A month transpired, after the events narrated in the foregoing chapters, and all of Warden’s notes had been protested. It was impossible for Mr. Merritt to pay these heavy and unexpected demands without sacrificing his property, should he be pressed for immediate payment, and he resolved to call upon the bank attorney, with the faint hope of obtaining an extension; or, at least, prevailing upon that officer to save him the disastrous expenses of a suit. Poor Mr. Merritt! He was entirely unacquainted with the tender mercies of banks and bank attorneys, or he would have prepared himself for the worst. Neither did he know that, of all bank attorneys, he could not have fallen into more evil hands than Isaac Rock, Esq., Counsellor-at-Law and Notary Public. In person Esquire Rock was broad-shouldered, and rather short and clumsy than otherwise; his features hard and forbidding. His heart, if he had one, was steel, and he prided himself more upon his firmness than upon any other of his numerous high qualities. Tears, prayers and entreaties were alike wasted upon him. Indeed, were not that old saying, “hard as a rock,” of greater antiquity than any date to which Esquire Rock could lay claim, it would undoubtedly have passed into a proverb from his day henceforth. Whilst this attorney entertained a most unmitigated contempt for the victims of poverty and misfortune, he had a profound and exalted sense of his own individual consequence, and delighted to witness the cringing spirit and suppliant knee of the awe-stricken subjects of his power. Whosoever committed a sin against the dignity of Esquire Rock was straightway an outlaw beyond all hope of forgiveness; and wo be to him thus sinning, who should fall into the gripe of the attorney. Besides all these qualifications, however, Esquire Rock had a careful eye upon his temporal interests, and could manage a case in a way to swell his legal perquisites, to an amount at once the envy and admiration of the whole brotherhood. Esquire Rock was fumbling over a miscellaneous collection of manuscripts one morning, when a rap was heard at the office door. “Come in,” said the attorney, settling back in his chair. The visiter opened the door at this invitation, and advanced. “Is Esquire Rock within?” he inquired. “I am Esquire Rock,” answered that personage haughtily. “Be seated, sir. Business with me, sir?” “My name is Merritt, sir. I am indorser with John Fields on Warden’s notes, and have called—” “Yes, I know it,” interrupted the attorney, a scarcely perceptible, though dangerous smile playing upon his features—“and you will have them to pay.” “I am aware that Mr. Warden has failed, but it will be impossible for me to pay the amount at present, and I have called to beg a little indulgence. Five thousand dollars is a large sum to raise, especially by a humble mechanic.” “You have property, Mr. Merritt.”