CHAPTER XIX.
..."Mercy is above the scepter'd sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice."
Shakspeare.
After the expiration of a few days, the lawyer employed by Sir Aubrey again called upon De Brooke. His aspect bore the same appearance of indifference and mercenary restraint as before. As soon as seated, he proceeded to state that Sir Aubrey pursued the business he had entered upon with the greatest reluctance; menacing a discontinuance of it, from the difficulty of gaining any satisfactory compromise with his creditors; some of whom were willing to accede to the propositions made, but others, and by far the greater number, remained obstinately bent upon receiving the entire amount of the debts due; "in short", added he, "if it were not for the command to which you
