spoke, he prepared to seal the memorial.

Mr. Sharpe's habitual caution recurring in the space of a second or two, he
begged pardon if zeal for his relation had hurried him into any unbecoming
warmth of expression, and stretching out his hand eagerly to stop Mr.
Percy, as he was going to press down the seal, "Give me leave, sir," said
he, "give me leave to run my eye over that memorial--may I beg? before you
seal it."

"And welcome," said Mr. Percy, putting the paper into his hand: "all that I
do shall be done openly and fairly."

The attorney took possession of the memorial, and began to con it over. As
he was reading it, he happened to stand in a recessed window, so that he
could not easily be seen by any person who entered the room: at this moment
Rosamond came in suddenly, exclaiming, as she held up a huge unfolded
parchment, "I've found it!--I've found it, my dear father!--I do believe
this is Sir John Percy's deed that was lost!--I always said it was not
burned.--What's the matter?--What do you mean?--Nobody can hear me? the
outer door is shut--Perhaps this is only a copy.--It is not signed or
sealed, but I suppose--"

Here she stopped short, for she saw Mr. Sharpe--She looked so much
astounded, that even if he had not heard all she had said, her countenance
would have excited his curiosity. The attorney had heard every syllable
she had uttered, and he knew enough of Mr. Percy's affairs to comprehend
the full extent of the advantage that might be made of this discovery.
He coolly returned the memorial, acknowledging that it was drawn up with
much moderation and ability, but regretting that Mr. Percy should think it
necessary to send it; and concluding with a few general expressions of the