Sir Per.  Hah! my lord, lawyers are a dangerous species of animals to have any dependance upon:  they are always starting punctilios and difficulties among friends.  Why, my dear lord, it is their interest that aw mankind should be at variance:  for disagreement is the vary manure with which they enrich and fatten the land of litigation; and as they find that that constantly promotes the best crop, depend upon it, they will always be sure to lay it on as thick as they can.

Lord Lum.  Come, come, my dear Sir Pertinax, you must not be angry with the serjeant for his insisting so warmly on this point—­for those boroughs, you know, are my sheet anchor.

Sir Per.  I know it, my lord,—­and, as an instance of my promptness to study, and of my acquiescence till your lordship’s inclination, as I see that this Serjeant Eitherside wishes you weel and you him, I think now he would be as guid a man to be returned for one of those boroughs as could be pitched upon—­and as such, I humbly recommend him till your lordship’s consideration.

Lord Lum.  Why, my dear Sir Pertinax, to tell you the truth, I have already promised him.  He must be in for one of them, and that is one reason why I insisted so strenuously:  he must be in.

Sir Per.  And why not? odswunds! why not? is nai your word a fiat? and will it nai be always so till me? are ye nai my friend—­my patron—­and are we nai, by this match of our children, to be united intill one interest?

Lord Lum.  So I understand it, I own, Sir Pertinax.

Sir Per.  My lord, it can nai be otherwise:  then, for Heaven’s sake, as your lordship and I can have but one interest for the future, let us have nai mair words about these paltry boroughs, but conclude the agreement just as it stands; otherwise there must be new writings drawn, new consultations of lawyers, new objections and delays will arise,—­creditors will be impatient and impertinent, so that we shall nai finish the Lord knows when.

Lord Lum.  You are right, you are right:  say no more, Mac, say no more.  Split the lawyers—­you judge the point better than all Westminster-hall could.  It shall stand as it is:  yes, you shall settle it your own way:  for your interest and mine are the same, I see plainly.

Sir Per.  No doubt of it, my lord.

Lord Lum.  O! here the lawyers come.

    Enter Counsellor PLAUSIBLE and Serjeant EITHERSIDE.

Lord Lum.  So, gentlemen—­well, what have you done? how are your opinions now?

Serj.  My lord, Mr. Plausible has convinced me—­fully convinced me.

Plaus.  Yes, my lord, I have convinced him; I have laid such arguments before Mr. Serjeant as were irresistible.

Serj.  He has indeed, my lord:  besides, as Sir Pertinax gives his honour that your lordship’s nomination shall be sacredly observed, why, upon a nearer review of the whole matter, I think it will be the wiser measure to conclude the agreement just as it is drawn.