u
mean to act, you will never attain the fame to which your talents might
otherwise lead you--never!"

"No, never," said Ishmael fervently; "never, if to reach it I have to
step upon a woman's heart! No! by the sacred grave of my own dear
mother, I never will!" And the face of Nora's son glowed with an
earnest, fervent, holy love.

"Be a poet, Ishmael, you will never be a lawyer."

"Never--if to be a lawyer I have to cease to be a man! But it is as God
wills."

The ringing of the tea-bell broke up the conference, and they went down
into the parlor, where, beside the family, they found Viscount Vincent.

And Ishmael Worth, the weaver's son, had the honor of sitting down to
tea with a live lord.

The viscount spent the evening, and retired late.

As Ishmael bade the family good-night, the judge said:

"My young friend, consult your pillow. I always do, when I can, before
making any important decision. Think over the matter well, my lad, and
defer your final decision about the brief until you see Walsh
to-morrow."

"You are very kind to me, sir. I will follow your advice, as far as I
may do so," replied Ishmael.

That night, lying upon his bed, Ishmael's soul was assailed with
temptation. He knew that in accepting the brief offered to him, in such
flattering terms, he should in the first place very much please his
friend, Judge Merlin--who, though he did not give his young assistant
anything like a fair salary for his services, yet took almost a fatherly
interest in his welfare; he knew also, in the second place, that he
might--nay, would--open his way to a speedy success and a brilliant
professional career, which would, in a reasonable space of time, place
him in a position even to aspire to the hand of Claudia Merlin. Oh, most
beautiful of temptations that! To refuse the brief, he knew, would be to
displease Judge Merlin, and to defer his own professional success for an
indefinite length of time.

All night long Ishmael struggled with the tempter. In the morning he
arose from his sleepless pillow unrefreshed and fevered. He bathed his
burning head, made his morning toilet, and sat down to read a portion of
the Scripture, as was his morning custom, before beginning the business
of the day. The portion selected this morning was the fourth chapter of
Matthew, describing the fast and the temptation of our Saviour. Ishmael
had read this portion of Scripture many times before, but never with
such deep interest a