at home。
He then called at Judge Stone's： 〃Mrs。 S。 thought him handsome young man； judge； quite ugly； husband says eyes a greenish colour； wife thinks were dark brown； height about my own； said judge； not near so tall； says Mrs。 S。： both agreed he was morose in temper； and dull at learning。〃
At several other places where Harry called； he found that William Stanley had been merely known by sight。 Others related capital stories of scrapes； in which they had been implicated with the boy； but could tell Harry very little to the purpose； where it came to particular questions。 Three individuals pronounced him tall； four thought he was middle sized； two declared he was short。 Two inferences； however； might be drawn from all that had been said： William Stanley must have been of an unpleasant temper； while general evidence pronounced him rather more dull than most boys。 With these two facts at least sufficiently well established； while his head was filled with contradictory visions； of hair； eyes； and complexion； of various shades and colours； Harry returned in the evening； quite jaded and worn…out with his day's exertions； not the least of which had been； to reconcile totally opposite accounts on a dozen different points。
Mrs。 Stanley was awaiting his return with much anxiety； and while Harry was drinking an excellent cup of teathe most refreshing thing in the world to a person who is fatigued； even in warm weatherhe reported his day's work。 His friend seemed to think the account anything but encouraging； though Harry declared； that it was well worth the labour and vexation to establish the two facts； regarding the young man's capacity and temper； in which respects he certainly differed from the claimant。
〃What miserable hypocrites both this man and his lawyer must be！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Stanley。
〃Hypocrisy figures often enough in courts of justice； ma'am； and is only too often successful for a time。〃
〃I am afraid； my dear Harry； they will give you a great deal of trouble！〃
〃I have no doubt of it；〃 replied Hazlehurst； 〃but still I hope to defeat them； and in the end； to punish their vile conspiracy。〃
〃A defeat would he distressing to both Mr。 Wyllys and myself； but to you； my dear young friend； it would be serious indeed！〃 she observed； with feeling。
〃We shall yet gain the day； I trust；〃 said Harry。 〃The consequences of defeat would indeed be very serious to me；〃 he added。 〃In such a case I should lose everything； and a little more； as Paddy would say。 I made a deliberate calculation the other day； and I find； after everything I own has been given up； that there would still be a debt of some thirty thousand dollars to pay off。〃
〃It is wise； I suppose； to be prepared for the worst；〃 said Mrs。 Stanley； sadly； 〃but in such a case； Harry； you must look to your friends。 Remember； that I should consider it a duty to assist you； in any pecuniary difficulties which might result from a defeat。〃
〃You are very good； ma'am； I am grateful for the offer。 In case of our failure； I should certainly apply to my immediate friends； for I could never bear the thought of being in debt to those rascals。 But if the affair turns out in that way； I must stay at home and work hard； to clear myself entirely。 I am young； and if we fail to repel this claim； still I shall hope by industry and prudence； to discharge all obligations before I am many years older。〃
〃I have never doubted； Harry； that in either case you would do what is just and honourable； but I mourn that there should be any danger of such a sacrifice。〃
〃It would be a sacrifice； indeed； including much that I have valued heretoforetastes； habits； partialities； prospects； fortune； hopesall must undergo a change； all must he sacrificed。〃
〃And hopes are often a precious part of a young man's portion；〃 said Mrs。 Stanley。
Hazlehurst happened to raise his eyes as she spoke； and； from the expression of her face； he fancied that she was thinking of Mrs。 Creighton。 He changed colour； and remained silent a moment。
〃You would be compelled to give up your connexion with Mr。 Henley；〃 she observed； by way of renewing the conversation。
〃Yes； of course； I should have to abandon that； I could not afford it； I should have to devote myself to my profession。 I have no notion； however； of striking my colours to these land…pirates until after a hard battle； I assure you；〃 he said； more cheerfully。 〃Great generals always prepare for a retreat； and so shall I； but only as the last extremity。 Indeed； I think our affairs look more encouraging just now。 It seems next to impossible； for such a plot to hold together in all its parts； we shall be able probably； to find out more than one weak point which will not bear an attack。〃
〃It is certainly important to establish the difference in temper and capacity； between the claimant and William Stanley；〃 said Mrs。 Stanley。
