"Only sixty thousand!" echoed Mr. Aubrey, amazedly.
"At the rate of ten thousand a-year, you must have had at least a hundred thousand pounds of the money belonging to your successor"——
"The statute of limitations prevents more than six years' arrears being recoverable."
"But do you intend, Aubrey, to avail yourself of such a protection against the just claims of this poor, unfortunate, ill-used gentleman? Are not the remaining forty thousand pounds justly due—money of his which you have been making away with? Will you let a mere technical rule of law outweigh the dictates of honor and conscience?"
"I really don't exactly understand your drift, Lord C——," said Mr. Aubrey, coloring visibly.
"Well—I will explain. Your sovereign has a right to command your services; and, by obeying him and serving your country, you are enabled to prevent a malignant opponent from ruining you and your family, by extorting a vast sum of money not equitably due: I protest I see no difference in principle, Aubrey, between availing yourself of the statute of limitations, and of the call of the king to foreign service;—but we must talk of this again. By the way, what is the name of your worthy opponent? Tittlemouse, or some such strange name?"
"Titmouse!—By the way, you lose a seat for Yatton," said Aubrey, with a faint smile.
Lord C—— pricked up his ears. "Ay, ay! how's that?"
"The gentleman whom you have named professes, I understand, Liberal principles; probably he will sit for the borough himself; at all events, he will return the member."