“It struck me yesterday, that there was something very peculiar in the manner in which Mr. Martindale spoke of his cousin; for the charge against the young man was of a very disgraceful nature, and I thought it not very becoming to treat it with any degree of levity.” “You must make some allowance for the exaggerations of briefs; though I must acknowledge that Philip Martindale was very much to be blamed. Old Richard Smith is a very respectable man for his station in life; and the young woman whom he calls his niece, has always conducted herself in a very proper and becoming manner. But they will not be able to remain at Brigland after this event, unless the old gentleman takes their part very decidedly. I understand that Mr. Philip is very much mortified at the result of the trial; and you, I hear, sir, are in very high favour at Brigland, on account of the success of the trial. The old man says that he is very desirous of thanking you for your exertions. Even Philip Martindale spoke handsomely of you, though you were employed against him; and he was disgusted at his own counsel, whose impertinence, he believes, provoked the jury to their verdict.” To a much longer speech than this had Horatio Markham given his attention, when he and the reverend divine were interrupted by the return of Mr. Martindale in a downright passion. The cause of that passion we shall narrate in the following chapter. CHAPTER III. “There was a time,-- And pity ’tis so good a time had wings To fly away,--when reverence was paid To a grey head; ’twas held a sacrilege Not expiable, to deny respect To one, sir, of your years and gravity.” RANDOLPH. Mr. Martindale, as we have said in the preceding chapter, left his company, and walked up to the Abbey to ascertain, if possible, from some of the servants the cause of their master’s sudden journey. The old gentleman was not in the habit usually of entering the house by the grand entrance; but on the present occasion, seeing the great doors partly open, he directed his steps that way; and as he approached, he heard voices with which he had not been familiar, and when he opened the door, he saw two vulgar-looking fellows gaping about in broad astonishment at the splendid decorations of the great hall, interspersing their profound remarks with unseemly puffings of tobacco-smoke from two pipes with which they were regaling themselves. It was not on trifling occasions that Mr. Martindale was struck dumb with astonishment; but at the sight which he then saw, he was so far thunderstruck that he did not instantaneously commence the pouring forth of his interrogatory eloquence. He gazed for a moment or more on the two men, and they gazed as long at him; but their looks were not so full of astonishment as his were: at length he spoke in very hurried tones.