your　personal　appearance；　when　your　cousin　came　upon　this　mission。
  I　was　saying；　if　you　remember；　that　your　face　was　as　good　or　better
  than　a　letter　of　recommendation。　　I　wonder　if　M。　Alain　would　be
  like　the　rest　of　us　…　I　wonder　what　he　would　think　of　it？'
  Mr。　Romaine　was　sitting　in　a　chair　by　the　fire　with　his　back　to　the
  windows；　and　I　was　myself　kneeling　on　the　hearthrug　and　beginning
  mechanically　to　pick　up　the　scattered　bills；　when　a　honeyed　voice
  joined　suddenly　in　our　conversation。
  'He　thinks　well　of　it；　Mr。　Romaine。　　He　begs　to　join　himself　to
  that　circle　of　admirers　which　you　indicate　to　exist　already。'
  CHAPTER　XIX　…　THE　DEVIL　AND　ALL　AT　AMERSHAM　PLACE
  NEVER　did　two　human　creatures　get　to　their　feet　with　more　alacrity
  than　the　lawyer　and　myself。　　We　had　locked　and　barred　the　main
  gates　of　the　citadel；　but　unhappily　we　had　left　open　the　bath…room
  sally…port；　and　here　we　found　the　voice　of　the　hostile　trumpets
  sounding　from　within；　and　all　our　defences　taken　in　reverse。　　I
  took　but　the　time　to　whisper　Mr。　Romaine　in　the　ear：　'Here　is
  another　tableau　for　you！'　at　which　he　looked　at　me　a　moment　with　a
  kind　of　pathos；　as　who　should　say；　'Don't　hit　a　man　when　he's
  down。'　　Then　I　transferred　my　eyes　to　my　enemy。
  He　had　his　hat　on；　a　little　on　one　side：　it　was　a　very　tall　hat；
  raked　extremely；　and　had　a　narrow　curling　brim。　　His　hair　was　all
  curled　out　in　masses　like　an　Italian　mountebank　…　a　most
  unpardonable　fashion。　　He　sported　a　huge　tippeted　overcoat　of
  frieze；　such　as　watchmen　wear；　only　the　inside　was　lined　with
  costly　furs；　and　he　kept　it　half　open　to　display　the　exquisite
  linen；　the　many…coloured　waistcoat；　and　the　profuse　jewellery　of
  watch…chains　and　brooches　underneath。　　The　leg　and　the　ankle　were
  turned　to　a　miracle。　　It　is　out　of　the　question　that　I　should　deny
  the　resemblance　altogether；　since　it　has　been　remarked　by　so　many
  different　persons　whom　I　cannot　reasonably　accuse　of　a　conspiracy。
  As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　saw　little　of　it　and　confessed　to　nothing。
  Certainly　he　was　what　some　might　call　handsome；　of　a　pictorial；
  exuberant　style　of　beauty；　all　attitude；　profile；　and　impudence：　a
  man　whom　I　could　see　in　fancy　parade　on　the　grand　stand　at　a　race…
  meeting　or　swagger　in　Piccadilly；　staring　down　the　women；　and
  stared　at　himself　with　admiration　by　the　coal…porters。　　Of　his
  frame　of　mind　at　that　moment　his　face　offered　a　lively　if　an
  unconscious　picture。　　He　was　lividly　pale；　and　his　lip　was　caught
  up　in　a　smile　that　could　almost　be　called　a　snarl；　of　a　sheer；　arid
  malignity　that　appalled　me　and　yet　put　me　on　my　mettle　for　the
  encounter。　　He　looked　me　up　and　down；　then　bowed　and　took　off　his
  hat　to　me。
  'My　cousin；　I　presume？'　he　said。
  'I　understand　I　have　that　honour；'　I　replied。
  'The　honour　is　mine；'　said　he；　and　his　voice　shook　as　he　said　it。
  'I　should　make　you　welcome；　I　believe；'　said　I。
