Thesetwoveryworthyfellows——nay，morethanthatbytheirownaccount，beingdownrightmartyrs——werecome，forthepublicbenefit，fromtheCourtofChancery，sittingforeverybody’sgood，andboldlyredressingevil。ThiscourthasapowerofscentunknowntotheCommon-lawpractitioners，andslowlyyetsurelytracksitsgame；evenasthegreatlumberingdogs，nowintroducedfromSpain，andcalledbysomepeople’pointers，’differfromtheswiftgaze-hound，whoseeshispreyandrunshimdowninthemannerofthecommonlawyers。Ifaman’sillfateshoulddrivehimtomakeachoicebetweenthesetwo，lethimratherbechasedbythehoundsoflaw，thantrackedbythedogsofEquity。
Now，asitfellinaveryblackdayforallexceptthelawyersHisMajesty’sCourtofChancery，ifthatbewhatitcalleditself，gainedscentofpoorLorna’slife，andofallthatmightbemadeofit。Whetherthroughthatbraveyounglordwhoranintosuchperil，orthroughanyofhisfriends，orwhetherthroughthatdeepoldCounsellor，whosegamenonemightpenetrate；
orthroughanydisclosuresoftheItalianwoman，orevenofJeremyhimself；nonejustnowcouldtellus；
onlythistruthwastooclear——ChanceryhadheardofLorna，andthenhadseenhowrichshewas；andneverdelayinginonething，hadopenedmouth，andswallowedher。
TheDoones，withashareofthatdryhumourwhichwasinthemhereditary，hadwelcomedthetwoapparitorsifthatbethepropernameforthemandledthemkindlydownthevalley，andtoldthemthentoservetheirwrit。Mislikingthelookofthings，thesepoormenbegantofumbleamongtheirclothes；uponwhichtheDoonescried，’offwiththem!Letusseeifyourmessageheonyourskins。’Andwithnomoremannersthanthat，theystripped，andlashedthemoutofthevalley；onlybiddingthemcometous，iftheywantedLornaDoone；andtoustheycameaccordingly。Neitherweretheysureatfirstbutthatweshouldtreatthemso；fortheyhadnoknowledgeofthewestcountry，andthoughtitquiteagodlessplace，whereinnowritwasholy。