UBREY, Esq. M. P."

Mr. Aubrey laid down the letter calmly, as soon as he had read it; and
leaning back in his chair, seemed lost in thought for several minutes.
Presently he reapplied himself to his task, and opened and glanced over
a great many letters; the contents of several of which occasioned him
deep emotion. Some were from persons in distress whom he had assisted,
and who implored a continuance of his aid; others were from ardent
political friends--some sanguine, others desponding--concerning the
prospects of the session. Two or three hinted that it was everywhere
reported that he had been offered one of the under secretaryships, and
had declined; but that it was, at the king's desire, to be pressed upon
him. Many letters were on private, and still more on county, business;
and with one of them he was engaged when a servant entered with one of
that morning's county newspapers. Tired with his task, Mr. Aubrey rose
from his chair as the servant gave him the paper; and, standing before
the fire, unfolded the _Yorkshire Stingo_, and glanced listlessly over
its miscellaneous contents. At length his eye lit upon the following
paragraph:--

"The rumors so deeply affecting a member for a certain borough in
this county, and to which we alluded in our last paper but one,
turn out to be well founded. A claimant has started up to the very
large estates at present held by the gentleman in question; and we
are much misinformed if the ensuing spring assizes will not effect
a considerable change in the representation of the borough alluded
to, by relieving it from the Tory thraldom under which it has been
so long oppressed. We have no wish to bear hard upon a falling man;
and, therefore, shall make no comment upon the state of mind in
which that person may be presumed to be, who must be conscious of
having been so long enjoying the just rights of others. Some
extraordinary disclosures may be looked for when the trial comes
on. We have heard from a quarter on which we are disposed to place
reliance, that the claimant is a gentleman of decided Whig
principles, and who will prove a valuable accession to the Liberal
cause."[21]

Mr. Aubrey was certainly somewhat shocked by brutality such as this; but
on Miss Aubrey's entering the room, he quietly folded up the paper and
laid it aside, fearful lest his sister's feelings should be pierced by
the coarse