Dilemmas of Pride, (Vol 3 of 3)

h of the principal agent employed by Geoffery in this part o

d; nay, many have been hanged who were not half as bad; for this man was not only without remorse of conscience, but also without remorse of heart. His only reason for committing more robberies than murd

such, when perishing in the gulf of misery, he pretended to stretch a helping hand, but with that very hand assisted in the work of destruction, and finally possessed himself of the wreck of their fortunes. This fellow, by name Fips, had long been Geoffery Arden's right-hand man, and for

nner as a feather-bed tucked into the same piece of furniture would have done; and had there been a cord tied round the centre of the said bed as a con

st, partook more of the purple hue than of the lively living red. Beside him sat his only daughter and sole domestic companion, Miss Fips. She was about six-and-twenty, and but for the showy vulgarity of her dress, the unshrinking boldness of her demeanour, and the rouge with which she unnecessarily heightened her complexion, she would have been extremely handsome, her figu

h a marked effort of gallantry in his manner.-"So you have been making merry alone, I see, ol

it ye down. Deb, go send us in a bottle of claret. Strange

uated. If a 'most foul and unnatural murder' has been committed, it would be dastardly and contemptible in me, the nearest in blood, to suffer the murderer to escape, merely from a want of activity and decision in seeking out and bringing together sufficient evidence. Yet on the other hand, should my cousin, as I sincerel

before found useful-your friendly advice and assistance. What in fact I at present stand most in need of, is a friend whose disintereste

ired of him, and for which, if successful, he should no doubt be munificently rewarded, was to hang Sir Alfred Arden, whether innocen

ed to exhibit those features of the case most susceptible of exaggeration or misrepresentation; he also recapitulated his own examina

unity yourself of conversing with these people, it might

ture judges and juries to be prejudiced by the general high character and seeming amiability of Sir Alfred, for suc

e time for investigation were allowed to pass by, and the waves of oblivion to close over so shocking a transaction. While, on the other hand, if Sir Alfred were perfectly innocent, which, notwithstanding appearances, he should still be too happy to find the case, it would be the most cruel injustice to him, not to wipe out this foul stain from his reputation by a full

apprehension that any suspicions are afloat. He gives out, it seems, and expects the public to believe, that his brother died of a

erially to increase his hopes of ultimate success. But he knew that if Alfred were informed that such a surmise, as that of his having wilfully murdered his poor brother, had found a place in the mind of any being upon earth, he would of course immediately come forward, and court the fulles

at an involuntary exclamation of "No! That's good!" had broken from him on the mention of the piece of paper marked "Poison" having fallen from within the breast of Sir Alfred's waistcoat, and agai

f my business; without, indeed, it could be contrived that I was to be attorney for the prosecution; for that there will be a prosecution there can be no doubt

umstances into consideration-to succeed to the Arden estates on the present occasion, to repay amply all your past disinterested friendship shall be my first care. You shall not only have the agency, which is no trifle, but a handsome annuity beside; and that not only for your own life, but also secured to your daughter; unless indeed, m

aspect of affairs of having his client in a short time so completely in his power, as to be able to enforce the fulfilment of any hopes which the latter might at present think it good policy to hold out. And having now a sufficient "spur" of self-int

alled upon so to do, by the nature of the reports which had gone abroad. After this preamble, Mr. Fips was to inform the coroner at length of every suspicious circumstance; to indicate to him where the missing paper of arsenic was to be found; and to request that he would require the attendance of the medical gentlemen, and enforce the opening of the body, whi

expression, almost removing the flimsy veil from the nature of the services required of him; and whenever he did this, he would look full in Geoffery's

r the lower buttons and button-holes of his waistcoat, which, while in a sitting position, gaped full half a yard asunder, he departed, telling Geoffery, he might if he please