  'Why？'　he　inquired。　　'This　poor　house　has　been　my　home　for　longer
  than　I　care　to　claim。　　That　you　should　already　take　upon　yourself
  the　duties　of　host　here　is　to　be　at　unnecessary　pains。　　Believe　me；
  that　part　would　be　more　becomingly　mine。　　And；　by　the　way；　I　must
  not　fail　to　offer　you　my　little　compliment。　　It　is　a　gratifying
  surprise　to　meet　you　in　the　dress　of　a　gentleman；　and　to　see'　…
  with　a　circular　look　upon　the　scattered　bills　…　'that　your
  necessities　have　already　been　so　liberally　relieved。'
  I　bowed　with　a　smile　that　was　perhaps　no　less　hateful　than　his　own。
  'There　are　so　many　necessities　in　this　world；'　said　I。　　'Charity
  has　to　choose。　　One　gets　relieved；　and　some　other；　no　less
  indigent；　perhaps　indebted；　must　go　wanting。'
  'Malice　is　an　engaging　trait；'　said　he。
  'And　envy；　I　think？'　was　my　reply。
  He　must　have　felt　that　he　was　not　getting　wholly　the　better　of　this
  passage　at　arms；　perhaps　even　feared　that　he　should　lose　command　of
  his　temper；　which　he　reined　in　throughout　the　interview　as　with　a
  red…hot　curb；　for　he　flung　away　from　me　at　the　word；　and　addressed
  the　lawyer　with　insulting　arrogance。
  'Mr。　Romaine；'　he　said；　'since　when　have　you　presumed　to　give
  orders　in　this　house？'
  'I　am　not　prepared　to　admit　that　I　have　given　any；'　replied
  Romaine；　'certainly　none　that　did　not　fall　in　the　sphere　of　my
  responsibilities。'
  'By　whose　orders；　then；　am　I　denied　entrance　to　my　uncle's　room？'
  said　my　cousin。
  'By　the　doctor's；　sir；'　replied　Romaine；　'and　I　think　even　you　will
  admit　his　faculty　to　give　them。'
  'Have　a　care；　sir；'　cried　Alain。　　'Do　not　be　puffed　up　with　your
  position。　　It　is　none　so　secure；　Master　Attorney。　　I　should　not
  wonder　in　the　least　if　you　were　struck　off　the　rolls　for　this
  night's　work；　and　the　next　I　should　see　of　you　were　when　I　flung
  you　alms　at　a　pothouse　door　to　mend　your　ragged　elbows。　　The
  doctor's　orders？　　But　I　believe　I　am　not　mistaken！　　You　have　to…
  night　transacted　business　with　the　Count；　and　this　needy　young
  gentleman　has　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　still　another　interview；　in
  which　（as　I　am　pleased　to　see）　his　dignity　has　not　prevented　his
  doing　very　well　for　himself。　　I　wonder　that　you　should　care　to
  prevaricate　with　me　so　idly。'
  'I　will　confess　so　much；'　said　Mr。　Romaine；　'if　you　call　it
  prevarication。　　The　order　in　question　emanated　from　the　Count
  himself。　　He　does　not　wish　to　see　you。'
  'For　which　I　must　take　the　word　of　Mr。　Daniel　Romaine？'　asked
  Alain。
  'In　default　of　any　better；'　said　Romaine。
  There　was　an　instantaneous　convulsion　in　my　cousin's　face；　and　I
  distinctly　heard　him　gnash　his　teeth　at　this　reply；　but；　to　my
  surprise；　he　resumed　in　tones　of　almost　good　humour：
  'Come；　Mr。　Romaine；　do　not　let　us　be　petty！'　　He　drew　in　a　chair
  and　sat　down。　　'Understand　you　have　stolen　a　march　upon　me。　　You
  have　introduced　your　soldier　of　Napoleon；　and　（how；　I　cannot
