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failed to protect me against him). Mr Norton rejoined, that what I would not yield, he would take; that I should either consent to his deducting 200l. a year as his advantage from the 4801. left to me^ or he would not give me anything; that I could not compel him; that as to the agreement Mr Leman had drawn up, he defied me to prove it valid, "as, by law, Man and Wife were one, and could not contract with each other; and the deed was therefore good for nothing."
I reminded him that the deed was in fact a matter of bargain, as he had expressly urged its being drawn up, in order to obtain my signature to raise the trust-money he wanted—that he had had his advantage, and that it was most dishonourable to evade the covenant as regarded me. Mr Norton laughed at the argument, and stood to the fact, that in law I could not help myself, and that the deed was valueless.
I inquired whether this was true, and was informed that Mr Norton probably could evade the performance of his covenant;—because the fiction of the law was that "man and wife are one,"—and not two contracting parties—that he was not bound therefore "in law," only "in honour."
I asked what I could do under the circumstances; and was told that I might refer the creditors I could not pay^ to Mr Norton, and so take the chance of its being decided that he was liable, upon their suing him. I was extremely loth and unwilling to do anything. I did not believe that the deed could be proved null; or, if it could, that Mr Norton would brave the shame of publicly asserting his own signature, set to an instrument drawn up by a lawyer, under his own directions, to be worthless. A gentleman, a barrister, a magistrate: I decided in my own mind that it was impossible: that it was an empty threat, to induce me to share the legacy with him. I thought I would give him time. I was anxious about my second son, who had hitherto been robust, but who had been suffering a good deal. I wanted to take him away to join my other son at Naples: to have one of the gleaning of peace in my
