Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-07-14
CHAPTER V.
THE JACKAL.

Those were drinking days, and most men
drank hard. So very great is the improvement
Time has brought about in such habits. that
moderate statement of the wine and punch
which one man would swallow in the course of
night, without any detrment to his reputa-
ton as perfect gentleman, would seem, in
these days, ridiculous exaggeration. The
learned profession of the Law MAS rerAainly nat
behind any Other letrned profession in its Bac-
chanalian propensites; neither was Mr. Stry-
yer, already fast shouldering his way to a large
and lucrative practice, behind his compeers in
this particular, any more than in the drler parts
Of the legal race.
A favorite at the Old Bailey, and exc at the
Sessions, Mr.. Stryver had begun cautiously to
hew away the lower slaves of the ladder on
which he mounted. Sessions and Old Bailey
had now to summon their favorite, specially, to
their longing arms and shouldering itself to-
ward the visage of the Lord Chief Justice in
the Court of Kings Bench, the ford counte-
nance of Mr.. Stryver might be daily seen, burst
ing out of the bed of wigs, like great sun
flower pushing its way at the sun from among
a rank garden full of aaring companions
1t had once been noted at the Bar, that while
Mr.. Stryver was glib man, and an unscrupu-
lous, and a ready, and bold, he had not that
faculty of extracting the essence from heap Of
eto tannntc yvl,iol ;u arO,,, Aha ,,n.t or
and necessary OF the advocates accomplish.
ments. Bnt, remarkable improvement came
upon him as to this. The more business he got,
the greater his power seemed to grow of getting
at its pith and marrow and however late at
night he sat carousing with Sydney Carton, he
always had his points at his fingers, ends in the
morning.
Sydney Carton, idlest and most unpromising
of men, was Styver's great ally. What the
two drank together, between Hilary Term and
Michaelmas, might have foated kings ship.
Stryver never had case in hand any where
but Carton was there, with his hands in his
pockets, staring at the ceiling of the court
they went the same Circuit, and even there they
prolonged their usual orgies late into the night
and Carton was rlmored to be seen at broad
day, going homo steathily and unsfeaaiy tohiS
lodgings, like dissipated cat. AT last, it be-
gan to get about, among such as were interested
in the matter, that although Sydney Cartor
would never be lion, he was an amazingly
good jackil, and that he rendered suit andsery
ice to Stryver in that humble capacity.
Ten O'Clock, SIR, said the man at the tav
ern, whom he had charged to wake him. tel
O'clock sir. F."
" What's the matter
/" Ten clock, sir. ;"
What do you mean? Ten O'Clock Il
t night?"
" g Yes sir. Your honor told me to call you.
"Oh remember. Very WE'LL very well.
) After a few dull efforts to get to sleep again
0 which the man dexterously combated by stirring
the fire continuously for five minutes, he got up
tossed his hat on, and walked out. lie turne
into the Temple, and having revived himself b
d twice pacing the pavcmcnts of Kings Bencl
walk and Paper-bn buildings, turned into tn
Stryver chambers.
= The Stryyer cork, who never assisted at thef
If conferences, had gone home, and the Stryvt
principal opened the door. lie had his slippel
on and loose bedgown, and his throat WI
t bare for his greater ease. lie had that viii
strained, scared marking about the eyes, whie
G. NAV bc observed in all free livers of his elias
r from the portrait Of Jeifrics downward, al
which can be traced, under various disguises
. Art, through tie sprtraits of every DrinkiI
>, Age,
'r You arc little late, Memory said Str
ger,