enough for his purpose, and had the opportunity of doing so without
attracting the attention of Mr. Parkinson. He thus silently acquired a
mass of information which might have enabled him to occasion great
annoyance, and even inflict serious injury; and the precise object he
had in view, was either to force himself, hereafter, into partnership
with his employer, (provided he could get regularly introduced into the
profession,) or even compel his master's clients to receive him into
their confidence, adversely to Mr. Parkinson; and make it worth his
while to keep the secrets of which he had become possessed. So careful
ought to be, and indeed generally are, attorneys and solicitors, as to
the characters of those whom they thus receive into their employ. On the
occasion of Mr. Aubrey's intended marriage with Miss St. Clair, with a
view to the very liberal settlements which he contemplated, a full
"Abstract" of his "Title" was laid by Mr. Parkinson before his
conveyancer, in order to advise, and to prepare the necessary
instruments. Owing to inquiries suggested by the conveyancer, additional
statements were laid before him; and produced an opinion of a somewhat
unsatisfactory description, from which I shall lay before the reader the
following paragraph:--

"...There seems no reason for supposing that any descendant of
Stephen Dreddlington is now in existence;[22] still, _as it is by
no means physically impossible that such a person may be in esse_,
it would unquestionably be most important to the security of Mr.
Aubrey's title, to establish clearly the validity of the conveyance
by way of mortgage, executed by Harry Dreddlington, and which was
afterwards assigned to Geoffrey Dreddlington on his paying off the
money borrowed by his deceased uncle; since the descent of Mr.
Aubrey from Geoffrey Dreddlington would, in that event, clothe him
with an indefeasible title at law, by virtue of that deed; and any
equitable rights which were originally outstanding, would be barred
by lapse of time. But the difficulty occurring to my mind on this
part of the case is, that unless Harry Dreddlington, who executed
that deed of mortgage, survived his father, (a point on which I am
surprised that I am furnished with no information,) the deed itself
would have been mere waste parchment, as in reality the conveyance
of a person who _never had any interest_ i