〃Highly important； Ellsworth is hard at work； too； in tracing the past life of the sailor； and by his last letters； I find he had written to young Stanley's school…master； and to the family physician。 He had seen the sailor； and in addition to Mr。 Wyllys's remarks upon his gait； which is different from that of William when a boy； Ellsworth writes； that he was very much struck with the shape of the man's limbs； so different from those of the portrait of Mr。 Stanley's son； when a lad； which they have at Wyllys…Roof； he thinks the family physician may help him there； fortunately； he is still living。〃
〃It is a great pity the nurse's faculties should have failed！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Stanley。
〃Yes； it's a pity； indeed； her evidence would have been very important。 But we shall do without her； I hope。〃
〃Are you going to Wyllys…Roof again； before the trial？〃
〃No； I shall have too much to do； here and in Philadelphia。 Mr。 Wyllys has kindly asked me； however； to go there； as soon as the matter is settled； whether for good or for evil。〃
〃I thought I heard you talking over with Mr。 de Vaux； some boating excursion； to take place in August； from Longbridge； has it been given up？〃
〃Not given up； but de Vaux very good…naturedly proposed postponing it； until after my affairs were settled。 It is to take place as soon as I am ready； whether I shall join it with flying colours； or as a worsted man； time alone can decide。〃
The mail was just then brought in； as usual there was a letter for Harry； from Ellsworth。
〃Wyllys…Roof； August； 183…。
〃Our application to the family physician proves entirely successful； my dear Hazlehurst； my physiological propensities were not at fault。 I had a letter last evening from Dr。 H…； who now lives in Baltimore； and he professes himself ready to swear to the formation of young Stanley's hands and feet； which he says resembled those of Mr。 Stanley； the father； and the three children； who died before William S。 grew up。 His account agrees entirely with the portrait of the boy； as it now exists at Wyllys…Roof； the arms and hands are long； the fingers slender； nails elongated； as you well know； Mr。 Clapp's client is the very reverse of thishis hands are short and thick； his fingers what； in common parlance； would be called dumpy。 I was struck with the fact when I first saw him in the street。 Now； what stronger evidence could we have？ A slender lad of seventeen may become a heavy； corpulent man of forty； but to change the formation of hands； fingers； and nails； is beyond the reach of even Clapp's cunning。 We are much obliged to the artist； for his accuracy in representing the hands of the boy exactly as they were。 This testimony I look upon as quite conclusive。 As to the Rev。 Mr。 G…； whose pupil young Stanley was for several years； we find that he is no longer living； but I have obtained the names of several of the young's man's companions； who will be able to confirm the fact of his dullness； several of the professors at the University are also living； and will no doubt be able to assist us。 I have written a dozen letters on these points； but received no answers as yet。 So far so good； we shall succeed； I trust。 Mr。 Wyllys bids you not forget to find out if Clapp has really been at Greatwood； as we suspected。 The ladies send you many kind and encouraging messages。 Josephine； as usual； sympathizes in all our movements。 She says： 'Give Mr。 Hazlehurst all sorts of kind greetings from me； anything you please short of my love； which would not be proper； I suppose。' I had a charming row on the river last evening； with the ladies。 I never managed a law…suit in such agreeable quarters before。
〃Faithfully yours；
〃F。 E。〃
CHAPTER XVII。 ｛XL｝
〃What say you； can you love this gentleman？〃 Romeo and Juliet。
｛William Shakespeare； 〃Romeo and Juliet〃； I。iii。79｝
JANE'S strength and spirits were gradually improving。 She had been persuaded to take a daily airing and had consented to see one or two of the ladies in her room。 Mr。 Wyllys always passed half an hour with her； every afternoon； and at length she came down stairs； and joined the family in the drawing…room； for a short time in the evening。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Robert Hazlehurst； who came from Philadelphia to pass a day or two with her； found her much better than they had expected。
Charlie Hubbard returned to the grey cottage； with his portfolio full of sketches； intending to pass several months at home； in finishing his pictures of Lake George； the school…room having been converted into a painting…room for his use。 Miss Patsey's little flock were dispersed for a time； and Charlie was even in hopes of persuading his mother and sister to accompany him to New York； where Mary Hubbard； the youngest sister； was now engaged in giving music lessons。 He felt himself quite a rich man； and drew up a plausible plan for hiring a small house in some cheap situation； where they might all live together； but Miss Patsey shook her head； she thought they could not afford it。 Still； it was delightful to her； to listen to plans devised by Charlie's warm heart； she seemed to love him more than ever； since he had even sacrificed his moustaches to his mother's prejudice against such foreign fashions。
〃Keep your money； Charles； we can make out very well in the old cottage； more comfortably than we have ever done before。 You will want all you can make one of these days； wh