Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 199: what you’re looking at

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said Mr. Timperley. LS AT CHAPTER XXXIII. THE BARONET AND HIS SOd. We must return to Mr. Timperley, whom we left at the moment when he took leave of Lord Ormsby and Agnes at Sidney Villa) The lawyer returned to the cab which had brought him thither; for ho saldom used his own private carriage, which was therefore willingly abandoned to the monopolising use of Mrs Timperley,—for he thought it looked much more professional, and seemed to convey the idea of preater hurry and bustle, to travel in street- cabs. Mr. Timperley now ordered the driver to take him to Sir John Dalham’s villa—which, be it recollected, was at no considerable distance from the abode of Miss Evelyn. On alighting at the Baronet’s suburban resi- dence, Mr. Timperley was immediately admitted by the footman who answered his summons at the front door. “ How is your master ?” inquired the lawyer. “Very bad, indeed, siry’? was the reply—‘as bad almost as bad can be.” ** Indeed ! this is a sad account which [ hear,” “Ts your master confined to his bed ?” “Yes, sir:” and then the footman added with a significant look, “and I don’t much think he will leave it again — at least not to get out of doors. Bat you are rather a stranger here, sir? I havyen’t seen you for some time past.” ““ Well, it is a few weeks since I was here,” said Mr. Timperley. “ Never since old Barrington got out of prison,” rejoined the footman. “Ah, sir! it wasa cruel blow for my poor master that day! And when he heard “When he heard what?” asked the lawyer, perceiving that the man stopped short. ‘Come now, tellme. Ithink I know what you mean:” —and he slipped some silver into the lacquey’s hand. “* Well, sir,” pursued the footman, “if you must hear the truth, of course I am bound to tell it. Sir John heard that old Barrington got out of prison because you had given up the very deed which kept him in!” “And was Sir John very angry?” asked Mr, Timperley. “ He was furious, sir,” was the reply: “I never saw anything like it! He raved and went on so —and declared that——but saving your presence, you know, sir 2 “Yes, yes!—don’t stand upon any scruples?” interjected Timperley. “What was it that Sir John said?” “Why, sir,” pursued the footman, “he said that it was all your fault—that you had regularly Now mind, I beg pardon, sir — but he said you had regularly sold him!” “Ab! but there are two sides to that story,” interjected Timperley. “I like to stand well with my clients on*the one hand; but on the other I like to do my business honourably and in a straight. forward manner. When I come to explain this business to your master, he will be perfectly satis- | fed. But Ab! by the bye, is Roderick at home ?” | Sui’ AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. 1$1 “* No, sir—aot at this moment,” was the answer. “ He will be in presently for dinner.” “T believe he is very much away from home—is he not?” said Mr. Timperley. “A great deal,” replied the footman. “But yet no one can say that he neglects his father. On the contrary, he is always at Sir John’s beck and call when the humour takes the old gentleman to have Mr, Roderick with him. And then too, al-' though Mr, Roderick is a good deal out at times, I don’t think he is unsteady: he never by any chance comes home the worse for wine—and there are no duns knocking at the door for him as there used to be, In sbort, Mr. Timperley, young mas- ter has grown so steady of late that no one would recognise in him the harum-scarum fellow of soma few years back. But perhaps you will now walk up-stairs, sir?” “Is no one with Sir John?” asked Timperley. “No one at this moment, sir. The doctor was here just now—and master’s valet has gone off to get a prescription made up. Sir John sends all the way to Bond Street for his medicines: he won’t trust to any of the chemists in this neigh- bourhood.” The footman now led the way up-stairs, and knocked at the door of a chamber on the second floor, A feeble voice was heard desiring the man fo enter; and looking in, the lacquey said, “ If you please, Sir John, Mr. Timperley.” “Ah, Mr. Timperley ?” cried the equeaking voice of the baronet—and its tones were similar in their querulous petulance to those of his litigating op- ponent Mr. Barrington, “ Well, I suppose 1 must see him. Yes—let him come in.” Mr. Timperley entered accordingly: the footman withdrew, and closed the door. The chamber was elegantly furnished: the bed-curtaina and window draperies wero of fizured blue satin, with deep golden fringes. A table was drawn near the couch; and on it were books and writing materials. The mantel ornaments were of a costly description; and on the toilet-table were countless bottles con- taining perfumes as well as cosmetics, In one of the opening chapters of our story we have described Sir John Dalham as a man past his seventieth year—shrivelled and withered, attenuated almost to a skeleton, with a repulsive countenance, a ca- daverous complexion and small keen grey eyes, Strong passions had traced their deep lines, toge- ther with the wrinkles of age; and though tho physical energies were well-nigh prostrated, yet the mind retained its strength marvellously, with all its antipathies and prejudices, its hatreds and its abhorrences even more potent than those which had exercised so strung an influ: nce over the career of Sir John’s opponent, Mr, Barrington. As Timperley entered the room, Sir John Dalham reised himself up to a sitting posture in the bed; and assuming a stern expression of countenance, he said, *‘ And pray, sir, what brings you hither ? Is it to try to get some more of my business in your hands in order that you may betray me?” “T have never betrayed you, Sir John,” answered Mr. Timperley, looking the baronet full in the facs with the utmost hardihood and self-assurance. “Don’t tell me that?” squealed forth the sep- tuagenarian: “you know you let Barrington out of prison !” “This is not true, Sir John,” rejoined Tin C© chook ee - co 5}