Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 20: what you’re looking at

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ton’s hopes and prospects, the young gentleman wacd to say to himself, “ Well, it is better I should let Waldron go on in his own way, and not pester him with queries, nor endeavour to drag him into premature revelations.” Morton’s time was fully occupied. There were always new advertisements for him to draw up and insert in the public journals: a considerable portion of the correspondence which these advertisements elicited from all quarters of the country was ad- dressed to Morton’s lodgings ; and though he care- fully perused it all, yet having but little aptitude for business—notwithstanding that he wasin other respects intelligent enough—he became completely bewildered amidst baptismal certificates, copies of pedigrees, long descriptions of lineage, and all ehose matters that necessarily pertained to the business. Daily, at about eleven o'clock, he made his appearance with all the letters at Mr. Wal- dron’s office; and there perhaps he was engaged for an hour in making memoranda which he could not understand, and taking notes which enveloped him as it were ina fog. But Mr. Waldron seemed to look upon everything that was being done with a far more lucid gaze, and to be perfectly satistied with every successive step that was taken ; so that this was sufficient for Morton Evelyn. From the lawyer’s office he was wont to wend his way to Russell Square, where his morning calls grew longer and longer ; while his evenings were now invariably spent there, unless he happened to be engaged at the Listers’—but even in this case he was certain to meet Honoria. We should add that another cheque for five hundred pounds was one day presented to him- in a friendly off-hand manner by Mr. Waldron; and another bill, with its accompanying warrant-of-attorney, was duly signed under the special auspices of Mr. Tim- perley. And now the reader may ask whether Morton Evelyn really loved Honoria Waldron? But to auswer the question properly, we ought to enter into a disquisition upon love itself, and draw the distinction between that passion which arises from admiration of a handsome face and a fine figure, and that sentiment which, being of a more ssthetic quality, is purely sentimental and is engender by all the softest and most delicate traits of the feminine character. However, without elabora- ting the subjects, we may observe that it was the former feeling which Morton Evelyn experienced towards Honoria Waldron. He was enamoured of her beauty: she was a woman of whom-as a wife he could be proud; and moreover there was @ tinge of selfishness in his calculations. “ Her father is ricb,” he said to himself; “ and he will be richer still when this business of mine is brought to a conclusion. When he dies, all his fortune will no doubt be left between his two daughters. Thus, in any case, an alliance with bis family must prove an excellent match for me: for if I succeed in this business, the money which reverts to the old man as a per centage will come back to me again; and if I fail, i shall have secured a good position, together with a handsome competency. As for any littie defects which I may have noticed in Honoria’s temper or disposi- tion—they are indeed nothing; for what being is perfect in this world ?” Xhe reader is now prepared to lesrn that LS LL ae ao -—_— - eee ee eee ee AGNES: OB, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. Morton Evelyn made up his mind to propose to Honoria Waldron. He had already received suf- ficient encouragement, alike from her father and herself—or we perhaps ought to say that he had seen sufficient indications to convince him that his suit would not be rejected by either. He there- fore availed himself of an opportunity to declare his attachment to Honoria Waldron; and he was accepted, conditionally on a reference to her father. Mr. Waldron gave his assent; and thus Morton became the acknowledged suitor of the attorney’s daughter. Mrs. Lister—who was al- most as handsome as Honoria, and who certainly possessed several traits of a more amiable charac- ter—had always received Morton with kindness; and she now welcomec him as her future brother- in-law. Mr. Lister—who was a merchant—e good-natured, hospitable man, some few years older than his wife—bad also taken a liking to Morton; and thus there was not the least impedi- ment to what the world would call “ the consum- mation of his happiness,” Mr. Waldron now manifested the most substan- tial proofs of a generous and friendly liberality. He presented Evelyn with a cheque for a couple of thousand pounds, to hire and furnish a hand- some house at the West End of the town; and again were certain little formal documents signed under the auspices of Timperley. “For,” as Mr. Waldron smilingly observed, *‘ when the grand business is brought to a conclu- sion, there can be a settlement of all those little matters,” Moreover Mr. Waldron intimated that he might have given this couple of thousand pounds as a dower to his daughter: but he knew that a hus- band naturally liked to be independent of his wife; end therefore he preferred the course which he was now adopting. Morton thanked the lawyer with an effusion of gratitude, and lost no time in fitting up & commodious house for the reception of his bride. It was at the commencement of autumn, in 1829, that we introduced Morton Evelyn to our readers: it was in the first week of February, 1830 —precisely six months afterwards—that the nup- tials were celebrated. The wedding tour was ac- complished; and at length we behold the bride- groom and bride installed in their new mansion. Months passed away; and though the grand busi- ness thus dragged itself slowly along, yet Mr. Waldron from time to time spoke more and more confidently, until at last it came to be regarded as a matter of course that Morton was the heir to that vast property, concerning the details of which he was still kept in the dark. Mr. Waldron libe- rally supplied him with money ; and it seemed as if there could have been no possible drawback to Morton’s happiness, were it not that those little defects of temper and disposition which he had observed on Honoria’s part during the period of his courtship, were now gradually taking more palpa- ble developments. He found that she was more worldly-minded than he had thought her—that sue was self-willed even to imperiousness — that she was growing tyrannical towards her domestics: and he even feared that she was mure than selfish—sbe was heartless. But he humoured her for a variety of considerations. He loved her after his own fashion; and he was proud of possessing so hand- com ElOOOIKS ee po RE SS RENNES “cet cee ssn NNSA SE (C@)