“The Star-Chamber will never desert its faithful servants, and such we have been,” said Sir Giles.

“Say rather the serpents it has nourished in its bosom,” rejoined Lanyere.  “But to my case.  Years ago, a gentleman possessed of noble estates in Norfolk, was unfortunate enough to have some dealings with these two usurers, who thus becoming acquainted with his circumstances, marked him for their prey.  He borrowed a large sum of money from them.  The loan was not obtained for himself, but for a younger brother”—­here the voice of the promoter was choked with emotion, and a few moments elapsed before he could proceed—­“I have said that the money was borrowed, not for himself, but for a younger brother, whose recklessness and extravagance had plunged him deeply in debt.  Would that his too generous relative had left him to his fate, and allowed him to rot in a dungeon!  But he rescued him from it, only to take his place in the end.  From this sad epoch may all the unfortunate gentleman’s calamities be dated.  Certain title-deeds and other instruments had to be deposited with Sir Giles and his partner, as security for repayment of the sum borrowed.  They were never returned.  On the contrary, under one plea or another, all the deeds relating to the property were obtained from its unsuspecting owner; and then a mortgage deed covering the whole estates was forged by them.”

“’Tis false!” exclaimed Sir Giles.

“Have I your Highness’s gracious promise of pardon to all except the principals in these great offences?” pursued Lanyere.

“As it may materially serve the ends of justice that such promise should be given, I do not hesitate to comply with your request,” replied Charles.

“In that case I shall be able to confound the villains with a witness whom they little expect to be produced against them,” replied Lanyere.  “Let Lupo Vulp be called,” he added.

The summons was responded to as before by Luke Hatton, and the next moment the ill-favoured scrivener emerged from behind the tapestry, and made his way through the assemblage, who recoiled with abhorrence from him, towards the Prince.

“Who art thou?” demanded Charles.

“I am named Lupo Vulp, your Highness, and have for many years been a money-scrivener in the employ of these two gentlemen,” replied the individual addressed.

“Thou knowest all their transactions?” said Charles.

“No man better,” answered Lupo; “unless it be Clement Lanyere.”

“You remember a certain deed of mortgage from Sir Ferdinando Mounchensey to your two employers?” said Lanyere.

“I remember it perfectly,” returned the scrivener, “as I should do, seeing I prepared it myself.”

During all this time Lupo Vulp had kept his eyes upon the ground, and had never dared to raise them towards Sir Giles, though he felt that the gaze of the latter was fixed upon him.

“Was Sir Ferdinando’s signature attached to that deed?” demanded Lanyere.