Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

AGANTS;) UN, YLAwTY Aww eri raw res, “Your meaning and mine, Mr. Timperley,” re-| a case where actual coercion was known to be suined Sir Roderick, *‘ are evidently very different. | impossible. ‘I wish you good day, gentlemen,” The preamble of this will provides that all my|-~and gathering up his papers, Mr. Timperley father’s debts shall be paid———” was about to depart. “ And they are all settled,” ejaculated Mr, Tim- “ You go with me, sir,” said a stern voice close perley. “I have the receipts in full, signed by | to his ear: and at the same time a hand was laid all those gentlemen whom you have so uselessly | upon his shoulder. troubled to come to this meeting.” * With you, sir?’—and it was with a sudden “The debts may be settled, Mr. Timperley,’ | start that Timperley, turning round, thus con- said Sir Roderick; “ but they are not paid.” fronted Mr. Devon. “Oh, I beg your pardon, sir,” cried Timperley, “ Yes—with me, sir. You are my prisoner.” with another sneer. “Ina legal point of view the| ‘“ Your prisoner ?’—and Timperley became as settlement of debts is their payment. Everybody | white as a sheet. “ For—for—what ?” he gasped knows this.” forth ? “ But, pooh! this is ridiculous !” he eja- “T am well aware,” said Sir Roderick, “ that culated, all in a moment recovering himself. you have the strict letter of the law on your side, |“ It is a trick—or else a perjured tongue has Mr. Timperley. But I now give you a solemn charged me with some offence. Perhaps you think warning,—that if you would in any way endeavour | there is something wrong about the will? You to make your peace with your fellow-men, you will | may summon the witnesses—they are here, be- commence by doing an act of justice on the pre- | neath this roof. ff sent occasion.” * T have nothing to do with the will, Mr, Tim- “What is the meaning of this language, sir?” | perley,” interrupted Devon. demanded Timperley, rising from his seat and “ Then who are you, sir?” asked the lawyer: fixing his looks fiercely upon the Baronet. “How and again an expression of vague terror flitted dare you take meto task? I stand upon my just | over his countenance : “ who are you, sir ?” rights. You yourself have admitted that I have | “An officer of justice,” was the reply. ‘‘Ilam the law in my favour and that is sufficient! | Sergeant Wrightson of the Detective Force.” We will not bandy words.” * But what—what — what — Mr. Wrightson,” “Take heed, Mr. Timperley,’ said Dalham, | faltered out the wretched Timperley,—* have you again speaking in a voice of solemn warning,— | against me ?” “take heed I say, lest at the very moment when! ‘Icharge you, sir,” replied the detective, “with you deem yourself strongest you are in reality | a crime which for upwards of a twelyemonth has weakest, and when you think your footsteps safest been involved in the deepest mystery. In a word, they are veritably the most imperilled!” sir, I charge you with the murder of Mrs, Chick- ‘This is monstrous!” ejaculated Timperley, whose | lade.” rage now got the better of every other feeling.' ‘ My God!” moaned Timperley : and aghast— You, the uncutiful son who flew in the face of | quivering—annihilated, he sank down upon his an affectionate father’s wishes !—you, the dis- | chair. owned and the discarded—having no right even to| Immense was the sensation that was produced enter within these walls!—yeu, a mere interloper | upon the spectators of this scene—with the excep- and intruder re tion of Sir Roderick, who, as a matter of course, “Beware, sir—beware!”’ ejaculated Sir Rode- | was well aware of the tremendous charge that was rick ; “the thunder-cloud is about to burst above | about to issue from the lips of the detective your head! the abysm is yawning at your feet!” | against the miserable attorney. But all in a These words produced an immense sensation on | moment a new phase in the scene developed itself: the spectators of the singular scene; and Tim-| for Mr. Timperley, rising up from his seat—out- perley was again smitten with a vague terror. He | wardly calm and collected—said in a firm voice, swept his eyes around: there was a seat empty— | “ Gentlemen, you need not be surprised if for a it was Mr. Devon’e. Then it was with a sudden | moment I was overwhelmed by an accusation as un- start that Timperley becameaware that this mys- | expected as it is preposterous. It is a base trick terious individual was now posted immediately | concocted in that quarter:”’—and he pointed to- behind him. There he stood—motionless, cool,| wards Roderick Dalham. ‘‘ Why, all the world and apparently unconcerned ; and yet there was | knows that his own wife was accused of the mur- something in the keen expression of his eyes which | der, and that her eequittal arose from some cir- smote Timperley with the conviction that whatever | cumstances which are involved in mystery 4 danger (if any) might threaten him, would ema- “Silence, sir!” exclaimed Roderick ; “ malign nate from ¢hat quarter! not the character of the purest and best of women! “You have no more business to detain you here, | Mr. Wrightson, do your duty !” gentlemen,” said Mr. Timperley: “‘ and I myself “Oh, I will go with you as a matter of course, shall take my departure, as I have business to | Mr. Wrightson,” said Timperley ; “and you will transact elsewhere.” soon see, gentlemen, what the magistrate «will say ** For the last time,” exclaimed Roderick Dal- to this ridiculous charge.” ‘ ham, “‘ I conjure you to listen to the dictates of Thus speaking, he thrust his papers into his rectitude and honour, by giving those persons pocket : and then taking up his hat, he accom- their just due:’—and he pointed towards the | panied the detective from the room, without again array of creditors. looking to the right or left; and though the ex. “Enough of these impertinences !” exclaimed | pression of his countenance was firm and rigid, yet Timperley, again plucking up his courage; be- | it was remarked by several persons present that he cause he naturally thought from the words of the seemed to stagger once or twice and then catch him- Baronet, that he was simply being appealed to in | self up suddenly as he proceeded towards the door (nS oO COLPMIGLOOKSn (EC)