■mento of himself, in the very centre = of a fresh page : "Tittlebat Titmouse Is My name, " TITTLEBAT TITMOUSE, Miss Quirk turned pale with astonishment and vexation on seeing this elegant and interesting addition to her album. Titmouse, on the contrary, - looked at it with no little pride; for - having had a capital pen, and his heart being in his task, he had produced what he conceived to be a very superior specimen of penmanship: in fact, the signature was by far the best - he had ever written. When he had gone, Miss Quirk was twenty times on the point of tearing out the leaf which had been so dismally disfigured; but her father coming home home in in the evening, he laughed heartily_" and as to tearing it out," said he, "let us first see which way the verdict is." on Titmouse became, after this, a pretty frequent visiter at Alibi House; growing more and more attached to Miss - Quirk, who, however, conducted herself towards him with much judgment. His inscription on her album had done a vast deal towards cooling down the ardour with which she had been disposed to regard even the future owner of ten thousand-a-year. Poor Snap seemed to have lost all chance, being treated with greater coldness by Miss Quirk on every succeeding visit to Alibi House. At this he was sorely discomfited; for she would have whatever money her father might die possessed of, besides a commanding interest in the partnership business. 'Twas a difficult thing for him to preserve his temper in his close intimacy with Titmouse, who had so grievously interfered with his prospects. The indisposition I have been mentioning, prevented Titmouse from paying his promised visit to Satin Lodge. On returning to his lodgings, from Alibi House, he found that Tagrag had either called or sent every day to enquire after him with the most affectionate anxiety; and one or two notes lying on his table, apprised him of the lively distress which the ladies of Satin Lodge were enduring on his account, and implored him to lose not a moment in communicating the state of his health, and personally assuring them of his safety. Though the image of Miss Quirk was continually before his eyes, Titmouse, nevertheless, had cunning enough not to drop the slightest hint to the Tagrags of the true state of his feelings. Whenever any enquiry, with ill-disguised anxiety, was made by Mrs Tag-rag concerning Alibi House and its inmates, Titmouse would, to be sure, mention Miss Quirk, but in such a careless and slighting way as gave great consolation and encouragement to Tag-rag, his wife, and daughter. When at Mr Quirk's, he spoke somewhat unreservedly of the amiable inmates of Satin Lodge. These two mansions were almost the only private residences visited by Titmouse, who spent his time much in the way which I have already described. How he got through his days I can hardly tell. At his lodgings, he got up very late, and went to bed very late. He never read any thing excepting occasionally a song book lent him by Snap, or a novel, or some such book as "Boxiana," from the circulating library. Dawdling over his dress and his breakfast, then whistling and humming, took up so much of every day as he passed at his lodgings. The rest was spent in idling about the town, looking in at shop windows, and now and then going to some petty exhibition. When evening came, he was generally joined by Snap, when they would spend the night together in the manner I have already described. As often as he dared, he called at Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap's office at Saffron Hill, and worried them not a little by enquiries concerning the state of his affairs, and the cause of the delay in commencing proceedings. As for Huckaback, by the way, Titmouse cut him entirely; saying that he was a devilish low fellow, and it was no use knowing him. He made many desperate efforts, both personally and by letter, to renew his acquaintance with Titmouse, but in vain. I may as well mention, by the way, that as soon as Snap got scent of the little money transaction between his friend and Hucka. back, he called upon the latter, and tendering him twelve shillings, demanded up the document which he had extorted from Titmouse. Huckaback held out obstinately for some time-but Snap was too much for him, and talked in such a formidable strain about an indictment for a conspiracy (!) and fraud, that Huckaback at length con sented, on receiving twelve shillings, to deliver up the document to Snap, on condition of Snap's destroying it on the spot. This was done, and so ended all intercourse-at least on this side of the grave-between Titmouse and Huckaback. The sum allowed by Messrs Quirk and Gammon to Titmouse, was amply sufficient to have kept him in comfort; but it never would have enabled him to lead the kind of life which I have described-and he would certainly have got very awkwardly involved had it not been for the kindness of Snap in advancing him, from time to time, such sums as his exigencies required. In fact, matters went on as quietly and smoothly as possible for several months-till about the middle of November, when an event occurred that seemed to threaten the total demolition of all his hopes and expectations. He had not seen or