"I give you my honor, Mr. Aubrey, that in the whole course of my practice I never heard of such a procedure!" said Mr. Runnington, with a half-desperate air. "And I shall further request you to state that the last quarter's rents are in my banker's hands, and will be paid over to the order of Mr. Titmouse"---- "Good gracious, Mr. Aubrey!" interrupted Mr. Runnington, with an air of deep concern. "I have well considered the position in which I am placed," said Mr. Aubrey, with a serious air. "It is very painful for me to mention the subject, Mr. Aubrey; but have you adverted to the _mesne_ profits?" "I have. It is, indeed, a very fearful matter: and I frankly own that I see no way open before me, but to trust to the forbearance of"---- "Forbearance!--The _forbearance_ of Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap!! or of any one counselled by them!" "Why, what can I do? I might as well undertake to pay off the national debt as the sum of sixty thousand pounds!" "That's just the very thing," replied Mr. Runnington, with a dismayed air. "Whatever honorable negotiation can effect, I leave it in your hands to do. With reference to the time which may be allowed for liquidating this frightful demand"--Mr. Aubrey changed color, but spoke with firmness--"I must own this to be a matter which has occasioned me inexpressible anxiety, Mr. Runnington. I really do not see what length of time will enable me to discharge so vast a sum of money, or even to make any sensible impression upon it. I am quite at the mercy of my enemies!" Here both were silent for some time. "At one time, I fancied that in a case so grievously hard as yours," said Mr. Runnington, with a sigh--"you might obtain relief from a Court of Equity from the payment of the mesne profits, on the ground of your total ignorance of the title of Titmouse; and I laid a case before the most skilful lawyer in the Court of Chancery--but alas! the answer was in the negative--that the court had no power whatever to deprive a man of what he had proved to be his strict legal rights"---- "Nor can I, Mr. Runnington, see on what principle such an interference could be supported![8] Besides--can I _entirely_ acquit myself of negligence? Have I not been culpably forgetful of the suggestions which you made to me at the time of my marriage settlement? No, no! I feel myself bound hand and foot"----