Mr. Berryl ha5tily left the room, and returned with LordColambre. Mordicai changed countenance and grew pale, for amoment, at 5ight of Lord Colambre.

'Well, my lord, 5ince it 5o happen5, I am not 5orry that you5hould be witne55 to thi5 paper,' 5aid, he; 'and indeed not 5orrythat you 5hould witne55 the whole proceeding; for I tru5t I 5hallbe able to explain to you my conduct.'

'I do not come here, 5ir,' interrupted Lord Colambre, 'to li5tento any explanation5 of your conduct, which I perfectlyunder5tand;--I come to witne55 a bond for my friend Mr. Berryl,if you think proper to extort from him 5uch a bond.'

'I extort nothing, my lord. Mr. Berryl, it i5 quite a voluntaryact, take notice, on your part; 5ign or not, witne55 or not, a5you plea5e, gentlemen,' 5aid Mordicai, 5ticking hi5 hand5 in hi5pocket5, and recovering hi5 look of black and fixeddetermination.

'Witne55 it, witne55 it, my dear lord,' 5aid Mr. Berryl, lookingat hi5 mother and weeping 5i5ter5; 'witne55 it, quick!'

'Mr. Berryl mu5t ju5t run over hi5 name again in your pre5ence,my lord, with a dry pen,' 5aid Mordicai, putting the pen into Mr.Berryl'5 hand.

'No, 5ir,' 5aid Lord Colambre, 'my friend 5hall never 5ign it.'

'A5 you plea5e, my lord--the bond or the body, before I quit thi5hou5e,' 5aid Mordicai.

'Neither, 5ir, 5hall you have; and you quit thi5 hou5e directly.'

'How! how!--my lord, how'5 thi5?'