Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Veuenn "nn — — nk — te ’ ‘4 00 «eee « —— ee ET me —_ ee a EE OT he -_— —_—_ ~~ 10 tignature. the supply of your moderate wants. bye, as you have less to do than I have, you may as well take this advertisement of yours to the Times newspaper office; and pay for half-a-dozen insertions.” “My dear sir,” said the overjoyed Morton, “I have not words sufficient-——” “Bnough, Mr. Evelyn!” interrupted Waldron. “* At five o’clock punctually I shall expect you in Russell Square.” The attorney shook Morton by the hand; and the latter issued from the office with a brain so exultant that he felt as if he were intoxicated, and the whole of Lincoln’s Inn Fields seemed to be turning round. A cab was passing: he jumped into it, and drove straight to the banker’s. There he procured eash for his cheque; and thence he proceeded to the newspaper office, where he paid for the insertion of the advertisement. Confident that he should inherhit an immense fortune—and believing that Waldron knew more respecting the validity of his claims than he had in the first in- stance chosen to admit— Morton lost no time in -emoving from his lodgings at the suburban villa- residence to a handsome suite of apartments which he hired in a fashionable quarter of the West End. He then dressed for dinner,—all these proceedings having occupied the day; and punetually at five o’clock’ he knocked at the door of Mr. Waldron’s handsome house in Russell Equare. —— CHAPTER III. HONORIA WALDRON. Donrxe@ his ride thither, Morton Evelyn had been busy in speculating upon the entertainment he should receive, the additional information he might obtain from Waldron’s lips in respect to the one grand topic, and also what might be the appear- ence of the lawyer’s younger daughter. Morton eould not help thinking that if there were the least family resemblance, Miss Waldron must be a thin, hatchet-faced, vixenish-looking young lady, with a lean figure. Indeed, he came to the con- clusion that he had thus pretty accurately depicted the portraiture of the lady whom he was about to meet, A footman in a handsome livery escorted Mor- ton Evelyn up a well-carpeted staircase to the érawing-room,—on entering which the visitor was received by Mr. Waldron, who hastened forward to welcome him with cordiality, At the same time a tall, handsome, elegantly dressed young lady, about twenty years of age, rose up from the eofa: and the lawyer said, “ Permit me, Mr. Eve- lyn, to introduce you to my daughter, Miss Wal- dron.” Morton was for an instant smitten with asto- Dishment: but with the well-bred ease which he possessed, he quickly recovered himself—bowed to the lady—and at once glided into that light com- mon-place conversation which a man of the world The old clerk then retired; and Mr. Waldron said, “ Here is your cheque, Mr. Evelyn. Do not be too extravagant—but on the other hand do not hesitate to make me your banker for Ah! by the AGNES: OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. always has ready at his command. Miss Waldron welcomed her father’s guest with a sufficient degree of affability, though there was naturally something reserved and dignified, if not absolutely haughty, in her disposition and manner. In respect to her personal appearance, she had light hair flowing in ringlets upon shoulders wh'zh the low evening-toilet completely exposed, and which were of dazzling whiteness. Indeed, her com- plexion was exquisitely fair; for her beauty was that of a perfect blonde. Her large blue eyes de- noted strength of mind and firmness of purpose, rather than feminine gentleness and soft serenity of character. Her countenance was an oval, ter- minating in a sensuously rounded chin: hey profile was aquiline; and the full lips of luscious redness enhanced the voluptuousness of her gene- ral expression. The face was however a very fine one—striking and handsome. The neck was faultless in its modelling and its snowy white- ness: but it wanted the swan-like curvature to render its carriage completely graceful. It seemed to be an alabaster column gradually spreading out at its base, and expanding into the noble foun- dation of a magnificent bust. Indeed her figure was somewhat on a large scale, with full and well- developed contours, but yet not bordering on an embonpoint too luxuriant for perfection of sym- metry, elegance of motion, or lightness of step. Her arms, bare to the shoulders, were robust, yet sculptured to an exactness of proportion in re- ference to the entire shape; while the folds of her dress defined the sweeping length of the lower limbs. She had a fine set of teeth: her hands. though of a plumpness corresponding with the general fulness of her formation, were well. shaped, — her fingers tapering even beautifully. Thus, altogether, Miss Waldron was a very hand- some young woman, though of a style of beauty that seemed to appeal rather to the sense than the sentiment. Morton Evelyn was, as we have seen, astonished on beholding so handsome a person in Mr. Wal- dron’s younger daughter; and he could not pre- vent his looks from expressing admiration. She was lady-like in her manners, notwithstanding that tincture of reserve and haughtiness to which we have alluded; and she assuredly had no affec- tation nor frivolity about her. We have already hinted that her mind was somewhat masculine ; and Morton soon found that she had a pretty general knowledge of the routine of law-business, as well as a good insight into her father’s affairs. At the dinner-table she enacted the part of a hostess with all possible propriety,—just pressing her hospitality far enough to show the guest that he was welcome, without however approaching the vulgar extreme of endeavouring to force him to partake of this or that dish after he had once de- clined. When Miss Waldron had retired, Morton Evelyn expected that the lawyer would enter into particulars with regard to the one grand topic which so deeply interested him: but though Wal- dron speedily touched upon it, and even conversed thereon at iength, it was like dealing with generalities. He entered not into details—he played as it were around the topic. He intimated, for example, that he had been on various occasions successful in cimilar affairs; that he had recovered Com ichbooks