Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

‘\2.° AGNES; OL, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, “T could wish, sir,” said Roderick sternly, “ that there was no necessity for me to speak of you at all. And now, if you do not wish to provoke mo into a declaration of the opinion which I entertain of you, sir, you will at once take your depar- ture.” “Never, never!” cried the Baronet, suddeniy raising himself from his sitting posture again. “Never! My bitterest curse - “No, no, father!” ejaculated Roderick, sinking upon his knees by the side of the bed; ‘curso me not! It isa terrible thing for a paront to shower “ Hoy? what?” ejaculated the Baronet: “ giv- | maledictions upon tho head of a son!” ing orders in my presence and jn my own roon, Roderick! This is an impertinence which I do not choose to put up with. Mr. Timperley is a very excellent friend of mine——” “ A friend, father?’ exclaimed Roderick, as ho flung a scornful and indignant look at the attorney, “ No, no !—it could not be a friend who would ad- viso you to defraud your creditors and to tarnish your name with indelible disgrace at the close of your existence! Begone, sir—begone!” he added, turning fiercely towards the lawyer and pointing to the door. “This is intolerable!’ exclaimed the Baronet. “Roderick, you are not the master here! Mr. Timperley, you will remain—you need not mind his intemperate language be “T treat it with the contempt that it deserves,” said Mr. Timperley; and ho flung a bitter malig- nent look upon Roderick Dalham. * Ah! you dare maintain a bold hardihood in my presence?” ejaculated Roderick; “and you dare look as if you thought that you could defy meP Depart, sir! Bogone this very instant! It is my duty to protect my father from tho insidious wiles of such a wretchas you. Yes!—doubtless it were a profitable game for you to get into your hands the management of those affairs! But you shall not!—no, by heaven, you shall not! —for even at the risk of offending my father now, I will protect and shield his honour against your vile machinations !” All the while that Roderick Dalham was thus speaking, Mr. Timperley, who had risen up from the arm-chair, stood gazing upon him with an ex- pression of countenance that was porfectly fiend- like in its malignity. It was the sardonic satis- faction and devilish inward chuckling of one who felt confident that he possessed the means of wreaking a bitter revenge, and who was calmly waiting for the moment when the blow should be struck. “ And so, Mr. Roderick Dalham,” ho said, “ you talk of shielding and protecting your father’s honour —do youP Very good! Nothing could be more proper! And I supposo that it was by way of bringing additional credit upon the name of Dalham that you have linked it with that of Barrington P” Roderick started and turned deadly pale; while his father ejaculated, “What, what—the two names coupled? Timperley, it is you who are now giving vont to impertinences in your turn!” “JT am only afraid, Sir John,’ rejoined the lawyer, “that you will find I have proclaimed a very disagreeable truth. Ask Mr. Dalham whether Winitred is not his wife.” The Baronet flung a glance upon his son; and in that son’s countenance he read the fatal cor- roboration of Mr. Timperley’s words. Then the old man gave a wild ery and sank back upon the pillow, ' “Yet such maledictions do I invoke 3 “No, no, father! Spare me, I beseech you! Oh, spare me, I implore! It is true that I have wedded Winifred: I love her—sha is the best of women—and you would love her also, dear father, if you would but permit me to bring her hither that she may kneel at your feet and implore your blessing !”” “ What! a Barrington enter my house?” almoat shrieked the old man. ‘“ No, never! never! Ro- derick I disown—I discard you——=>” “Qne word, father!” ejaculated tho afflicted son. “ For heaven’s sake conquer your prejudices and look at the policy of the step which I have taken. If you lose the lawsuit—as lose it you mest—the riches will only pass temporarily away from our family: they will revert to us—for I am sure that in the long run Mr, Barrington will for- give his granddaughter, as you, father, will now forgive your son!” “Forgive you?” cried the Baronet: “ never! never! Leave me at once! begone—depart—quit the house, I command you! I disown and discard you! You are no longer my son! Go!”—and theo old man pointed with his skinny arm in a peremptory manner towards the door. “ Father, you cannot mean it!” said Rodorick, rising from his suppliant posture; and he then caught a glimpso of Timperley’s sinister visage peering round the curtains at him; for tho lawyer had now taken his stand at the foot of the bed. ** Ah! so long as you possess such an advisor as that,” cried Roderick pointing towards Tim- perley, “I am afraid that you will be capable of any act of injustice!” “Everything, Roderick, is at an end between you and me,” said the Baronet, now speaking in a calm deliberate tone. “You have wilfully severed every tie which bound yourself to me or me to you. You have doneit with your eyes open —and you muss take tho consequences. I now command you to leave my room this moment, and my house within an hour!” A violent struggle was taking place in tha breast of Roderick Dalham; and bo was again on the point of throwing himself upon his knees and im- ploring mercy at his father’s hands, when he once more caught sight of the sinister visage of Tim- perley—and he muttered to himself, “ My evil genius ig there to ruin me!” “ Depart !” said the Baronet, now bursting forth in an infuriate tone again: “ depart! Idiscard you! ff you tarry but another instant in my presence, I will curse you—lI will invoke the most terrible maledictions upon your head !” “ No, no!” exclaimed Roderick affrighted at the threat; and he rushed out of the chamber. The Baronet again fell back upon tho pillows, gasping in the exhaustion which followed upon the tremendous excitement through which he iad just passed. ‘Vimperley hastened to proffer a glass “Father, dear father!” exclaimed Roderick, | of water: but Sir Johu waved it petulantly away “ forgive me, I beseech you!” © er RY era 8 ee et Oe ee te LM OR 8 POE es ed meme em te ee )} with bis hand, and murmuringly bade the lawyer eee Comichboo we S 5}