heard from Messrs Quirk or Gammon for nearly a fortnight; Snap he had not seen for nearly a week. At length he ventured to make his appearance at Saffron Hill, and was received with a startling coldness-a stern abruptness of manner, that frightened him out of his wits. All the three partners were alike-as for Snap, the contrast between his present and his former manner was perfectly shocking; he seemed quite another person. The fact was, that the full statement of Titmouse's claims had been laid before Mr Subtle, the leading counsel retained in his behalf, for his opinion, before actually commencing proceedings; and the partners were indeed thunderstruck on receiving that opinion: for Mr Subtle pointed out a radical deficiency of proof in a matter which, as soon as their attention was thus pointedly called to it, Messrs Quirk and Gammon were amazed at their having overlooked, and still more at its having escaped the notice of Mr Tresayle, Mr Mortmain, and Mr Frankpledge. Mr Quirk hurried with the opinion to the first two gentlemen; and, after a long interview with each, they owned their fears that Mr Subtle was right, and that the defect seemed incurable; but they showed their agitated clients, that they had been guilty of neither oversight nor ignorance, inasmuch as the matter in ques- question was one of evidence only one which a nisi prius lawyer, with a full detail of "proofs" before him, could hardly fail to light upon-but which, it would be found, had been assumed and taken for granted in the cases laid before conveyancers. They promised to turn it over in their minds, and to let Messrs Quirk and Gammon know if any thing occurred to vary their impression. Mr Tresayle and Mr Mortmain, however, preserved an ominous silence. As for Frankpledge, he had a knack, somehow or another, of always coming to the conclusion wished and hoped for by his clients; and, after prodigious pains, wrote a very long opinion, to show that there was nothing in the objection. Neither Mr Quirk nor Mr Gammon could understand the process by which Mr Frankpledge arrived at such a result; but, in despair, they laid his opinion before Mr Subtle, in the shape of a second case for his opinion. It was, in a few days' time, returned to them, with only a line or two-thus: "With every respect for the gen. tleman who wrote this opinion, I cannot perceive what it has to do with the question. I see no reason whatever to depart from the view I have already taken of this case. - J. S." Here was something like a dead lock. "We're done, Gammon!" said Quirk, with a dismayed air. Gammon seemed lost, and made no an swer. "Does any thing-eh?-Any thing occur to you? Gammon, I will say this for you-you're a long-headed fellow." Still Gammon spoke not. "Gammon! Gammon!-I really believe - you begin to see something." "It's to be done, Mr Quirk!" said Gammon at length, with a grave and apprehensive look, and a cheek paler than before. "Eh? how? Oh, I see! - Know what you mean, Gammon," replied Quirk, with a hurried whisper, glancing at both doors to see that they were safe. "We must resume our intercourse with Titmouse, and let matters go on as before," said Gammon with a very anxious, but, at the same time, a determined air. "I-I wonder if what has occurred to you is what has occurred to me?" enquired Quirk, in an eager whisper. pooh! Mr Quirk." "Gammon, dear Gammon, no mystery! You know I have a deep - stake in this matter!" " So have I, Mr Quirk," replied - Gammon, with a sigh. "However "Here the partners put their heads - close together, and whispered to each = other in a low, earnest tone, for some minutes. Quirk rose from his seat, and took two or three turns about the = room in silence, Gammon watching him calmly. To his inexpressible relief and joy, within a few hours of the happening of the above colloquy, Titmouse found - himself placed on precisely his former footing with Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. In order to bring on the cause for trial at the next spring assizes, it was necessary that the declaration in eject:ment should be served on the tenant in possession before Hilary term; and, in a matter of such magnitude, it was deemed expedient for Snap to go down and personally effect the service in question. In consequence, - also, of some very important suggestions as to the evidence, given by the junior in the cause, it was arranged that Snap should go down about a week before the time fixed upon for effecting the service, and make minute enquiries as to one or two facts which it was understood could be established in evidence. As soon as Titmouse heard of this movement, that Snap was going direct to - Yatton, the scene of his, Titmouse's, future greatness, he made the most pertinacious and vehement entreaties to Messrs Quirk and Gammon to be allowed to accompany him, even going down on his knees. There was no resisting this; but they exacted a solemn pledge from him that he would place himself entirely at the disposal of Snap; go under some feigned name, and, in short, neither say nor do any thing tending to disclose their real character or errand. Snap and Titmouse established themselves at the Hare and Hounds Inn at Grilston; and the former immediately began, cautiously