friends--for Val himself had always a
wholesome repugnance to personal discussion.

In fact, one would have imagined, on hearing Val's party declaiming
against the selfishness of Lucre, that they themselves entertained a
most virtuous horror against jobs and corruptions of all kinds, and
had within them an actual _bona fide_ regard for religion, in all
its purity, spiritual beauty, and truth; whilst on the contrary, the
Lucreites, who certainly had the worst cause, seemed to think that
M'Clutchy, in preferring his own corruption to that of the parson, was
guilty of a complete desertion of that sterling and mutually concessive
Protestant feeling which they considered to constitute its highest
principle, and absolutely to merge into the manifestation of something
inimical to a Protestant government.

At length it was suggested by him of the bridge, that in order to meet
the wishes of two such excellent men, and such admirable representatives
of pure Protestant virtue and spirit, it would be best to pass both
presentments on the present occasion, and drop or postpone some of the
minor ones until next term--a suggestion which was eagerly received by
both parties, inasmuch as it satisfied the rapacity of each, without
giving a victory to either. This, however, was far from terminating
either the business or the debates that arose out of the minor
conflicting interests of the jurors. A good deal of hanging fire there
was also, but given and returned in a better spirit, between. Val's
friends and Lucre's.

"Why doesn't Lucre," said the former, "afford us a little more of his
company in the parish?"

"Ah," replied the Lucreites, "we suppose if he gave you more of his
venison and claret, he would experience less of your opposition."

"I really am afraid to go to church," said Val, who, now that the storm
had passed, resumed his usual insinuating habit of light sarcasm: "I
am afraid to go, lest the crazy old church, which really, between
ourselves--I speak of course in a friendly way now--is in a most
shameful and dangerous state, should fall upon me."

"I did not think," said M'Small, "that you had such a strong sense of
your own deserts left, Val!--I have some hopes of you yet."

"Ah," said Val, "I fear that on your way to heaven, if you meet a
difficulty, you will not be likely to find a grand jury to build a
bridge for you across it."

"I perfectly agree with you," replied M'Small, "the face of a grand
juror will be