THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE. 341 



" My dear child, do not, I entreat you, give way to such 

 dreadful anticipations, which I trust in heaven will never be 

 realised ; one at least never can, that, whether rich or poor, you 

 will ever find any change in the affections of William Beau- 

 champ." 



" But, dear aunt, my first impulse is to release him from his 

 engagement, which was formed under such different circum- 

 stances, that it ought and must now be cancelled." 



" You are too hasty, my dear Blanche, in taking the claim 

 so impudently advanced by these unprincipled people as a just 

 and legal one ; pray do nothing hastily, and promise me not to 

 offer such an insult to William Beau champ's love and high 

 sense of honour, as you propose. We shall have the lawyer's 

 opinion in a few days, and then it will be time enough to deter- 

 mine how we ought to act." 



The next day, Mr. Mangle, having made an appointment 

 with Mr. Harcourt's solicitors, which Macvittie attended, 

 produced the alleged marriage certificate of Archibald Douglas 

 and Susan Monkton, which Messrs. Boram and Teagle having 

 carefully scanned, pronounced to be apparently an authentic 

 document. 



" So far then, so good," chuckled Mr. Mangle, " and we 

 shall be prepared to prove by Mrs. Archibald Douglas, and 

 other witnesses, the birth of a son, ten months after the date of 

 this certificate, which I conclude will be quite sufficient to 

 establish our claim." 



" Not quite, I think," observed Mr. Teagle ; " there are 

 some other points to be considered." 



"Pray may I be permitted to have a look at that little 

 document 1 " inquired Macvittie, in the most insinuating 

 manner. 



" On whose behalf, sir 1 " demanded Mr. Mangle. 



" Lord Malcolm, sir ; Miss Douglas's cousin, who is 

 interested in the family property, failing Miss Douglas." 



" Oh, certainly," replied Mr. Mangle, " although I do not 

 trust it out of my own hands." 



" I do not covet it, my dear sir," replied Macvittie, adjust- 

 ing his spectacles on his nose with great deliberation ; " pray 

 keep it in your own hand, which will do very well — just a trifle 

 more to the light, my dear sir, as my eye-sight is rather dim. 

 Thank you, that will do." 



"Well, sir," asked Mr. Mangle, "you are also, I conclude, 

 quite satisfied ? " 



