preliminary chapter-第4部分

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they　knew　the　history　of　this　poor　man；　and　the　counsellor　applied
himself　to　his　pocket　to　recover　the　memorial　or　brief　from　which　he
had　stated　his　cause。

　　‘‘He　has　been　a　candidate　for　our　_remedium　miserabile；_''　said
Mr。　Hardie；　‘‘commonly　called　a　_cessio　bonorum。_　As　there　are
divines　who　have　doubted　the　eternity　of　future　punishments；　so　the
Scotch　lawyers　seem　to　have　thought　that　the　crime　of　poverty　might
be　atoned　for　by　something　short　of　perpetual　imprisonment。　After
a　month's　confinement；　you　must　know；　a　prisoner　for　debt　is　entitled；
on　a　sufficient　statement　to　our　Supreme　Court；　setting　forth　the
amount　of　his　funds；　and　the　nature　of　his　misfortunes；　and　surrendering
all　his　effects　to　his　creditors；　to　claim　to　be　discharged
from　prison。''

　　‘‘I　had　heard；''　I　replied；　‘‘of　such　a　humane　regulation。''

　　‘‘Yes；''　said　Halkit；　‘‘and　the　beauty　of　it　is；　as　the　foreign　fellow
said；　you　may　get　the　_cessio；_　when　the　_bonorums_　are　all　spent…
But　what；　are　you　puzzling　in　your　pockets　to　seek　your　only
memorial　among　old　play…bills；　letters　requesting　a　meeting　of　the
Faculty；　rules　of　the　Speculative　Society；　syllabus'　of　lectures…all

*　＇A　well…known　debating　club　in　Edinburgh。＇

the　miscellaneous　contents　of　a　young　advocate's　pocket；　which　contains
everything　but　briefs　and　bank…notes？　Can　you　not　state　a　case　of
_cessio_　without　your　memorial？　Why；　it　is　done　every　Saturday。
The　events　follow　each　other　as　regularly　as　clock…work；　and　one　form
of　condescendence　might　suit　every　one　of　them。''

　　‘‘This　is　very　unlike　the　variety　of　distress　which　this　gentleman
stated　to　fall　under　the　consideration　of　your　judges；''　said　I。

　　‘‘True；''　replied　Halkit；　‘‘but　Hardie　spoke　of　criminal　jurisprudence；
and　this　business　is　purely　civil。　I　could　plead　a　_cessio_
myself　without　the　inspiring　honours　of　a　gown　and　three…tailed
periwig…Listen。…My　client　was　bred　a　journeyman　weaver…made
some　little　money…took　a　farm…（for　conducting　a　farm；　like　driving
a　gig；　comes　by　nature）…late　severe　times…induced　to　sign　bills　with
a　friend；　for　which　he　received　no　value…landlord　sequestrates…
creditors　accept　a　composition…pursuer　sets　up　a　public…house…fails
a　second　time…is　incarcerated　for　a　debt　of　ten　pounds　seven　shillings
and　sixpence…his　debts　amount　to　blank…his　losses　to　blank…his
funds　to　blank…leaving　a　balance　of　blank　in　his　favour。　There　is
no　opposition；　your　lordships　will　please　grant　commission　to　take
his　oath。''

　　Hardie　now　renounced　this　ineffectual　search；　in　which　there　was
perhaps　a　little　affectation；　and　told　us　the　tale　of　poor　Dunover's
distresses；　with　a　tone　in　which　a　degree　of　feeling；　which　he　seemed
ashamed　of　as　unprofessional；　mingled　with　his　attempts　at　wit；　and
did　him　more　honour。　It　was　one　of　those　tales　which　seem　to　argue
a　sort　of　ill…luck　or　fatality　attached　to　the　hero。　A　well…informed；
industrious；　and　blameless；　but　poor　and　bashful　man；　had　in　vain
essayed　all　the　usual　means　by　which　others　acquire　independence；
yet　had　never　succeeded　beyond　the　attainment　of　bare　subsistence。
During　a　brief　gleam　of　hope；　rather　than　of　actual　prosperity；　he
had　added　a　wife　and　family　to　his　cares；　but　the　dawn　was　speedily
overcast。　Everything　retrograded　with　him　towards　the　verge　of　the
miry　Slough　of　Despond；　which　yawns　for　insolvent　debtors；　and
after　catching　at　each　twig；　and　experiencing　the　protracted　agony　of
feeling　them　one　by　one　elude　his　grasp；　he　actually　sunk　into　the
miry　pit　whence　he　had　been　extricated　by　the　professional　exertions
of　Hardie。

　　‘‘And；　I　suppose；　now　you　have　dragged　this　poor　devil　ashore；
you　will　leave　him　half　naked　on　the　beach　to　provide　for　himself？''
said　Halkit。　‘‘Hark　ye；''…and　he　whispered　something　in　his　ear；
of　which　the　penetrating　and　insinuating　words；　‘‘Interest　with　my
Lord；''　alone　reached　mine。

　　‘‘It　is　_pessimi　exempli；_''　said　Hardie；　laughing；　‘‘to　provide　for
a　ruined　client；　but　I　was　thinking　of　what　you　mention；　provided
it　can　be　managed…But　hush！　here　he　comes。''

　　The　recent　relation　of　the　poor　man's　misfortunes　had　given　him；
I　was　pleased　to　observe；　a　claim　to　the　attention　and　respect　of　the
young　men；　who　treated　him　with　great　civility；　and　gradually　engaged
him　in　a　conversation；　which；　much　to　my　satisfaction；　again
turned　upon　the　_Causes　C