and quietly, to collect such evidence as he could discover. One of the first persons to whom he went was old blind Bess. His many pressing questions at length stirred up in the old woman's mind recollections of long-forgotten names, persons, places, scenes, and associations, thereby producing an agitation not easily to be got rid of, and which had by no means subsided when Dr Tatham and Mr Aubrey paid her the Christmas-day visit, which has been already described. The reader has had already pretty distinct indications of the manner in which Titmouse and Snap conducted themselves during their stay in Yorkshire, and which, I fear, have not tended to raise either of these gentlemen in the reader's estimation. Titmouse manifested a very natural anxiety to see the present occupants of Yatton; and it was with infinite difficulty that Snap could prevent him from sneaking about in the immediate neighbourhood of the hall, with the hope hope of seeing them. His first encounter with Mr and Miss Aubrey was entirely accidental, as the reader may remember; and when he found that the lady on horseback near Yatton, and the lady whom he had striven to attract the notice of in Hyde Park were one and the same beautiful woman, and that that beautiful woman was neither more nor less than the sister of the present owner of Yatton, -the marvellous discovery created a mighty pother in his little feelings. The blaze of Kate Aubrey's beauty, in an instant consumed the images both of Tabitha Tag-rag and Dora Quirk. It even for a while outshone the splendours of ten thousand ayear; such is the inexpressible and incalculable power of woman's beauty over every thing in the shape of man -over even so despicable a sample of him as Tittlebat Titmouse. While putting in practice some of those abominable tricks to which, under Snap's tutelage, Titmouse had become accustomed in walking the streets of London, and from which even the rough handling they had got from Farmer Hazel could not turn him, Titmouse at length, as has been seen, most unwittingly fell foul of that fair creature, Catharine Aubrey herself; who seemed truly like an angelic messenger, returning from her errand of sympathy and mercy, and suddenly beset by a little imp of darkness. When Titmouse discovered who was the object of his audacious and revolting advances, his soul was petrified within him; and it was fortunate that the shriek of Miss Aubrey's attendant at length startled him into a recollection of a pair of heels, to which he was that evening indebted for an escape from a most murderous cudgel ing, which might have been attended with one effect not contemplated by him who inflicted it; viz., the retention of the Aubreys in the possession of Yatton! Titmouse ran for nearly half-a-mile on the high-road towards Grilston, without stopping. He dared not venture back to Yatton, with the sound of the lusty farmer's voice in his ears, to get back from the Aubrey arms the horse which had brought him that afternoon from Grilston, to which place he walked on, through the snow and darkness; reaching his inn in a perfect panic, from which, at length, a tumbler of stiff brandy and water, with two or three cigars, somewhat relieved him. Forgetful of the solemn pledge which he had given to Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, not to disclose his name or errand, and it never once occurring to him that, if he would but keep his own counsel, Miss Aubrey could never identify him with the ruffian who had assailed her, he spent the interval between eight and twelve o'clock, at which latter hour the coach by which he had resolved to return to London would pass through Grilston, in inditing the following letter to Miss Aubrey: " Grilston, January 6th, 18"Honoured Miss, "Hoping No Offence Will Be Taken where None is meant, (which am Sure of,) This I send To say Who I Am which, Is the Right And True Owner of Yatton which You Enjoy Amongst You All At This present (Till The Law Give it to Me) Which It quickly Will And which It Ought to Have done When I were First born And Before Yr Respect. Family ever Came into it, And Me which Yr. hond. Brother Have so Unlawfully Got Possession Of must Come Back to Then Whose Due It is wh. Is myself as will be Sone provd. And wh. am most truely Sorry Of on your Own Acct. (Meaning (hond. Miss,) you Alone) as Sure As Yatton is Intirely Mine So My Heart Is yours and No Longer my Own Ever since I Saw You first as Can Easily prove but wh. doubtless You Have forgot Seeing You Never New, seeing (as Mr Gammon, My Solliciter And a Very Great Lawyer, say) Cases Alter Circumstances, what Can I say More Than that I Love you Most Amazing Such As Never Thought Myself Capable of Doing Before and wh. cannot help Ever Since I First saw Yor. most Lovely and Divine and striking Face wh. have Stuck In my Mind Ever Since Day and Night Sleeping and Waking I will Take my Oath Never Of Having Lov'd Any one Else, Though (must Say) have Had a Wonderful Many Offers From Females of The Highest Rank Since My Truly Wonderful Good fortune got Talked About every Where but have Refused Them All for yr sake, And Would All the World But you. When I Saw You on Horseback It was All my Sudden confusion In Seeing you (The