"Why, my dear, his habits have been unhappily very bad in every way for years; they were, indeed the cause of his first leaving his family. He hated everything like restraint--even the common restraints of society, and cared for nothing but a sailor's life, and that in the worst shape, it must be confessed. But he has now grown wiser--he has determined to reform. You observed he signed the temperance pledge this evening?" "It all sounds so strangely, that I cannot yet believe it, William." "I dare say not--it took me four years to believe it." "But what do you mean to do? I hope you are not going to undertake a law-suit against two of our best friends, Mr. Wyllys and Mr. Hazlehurst?" "That must depend on Mr. Wyllys and Mr. Hazlehurst, themselves. I have undertaken, Catherine, to do my best towards restoring this injured man to his property." "Oh, William; suppose this man is in the wrong, after all! Don't think of having anything to do with him." "My dear, you talk like a woman--you don't know what you say. If I don't act in the premises, do you suppose he won't find another lawyer to undertake his cause?" "Let him have another, then: but it seems too bad that we should take sides against our best friends; it hardly seems honourable, William, to do so." "Honour, alone, won't make a young lawyer's pot boil, I can tell you." "But I had rather live poorly, and work hard all my life, than that you should undertake a dishonest cause." "It is all very pretty talking, but I have no mind to live poorly; I intend to live as well as I can, and I don't look upon this Stanley cause as a bad one at all. I must say, Catherine, you are rather hard upon your husband, and seem to think more of the interests of your friends, than of his own." "How can you talk so, William, when you know you can't think it," said the wife reproachfully, tears springing to her eyes. "Well, I only judge from what you say yourself. But in my opinion there is no danger of a law-suit. As Mr. Stanley's agent, I shall first apply to Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Hazlehurst to acknowledge his claim; and when the evidence is laid before them, I have no kind of doubt but they will immediately give up the property; as they are some of your very honourable people, I must say I think they are bound to do so." "Certainly, if the evidence is so clear; but it seems to me, from all I have heard since I have been a lawyer's wife, that evidence never is so very clear, William, but that people disagree about it." "Well, I flatter myself that people will be staggered by the proofs we can bring forward; I feel sure of public opinion, at least." Kate was silenced; but though she could think of nothing more to urge, she was very far from feeling easy on the subject. "I hope with all my heart it will be settled amicably," she added at length.