Slang, to see whether they were observing
him. In "strict confidence" he assured Mr. Flaw how his case, the other
day, might have been won, if such and such a course had been adopted,
"which would have been the line _he_" (Hug) "would have taken;" and
which he explained with anxious energy. "I must say, (but don't mention
it!) that Mr. Flip regularly threw the case away--no doubt of it! By
the way, what became of that burglary case of yours, on Friday, Mr.
Flaw? Uncommonly interesting case!"

"Found guilty, poor fellows!"

"You don't say so?"

"Fact, by Jove, though!"

"How _could_ Mr. Gobble have lost that verdict? I assure you I would
have bet ten to one on your getting a verdict; for I read over your
brief as it lay beside me, and upon my honor, Mr. Flaw, it was most
admirably got up. Everything depends on the brief"----

"Glad you thought so, sir," replied Flaw, wondering how it was that he
had never before thought of giving a brief to Mr. Hug.

"It's a great mistake of counsel," quoth Hug, earnestly--"not to pay the
utmost attention to their briefs! For my part," he continued in a lower
tone, "I make a point of reading every syllable in _my_ brief, however
long it is!"

"It's the only way, depend on it, sir. We attorneys, you know, see and
know so much of the case, conversing confidentially with the
prisoners"----

"Ay, and beyond that--Your practic