Other Gent. was One of my Respe. Solicitors) wh Threw Me off in that Ridiculous Way wh. was a Great Mortification And made My brute Of A horse go on so For I Remembered You and was Wonderful struck with Your Improv'd Appearance (As that Same Gent. can Testify) And you was (Hond. Miss) Quite Wrong To Night when You Spoke so Uncommon Angry To Me, seeing If I Had Only Known What Female It Was (meaning yourself which I respect So) only So Late Alone I should Have spoke quite Different So hope You Will Think Nothing More Of that Truly Unpleasant Event Now (Hond Madam) What I Have To say Is if You will Please To Condescend To Yield To My Desire We Can Live Most uncommon Comfortable at Yatton Together wh. Place shall Have Great Pleasure in Marrying You From and I may (perhaps) Do Something Handsome for yr. respectable Brother And Family, wh. can Often Come to see us And Live in the Neighbourhood, if You Refuse me, Will not say What shall Happen to Those which (am Told) Owe me a Precious Long Figure wh. May (perhaps) Make a Handsome Abatement If You And I Hit it. "Hoping You Will Forget What Have So Much Grievd. me, And Write pr. return of Post, " Am, "hond. Miss " Yr most Loving & Devoted Slave "(Till Death) " TITTLEBAT TITMOUSE. "(Private.)" This equally characteristic and dis. gusting production, its infatuated writer sealed twice, and then left it with sixpence in the hands of the landlady of the Hare and Hounds, to be deli -vered at Yatton Hall the first thing in the morning. The good woman, however-having no particular wish to oblige such a strange puppy, whom she was only too glad to get rid of, and having a good deal to attend to- laid the letter aside on the chimneypiece, and entirely lost sight of it for nearly a fortnight. Shortly after the lamentable tidings concerning the impending misfortunes of the Aubrey family had been communicated to the inhabitants of Grilston, she forward-ed the letter, little dreaming of the character in which its writer was likely, erelong, to re-appear at Grilston, with one or two others, a day or two after Miss Aubrey had had the interview with her brother which I have described to the reader; but it lay unnoticed by any one-above all, by - the sweet sufferer whose name was indicated on it-among a great number of miscellaneous letters and papers which had been suffered to accumulate on the library table. Mr Aubrey entered the library one morning alone, for the purpose of attending to many matters which had been long neglected. He was evidently thinner: his face was pale, and his manner dejected: still there was about him a noble air of calmness and resolution. Through the richly-pictured old stained-glass window, the mottled sunbeams were streaming in a kind of tender radiance upon the dear old familiar objects around him. All was silent. Having drawn his chair to the table, on which were lying a confused heap of letters and papers, he felt a - momentary repugnance to enter upon the task which he had assigned to himself, of opening and attending to them; and walked slowly for some time up and down the room, with folded arms, uttering occasionally profound sighs. At length he sat down, and commenced the disheartening task of opening the many letters before him. One of the first he opened was from Peter John. son-the old tenant to whom he had lent the sum of two hundred pounds; and it was full of expressions of gratitude and respect. Then came a letter, a fortnight old, bearing the frank ■ of Lord, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He opened it and read : "Whitehall, 16th January 18-. "My dear Aubrey, "You will remember that Lord Mr Aubrey laid down the letter calmly, as soon as he had read it; and, leaning back in his chair, seemed lost in thought for several minutes. Presently he re re-applied himself to his task, and opened and glanced over a great many letters; the contents of several of which occasioned him deep emotion. Some were from persons in distress whom he had assisted, and who implored a continuance of his aid; others were from ardent political friends-some sanguine, others desponding-concerning the prospects of the session. Two or three hinted that it was every where reported that he had been offered one of the under secretaryships, and had declined; but that it was, at the king's desire, to be pressed upon him. Many letters were on private, and still more on county business; and with one of them he was engaged, when a servant entered with one of that morning's county papers. Tired with his task, Mr Aubrey rose from his chair as the servant gave him the paper; and, standing before the fire, he unfolded the Yorkshire Stingo, and glanced listlessly over its miscellaneous contents. At length his eye lit upon the following paragraph : "The rumours so deeply affecting a member for a certain borough in this county, and to which we alluded in our last paper but one, turn out to be well-founded. A claimant has started up to the very large estates at present held by the gentleman in question; and we are very much misinformed if the ensuing spring assizes will not effect a considerable change in the representation of the borough alluded to, by relieving it from the Tory thraldom under which it has been |