  conceive）　he　has　been　apparently　accepted　with　favour。　　I　ask　no
  better　proof　than　the　funds　with　which　I　find　him　literally
  surrounded　…　I　presume　in　consequence　of　some　extravagance　of　joy
  at　the　first　sight　of　so　much　money。　　The　odds　are　so　far　in　your
  favour；　but　the　match　is　not　yet　won。　　Questions　will　arise　of
  undue　influence；　of　sequestration；　and　the　like：　I　have　my
  witnesses　ready。　　I　tell　it　you　cynically；　for　you　cannot　profit　by
  the　knowledge；　and；　if　the　worst　come　to　the　worst；　I　have　good
  hopes　of　recovering　my　own　and　of　ruining　you。'
  'You　do　what　you　please；'　answered　Romaine；　'but　I　give　it　you　for
  a　piece　of　good　advice；　you　had　best　do　nothing　in　the　matter。　　You
  will　only　make　yourself　ridiculous；　you　will　only　squander　money；
  of　which　you　have　none　too　much；　and　reap　public　mortification。'
  'Ah；　but　there　you　make　the　common　mistake；　Mr。　Romaine！'　returned
  Alain。　　'You　despise　your　adversary。　　Consider；　if　you　please；　how
  very　disagreeable　I　could　make　myself；　if　I　chose。　　Consider　the
  position　of　your　PROTEGE　…　an　escaped　prisoner！　　But　I　play　a　great
  game。　　I　condemn　such　petty　opportunities。'
  At　this　Romaine　and　I　exchanged　a　glance　of　triumph。　　It　seemed
  manifest　that　Alain　had　as　yet　received　no　word　of　Clausel's
  recapture　and　denunciation。　　At　the　same　moment　the　lawyer；　thus
  relieved　of　the　instancy　of　his　fear；　changed　his　tactics。　　With　a
  great　air　of　unconcern；　he　secured　the　newspaper；　which　still　lay
  open　before　him　on　the　table。
  'I　think；　Monsieur　Alain；　that　you　labour　under　some　illusion；'
  said　he。　　'Believe　me；　this　is　all　beside　the　mark。　　You　seem　to　be
  pointing　to　some　compromise。　　Nothing　is　further　from　my　views。
  You　suspect　me　of　an　inclination　to　trifle　with　you；　to　conceal　how
  things　are　going。　　I　cannot；　on　the　other　hand；　be　too　early　or　too
  explicit　in　giving　you　information　which　concerns　you　（I　must　say）
  capitally。　　Your　great…uncle　has　to…night　cancelled　his　will；　and
  made　a　new　one　in　favour　of　your　cousin　Anne。　　Nay；　and　you　shall
  hear　it　from　his　own　lips；　if　you　choose！　　I　will　take　so　much　upon
  me；'　said　the　lawyer；　rising。　　'Follow　me；　if　you　please；
  gentlemen。'
  Mr。　Romaine　led　the　way　out　of　the　room　so　briskly；　and　was　so
  briskly　followed　by　Alain；　that　I　had　hard　ado　to　get　the　remainder
  of　the　money　replaced　and　the　despatch…box　locked；　and　to　overtake
  them；　even　by　running　ere　they　should　be　lost　in　that　maze　of
  corridors；　my　uncle's　house。　　As　it　was；　I　went　with　a　heart
  divided；　and　the　thought　of　my　treasure　thus　left　unprotected；　save
  by　a　paltry　lid　and　lock　that　any　one　might　break　or　pick　open；　put
  me　in　a　perspiration　whenever　I　had　the　time　to　remember　it。　　The
  lawyer　brought　us　to　a　room；　begged　us　to　be　seated　while　he　should
  hold　a　consultation　with　the　doctor；　and；　slipping　out　of　another
  door；　left　Alain　and　myself　closeted　together。
  Truly　he　had　done　nothing　to　ingratiate　himself；　his　eve