"I have now," said Brandon, who with his usual nervous quickness of
action was walking with rapid strides to and fro the apartment, and
scarcely noted his brother's compliment,--"I have now another favour to
request of you. Consider this house and these servants yours for the
next month or two at least. Don't interrupt me,--it is no compliment,--
I speak for our family benefit." And then seating himself next to his
brother's armchair, for a fit of the gout made the squire a close
prisoner, Brandon unfolded to his brother his cherished scheme of
marrying Lucy to Lord Mauleverer. Notwithstanding the constancy of the
earl's attentions to the heiress, the honest squire had never dreamed of
their palpable object; and he was overpowered with surprise when he heard
the lawyer's expectations.

"But, my dear brother," he began, "so great a match for my Lucy, the
Lord-Lieutenant of the Coun--"

"And what of that?" cried Brandon, proudly, and interrupting his brother.
"Is not the race of Brandon, which has matched its scions with royalty,
far nobler than that of the upstart stock of Mauleverer? What is there
presumptuous in the hope that the descendant of the Earls of Suffolk
should regild a faded name with some of the precious dust of the quondam
silversmiths of London? Besides," he continued, after a pause, "Lucy
will be rich, very rich, and before two years my rank may possibly be of
the same order as Mauleverer's!"

The squire stared; and Brandon, not giving him time to answer, resumed.
It is needless to detail the conversation; suffice it to say that the
artful barrister did not leave his brother till he had gained his point,
--till Joseph Brandon had promised to remain at Bath in possession of the
house and establishment of his brother; to throw no impediment on the