"You must place yourself in the hands of a respectable lawyer, totally a stranger and unconnected with him, and he would put you in a way to prove it yourself; after which he could give you no further trouble of any kind: unless, indeed, your misguided children should continue to frequent his house, and so become the means of wounding your ears and your heart by repeating his calumnies. But this, I trust, the source of all wisdom and goodness will give you power to prevent." "With your help and counsel, Mr. Cartwright, I may yet hope to weather the storm that seems to have burst upon me; but indeed it could hardly have burst upon any one less capable of struggling with it! In what language should I write to this, cruel man, who has so undeservedly become my enemy?" "There is no difficulty there, my friend. The shortest and most strictly ceremonious form must be the best." Mrs. Mowbray drew towards her materials for writing,--opened the portfolio, which between its leaves of blotting-paper contained sundry sheets of wire-wove, black-edged post,--placed one of them before her,--took a pen and curiously examined its tip--dipped it delicately in the ink, and finally turned to Mr. Cartwright, saying, "How very grateful I should be if you would have the great kindness to write it for me!" "But the handwriting, my dear lady, must be yours." "Oh yes! I know. But it would be so much more satisfactory if you would sketch the form!" "Then I am sure I will do it most readily." He drew the paper to him and wrote, "Mrs. Mowbray presents her compliments to Sir Gilbert Harrington, and requests to know on what day it will suit him to meet her and her lawyer in London, for the purpose of proving her late husband's will at Doctors' Commons. The amount of the real property may be ascertained by the rent-roll; that of the personal, by means of papers left by the deceased, and a valuation of the effects made by competent persons. Mrs. Mowbray begs leave to intimate that she wishes as little delay as possible to intervene before the completion of this transaction." Mr. Cartwright turned what he had written towards her, saying, "This is the sort of letter which I should think it advisable to send." Mrs. Mowbray drew forth another sheet, and transcribed it so rapidly that it might be doubted whether she allowed herself time to read it as she did so. "And this should be despatched instantly, should it not?" she said, folding and directing it. "Indeed, I think so." "Then will you have the kindness to ring the bell, Mr. Cartwright?" "Bring me a lighted taper, John," said Mrs. Mowbray to the servant who entered; "and let Thomas get a horse ready to take this letter immediately to Oakley." The taper was brought, the letter sealed and delivered, with instructions that the bearer was to wait for an answer.