"I met a friend of yours at Borrowwell's the other day," resumed the Baron--"Young Hazeldean. Careful fellow--quite a man of the world." As this was the last praise poor Frank deserved, Randal again smiled. The Baron went on--"I hear, Mr Leslie, that you have much influence over this same Hazeldean. His affairs are in a sad state. I should be very happy to be of use to him, as a relation of my friend Egerton's; but he understands business so well that he despises my advice." "I am sure you do him injustice." "Injustice! I honour his caution. I say to every man, 'Don't come to me--I can get you money on much easier terms than any one else;' and what's the result? You come so often that you ruin yourself; whereas a regular usurer without conscience frightens you. 'Cent per cent,' you say; 'oh, I must pull in.' If you have influence over your friend, tell him to stick to his bill-brokers, and have nothing to do with Baron Levy." Here the minister's bell rung, and Randal, looking through the window, saw Dr F. walking to his carriage, which had made way for Baron Levy's splendid cabriolet--a cabriolet in the most perfect taste--Baron's coronet on the dark brown panels--horse black, with such action!--harness just relieved with plating. The servant now entered, and requested Randal to step in; and addressing the Baron, assured him that he would not be detained a minute. "Leslie," said the minister, sealing a note, "take this back to Lord ----, and say that I shall be with him in an hour." "No other message?--he seemed to expect one." "I dare say he did. Well, my letter is official, my message is not; beg him to see Mr ---- before we meet--he will understand--all rests upon that interview." Egerton then, extending the letter, resumed gravely, "Of course you will not mention to any one that Dr F. was with me: the health of public men is not to be suspected. Hum--were you in your own room or the ante-room?" "The ante-room, sir." Egerton's brow contracted slightly. "And Mr Levy was there, eh?" "Yes--the Baron." "Baron! true. Come to plague me about the Mexican loan, I suppose. I will keep you no longer." Randal, much meditating, left the house, and re-entered his hack cab. The Baron was admitted to the statesman's presence. CHAPTER XIV. Egerton had thrown himself at full length on the sofa, a position exceedingly rare with him; and about his whole air and manner, as Levy entered, there was something singularly different from that stateliness of port common to the austere legislator. The very tone of his voice was different. It was as if the statesman--the man of business--had vanished; it was rather the man of fashion and the idler, who, nodding languidly to his visitor, said, "Levy, what money can I have for a year?" "The estate will bear very little more. My dear fellow, that last election was the very devil. You cannot go on thus much longer."