"Can't, miss--it's quite _un_possible; it's not to be done for no money short of debt and costs," said the officer, respectfully, but rather doggedly--as if he were getting tired of the scene--"one would think we were a-going to murder the gemman! Once for all, if so be as he will only go as a gemman should, to my little place in Chancery-Lane--(my name's Grab, miss, at your service, and there a'n't a better conducted lock-up nor mine in London, I assure you, nor where debtors is more comfortably looked arter)--he's no need to be there above a day or two--it may be less--and of course his friends will come and bail him out; so _don't_ be a-going on so when it's no manner o' use!" "Charles! My love!" murmured Mrs. Aubrey, faintly--"they surely will not separate us? Oh! let us go together; I don't care where we go to, so long as I am with you." "Do not ask it, my darling! my heart's love!" replied Mr. Aubrey, tenderly, as he supported her in his arms, and against his knee--and a tear fell from his eye upon her cheek--"I shall be exposed to but little inconvenience, I am certain; there can be no violence or insult offered me so long as I submit myself peaceably to the laws! And I shall soon, please God, be back!" "Oh, Charles! I shall die--I shall never survive seeing you carried away!" she replied--and her manner was becoming increasingly vehement. "Agnes, Agnes!" said her husband, reprovingly, "the mother must not desert her children; my heart will ache every moment that I am absent, if I think that my dear little ones have not a mother's protection." "Kate will take care of them, love!" said Mrs. Aubrey, faintly; and her husband tenderly kissed her forehead. While this hurried colloquy between the wretched couple was proceeding, Kate was talking in low but impassioned tones to the two officers, who listened to her respectfully, but shook their heads. "No, miss--it _can't_ be; it can't indeed." "But you shall have _everything_ in the house for your security--I have still a good many handsome dresses; jewels, all--all; surely they will produce _something_; and then there's plate, and books, and furniture--you can't think Mr. Aubrey's going basely to run away!"---- "If, as how, miss, (you see,) it was only ourselves that you had to do with--(but, Lord love you, miss! we 're only officers, and has our duty to do, and _must_ do it!)--why, we'd go a little out of our way for to oblige a lady; but the people you must go to is the gemmen whose names is here," pointing to the warrant; "they're the people as the money's owing to--Quirk, Gamm"---- "Don't name them! They are fiends! They are villains! They are robbing, and then ruining, my wretched brother!" exclaimed Miss Aubrey, with dreadful vehemence. "Kate, Kate!" cried Mr. Aubrey, kindly but peremptorily--"in mercy to me, be silent! Restrain your feelings, or really I must hasten my departure."