"One may unite both!" returned Brandon. "But I believe, in general, it
is vice versa; for we live by the rogues, and it is only the fools we are
able to hang up. You ask me if I will take the judgeship. I would not--
no, I would rather cut my hand off," and the lawyer spoke with great
bitterness, "forsake my present career, despite all the obstacles that
now encumber it, did I think that this miserable body would suffer me for
two years longer to pursue it."

"You shock me!" said Mauleverer, a little affected, but nevertheless
applying the cayenne to his cucumber with his usual unerring nicety of
tact,--"you shock me; but you are considerably better than you were."

"It is not," continued Brandon, who was rather speaking to himself than
to his friend,--"it is not that I am unable to conquer the pain and to
master the recreant nerves; but I feel myself growing weaker and weaker
beneath the continual exertion of my remaining powers, and I shall die
before I have gained half my objects, if I do not leave the labours which
are literally tearing me to pieces."

"But," said Lord Mauleverer, who was the idlest of men, "the judgeship is
not an easy sinecure."

"No; but there is less demand on the mind in that station than in my
present one;" and Brandon paused before he continued. "Candidly,
Mauleverer, you do not think they will deceive me,--you do not think they
mean to leave me to this political death without writing 'Resurgam'
over the hatchment?"

"They dare not!" said Mauleverer, quaffing his fourth glass of madeira.