Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 335: what you’re looking at

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

a see - a i . however perfectly distinct. AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 327 first my grandfather was reckless and indifferent relative to his affairs, as well as igaorant and help- less as a child in _ business-matters—dependent likewise upon his attorneys not merely to conduct the lawsuit, but also to afford him the means of living :—then, as he grew older and began to look into his affairs, he became infatuated in the confi: dence which he put in Mr. Timperley ;—and thus in one way or another, my dear Miss Evelyn, he has from the first been rendered an easy dupe to those who for their own purposes made him a victim of their designs.” ** Oh, this is indeed a dreadful tale to tell and to listen to!” exclaimed Agnes, whose noble nature was shocked, and every generous chord in her heart quivered and vibrated as she heard the nar- rative and thought of the poor old man who had suffered so terrivly. ‘“‘ But what purpose could my grandsire or his successor Mr. Timperley have to serve,” inquired Agnes, “in the perpetration of such dreadful wickedness as this ?” “One conjecture — and one conjecture only, Miss Evelyn,’ rejoined Winifred, “can serve as the solution of this mystery. It is that Sir John Dalbam’s gold has proved the talisman i “Ah, I comprehend!” said Agnes. ‘“ Sir John Dalham, being the defendant in that law- suit ” ““And knowing that his cause was bad,” inter- jected Winifred, — “certain that if it were left to the common course of justice, it must utterly fail, and that my grandfather’s rights must be made apparent,—Sir John Dalham had recourse to all these vile and dreadful means to prolong the suit—to keep my grandfather in prison—to crush his spirit with delays—to break his heart with disappointment! Ob, Miss Evelyn! it is a frightful tale of iniquity which I am thus un- ravelling to your comprehension; and you know not how distressed I am at being compelled to associate therewith the name of your grandsire!”’ ‘It is kind of you to speak thus, my dear Wini- fred,” said Agnes; “for, Oh! if you were to hate me as the descendant of one who has proved so bitter a foe to your own revered relative 4 “If I were to bate you, Miss Evelyn,” rejoined Winifred, “I should be capable of hating an angel from heaven; and God be thanked I have no ca- pacity for such wickedness !” “Tell me how I can serve you!—Oh, tell me how I can serve you!” exclaimed Agnes: ‘ what can I do to help in the disentanglement of this fearful skein? Isit money? You shall have all I can command—raise—borrow—or obtain ——” ** No, dear Miss Evelyn—it is not money that is required,” replied Winifred ; “for I am possessed of ample funds to effect my grandfather's libera- tion. But I must demand your patience yet a little while—and then you will see how you can serve me. The first grand object which I have now in view, is to emancipate my grandfather from prison: the second will be to bring the cause on for hearing before the Lord Chancellor with the leaet possible delay. The two matters are In respect to the former everything is arranged — everything is settled, with this exception,—that Mr. Timperley holds a document which has the effect of neutral- izing all the other arrangements unless it be given up into our hands, That document is of no real use to Mr. Timperley asa security: in this sense if is valueless. ‘The only thing is that by using it as a means of coercion against my grandsire, Mr. Timperley may possibly obtain recompenses from Sir John Dalham—always supposing that the con- jecture is the right one, and that Sir John Dal- ham is the principal motive power in all this complicated wickedness.” ““And Mr, Timperley has a deed, you say,” ob- served Agnes, “ which for legitimate purposes is of no use to him, but which on the other hand is of vital importance to the furtherance of your grandfather’s interests P” “That is precisely the position in which the matter stands,” answered Winifred. ‘“ But I must further tell you, Miss Evelyn, that we are not quite so much in Mr. Timperley’s power as from what I have been saying you might conceive. There i3 a law process by which Mr. Timperley might be compelled to give up the deed, or else to show good and proper cause why he retains it. We might adopt this hostile course towards him. But in the first place it would cause a considerable delay in the emancipation of my grandfather; and in the second place,” added Winifred, with a look and tone of tenderest friendship, “it would lead to consequences most disagreeable to your feelings, my dear Miss Evelyn, inasmuch as it would ne- cessitate a total exposure of the whole transactions of which my grandfather has been rendered the victim!—it would drag forth the name of Mr. Waldron from the oblivion of the tomb and would cover his memory with degradation and infamy !” “Ah!” exclaimed Agnes; “then now I com- prehend, my dear Winifred, that your motive in coming to me has been not merely to seek my assistance, but rather to confer a most delicate favour on myself, and to spare me the pain of be- holding the memory of my grandsire thus dragged infamously to the light of the present day. Ob, I thank you, Miss Barrington! And now tell me, what am I to do in this matter? . Has application been made to Mr. Timperley for the deed ?”’ “ Yes,” replied Winifred; “and Mr. Timperley has made a dozen different excuses. In a word, Mr. Wardour and Mr. Cartwright were desirous of taking immediate measures against Mr. Tim- perley: but I begged them to delay the matter yet alittle while, until I should have spoken to you. For I will tell you what I thought, Miss Evelyn *f “What did you think, my dear friend?” asked Agnes. “T happen to know that you are very intimate —or at least that you used to be, with Mr. Tim- perley’s niece—Miss Cicely Neale who was—now the Hon. Mrs. Hardress: while the Hon. Mrs, Hardress herself is said to wield great influence over her uncle and aunt, for they gave her a dower of some thirty or forty thousand pounds, I believe that all these are facts, Miss Evelyn?” ““Yes—everything you state is I believe per- fectly consistent with the truth,” said Agnes. “The Hon. Mrs, Hardress occasionally visits me here; but I never go to her house. I fear, Wiai- fred, you may think that [ am making uso of a subterfuge in order to avoid any interference with the matter in question; and therefore 1 must tell you that sume months ago the Hon. Mr. Hardres- behaved most insultingly to me ” CoMmiclooolks