already, Lucius. I thought it best to do so, when
first I heard that Mr. Dockwrath was moving in the matter. It was for
that that I went up to town."

"And why did you not tell me?"

"I then thought that you might be spared the pain of knowing anything
of the matter. I tell you now because I hear to-day in Hamworth that
people are talking on the subject. You might be annoyed, as I was
just now, if the first tidings had reached you from some stranger."

He sat silent for a while, turning his pencil in his hand, and
looking as though he were going to settle the matter off hand by his
own thoughts. "I tell you what it is, mother; I shall not let the
burden of this fall on your shoulders. You carried on the battle
before, but I must do so now. If I can trace any word of scandal to
that fellow Dockwrath, I shall indict him for a libel."

"Oh, Lucius!"

"I shall, and no mistake!"

What would he have said had he known that his mother had absolutely
proposed to Mr. Furnival to buy off Mr. Dockwrath's animosity, almost
at any price?

CHAPTER XVI

MR. DOCKWRATH IN BEDFORD ROW

Mr. Dockwrath, as he left Leeds and proceeded to join the bosom of
his family, was not discontented with what he had done. It might not
improbably have been the case that Mr. Mason would altogether refuse
to see him, and having seen him, Mr. Mason might altogether have
declined his assistance. He might have been forced as a witness to
disclose his secret, of which he could make so much better a profit
as a legal adviser. As it was, Mr. Mason had promised to pay him for
his services, and would no doubt be induced to go so far as to give
him a legal claim for payment. Mr. Mason had promised to come up to
town, and had instructed the Hamworth attorney to meet him there; and
under such circumstances the Hamworth attorney had but little doubt
that time would produce a considerable bill of costs in his favour.

And then he thought that he saw his way to a great success. I should
be painting the Devil too black were I to say that revenge was
his chief incentive in that which he was doing. All our motives
are mixed; and his wicked desire to do evil to Lady Mason in
return for the evil which she had done to him was mingled with
professional energy, and an ambition to win a cause that ought to
be won--especially a cause which others had failed to win. He said
to himself, on finding those names and dates among old Mr. Usbech's
papers, that there