Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 197: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 189 I know it—I feel it now! Yes, yes—I know I have! I cannot fancy how | could have sent you away from me! Goud God! I must have been mad: for now that you are again restored to me I feel as if I could not live without you! But you will come back to me, Winnie? You will come and live here again P and you will be good and kin! to your povr old grandfather, notwithstanding all his harshness towards your” “Ob, do not blame and reproach yourself,” she said, in a voice that was well-nigh choked with sobs. ‘ You have not been harsh and unkind to- wards me! I no doubt deserved it all! But, Ob! these kind words you are now speaking ih ‘Come, dearest Winnie, take off your bonnet and shawl—sit down—and let me see you settled here again. We will pass a happy evening. There is Mr. Hargrave—you know him very well 7 “ How can I settle here, my dear grandfather,” murmured Winifred, “ while my husband remains unforgiven ?” “No, no—he is not unforgiven!” ejaculated Lord Ormsby: and again he flung a look of stern significancy upon the old man. “ Your grand- father is prepared to do everything he can to make you happy, Winifred.” “Ob, is it really so?” murmured the young woman, as she wound her arms about the old man’s neck. ‘Tell me—tell me!—will you receive my husband? Oh, dosay yes, dear grandfather! He respects you— he is a kind good husband to me . “‘ How can I refuse you anything, dear Winnie P” —and now the old man again sobbed and wept like a child. It was a cry of joy which burst forth from Winifred’s lips; and again and again she strained the white head of that old man to her bosom. Then suddenly recollecting something, she glided towards Lord Ormsby; and taking his hand, she pressed it with fervour between both her own, say- ing in a voice full of heartfelt emotion, “ A thou- sand, thousand thanks to you, Mr. Hargrave, for having been instrumental in bringing about this happy, bappy reconciliation !” “And heaven knows, my dear young friend,” replied Ormsby, “ that it is now one of the dearest wishes of my heart to see that you are completely happy. Mr. Barrington, permit me to shake you by the hand. You have just taken a step which I feel convinced you never can regret. May | hope therefore that you entertain no ill-will against me for whatsoever interference I have ventured to manifest in these delicate family affuirs ?” “Say no more! say no more, Mr. Hargrave replied the old man, etill whimpering and snivel- ling in a childish fashion. “It’s all over now— aud dear Winnie is come back—and—and—I will receive her husband—to-morrow. Yes—lI will stretch out the hand—of—of—friendship—to Ro- derick Dalham.” - © And you must do more than this too, my dear sir,’ interjected Lord Ormsby. “In restoring Winifred to her proper place in your heart, you must likewise restore her to the position which she ought to occupy as your heiress.” “Qh, no! no!—speak not of this, Mr. Har- grave!” cried Winifred. “I care nothing for the very, very cruel! riches which will shortly be in my grandfather's possession. I have his forgiveness—and that is sufficient for the present! When he departs heice, he will leave me his blossing—and that will be sufficient for the future. Let Gustavus inherit the wealth !” “ Excellent young woman that you are!” cried Ormsby; ‘so magnanimous! so unselfish! But this may not be. Gustavus has married the niece of a rich planter, who will leave them all his wealth ~ “No matter!” ejaculated Winifred. “I wish nothing altered in respect to what my grandfather may have done.” “Permit me to enunciate my opinions on this point,” said Lord Ormsby: “for I do not think, Mrs. Dalham, that yow are altogether the most proper person to plead in the cause. I mean that there is such a thing as an excess of generosity, forbearance, and magnanimity; and this excess you are exhibiting. Remember, my young friend,” he added in a hasty whisper, as he abruptly drew Winifred aside, “it is necessary for your hus- band’s sake that you should become the heiress of those riches which are so soon to pass from the hands of Ais father into those of your grand- sire!’ ‘Ab, true!” were the words which now mur: muringly escaped from Winifred’s lips, as she sud- deply recollected something which for a long time past had been absent from her memory ;—and this was the argument which Roderick Dalham had urged why she should bestow her hand upon him. ‘Heaven knows,” she thoughtfully ob- served in a whispering tone, “I am not selfish! I covet not riches for myself! But since you tell me that Gustavus will be wealthy—whereas on the other hand my husband Roderick will utterly lose all his own inheritance dd ‘“ Leave the matter to me, Winifred,” interjected Lord Ormsby: then approaching the old man, he suid, “ You are prepared, Mr. Barrington, to do the full measure of justice towards Winifred—are you not? Gustavus will be very rich—richer perhaps than you yourself will presently become ti “Tell me what you want done, Mr. Hargrave!” said the old man. “I amin your hands—I feel more comfortable since Winifred was restored to me ”? “T am glad to hear such language as this issue from your lips, Mr. Barrington,’ exclaimed Ormeby. ‘You are now in the right mood to do the fullest act of justice towards Winifred. In short, it would be the most signal vroof of your affectionate regard for your admirable grandchild, if you were at once to make a will leaving ber the heiress of all you at present have or may in time possess.” “ Yes, yes—I will leave evervthing to her,” said the old man,—“ everything to her!” he emphati- cally repeated ; for it was evidently a sort of com- promise he was making with his feelings thus to ignore Roderick Dalham as much as possible. “There, Winnie my dear! give me my writing: desk! That’s a good child!’—and he smiled benevolently upon her. “ There! there!” he added, smoothing down her hair—for she had now thrown off her bonnet and shaw! so that she might seem to be completely at home with him; “it really looks as if you had never lei me and everything COMmiclboOoks.c© nn