The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 386: what you’re looking at

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

872 THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. such thoughts and feelings as the announcements he had made were well calculated to engender. Returning to the library, Mr. Ponsford was re- minded, by hearing a time-piece proclaim the hour, that it was now incumbent for him to visit the medical man under whose care he had placed himself on aecount of the diseased state of his heart. He was just issuing from his house, when who should be passing at the very moment but Mr. Warren the stockbroker ! ‘Ah, Mr. Ponsford !” exclaimed the man of business, stretching forth his hand: “ you again in London! But what means this?” he asked, as the Squire drew back, haughtily rejecting the proffered hand of the other. ‘“‘Tt means, sir, that I cannot possibly consider myself on the same friendly terms with you as formerly, until a certain matter which now looks black enough, shall have been cleared up.” Warren turned pale for a moment: but in- stantaneously recovering himself, he said with a composure which was doubtless more or less forced, ‘‘Of course we cannot talk in the streets.” “Decidedly not, sir. Be good enough to step in-doors with me.” Mr. Ponsford accordingly led the way into the library, whither he was followed by the stock- broker. The latter threw himself upon a seat; and brushing his hat with the sleeve of his coat in a nonchalant way, he said, “‘I am ready, Mr. Pons- ford, to hear whatsoever accusation you may have to bring against me: for that something of this sort is about to take place, may be argued alike from your words and manner.” ‘¢ Mr. Warren, there is a certain subject,” re- sumed Ponsford, in a grave tone, ‘“‘ which could not fail to be invested with a deep interest for me.” ‘‘ What subject, in the name of heaven ?” asked Warren, with a well-affected air of surprise. “ Do not trifle with me, sir,” exclaimed Pons- ford sternly ; ‘you know very well what I mean. The child—the unfortunate child———” ‘‘ Ah! what the deuce, my dear Mr. Ponsford!” cried Warren, pretending to laugh, ‘‘ do you begin to affect an interest in that matter ?” ‘‘ Begin to affect ?” repeated Ponsford indig- nantly. “Why, yes. When did you ever before show any symptom of interest on that point ? If so, it was in my father’s time : but since the business has been in my hands I have never seen or met you except casually , ‘“‘ Perhaps not, sir,” interrupted Ponsford. “ But my solicitor made a certain inquiry some three years back—and I must tell you that during your father’s life-time such inquiries were more than once made-——” ‘*'Very likely,” observed Warren. “JI knew little or nothing of what was taking place in my father’s life-time. As for the inquiry which you Say your solicitor has made since my father’s death, I do recollect something about it now . ‘And the answer you gave, sir, was a false one!” cried Ponsford angrily. “ You declared that the poor girl was dead!” ‘‘'Well—and what then?” demanded Warren, mustering all his impudence to his aid; for he wanted to ascertain to what extent Mr. Ponsford was instructed in all that had recently occurred. “What then ?” echoed this gentleman, his cheeks crimsoning and his eyes flashing: ‘‘ why, sir, you gave utterance to a base falsehood! You were wilfully deceiving me !” “ Deceiving you ?” said the stockbroker, with an air of effrontery and assumed surprise. * Yes—me, through the medium of the solici- tors by whom the inquiry was made!” ‘‘ And what if at the time I really thought the girl was dead?” said Warren. “You did not think it! I feel convinced that you did not! You were practising a wilful and gross deception! I have yet to learn all the par- ticulars —— but rest assured that I shall investi- gate them down to the very minutest details; and as you have proved a villain in the case, prepare to find me merciless!” Again did Warren turn pale, and his lip quivered for a moment : but again recovering his self-possession, he said, ‘‘ And pray may I venture to ask to what point your knowledge does really extend, and upon what grounds you are address- ing me as if I were a deliberate villain instead of the victim of a temporary mistake ?” ‘“ Let it suffice for you to know, Mr. Warren, that I am on the right track to unravel the entire skein of your iniquity. Retribution and vengeance is the order of the day; and you shall not escape the proper doom Unless, indeed,” added Pons- ford, as a thought struck him, for he all in a moment feared that it was quite possible he might be going too far, ‘‘ you can prove to me you were really mistaken when you represented the poor child to be dead, and that no motive of cupidity influenced you.” = ' ‘‘ And what proof can I offer you?” demanded Warren. ‘Listen, and let me recall to memory a few facts,” pursued Ponsford. ‘I placed in your father’s hand, between sixteen and seventeen years ago,.a certain sum to be invested in the Bank of England, and to serve as a capital for the support of my illegitimate daughter.” “That fact is not denied, Mr. Ponsford,” said Warren. ‘“ Proceed.” “Your father was handsomely remunerated at the time for his trouble,” continued the Squire ; “and I furthermore agreed that if anything should happen to the child, the money should pass into your father’s possession. JI believed him to be strictly honourable—I still think so; for it was you, Mr. Warren, who regardless of the good example left you by your father, played the foulest and most iniquitous part! You proclaimed the poor girl to be dead, in order that you might self-appropriate the funds that had been furnished for her use!” ‘Tt is easy to surmise evil motives on the part of others, Mr. Ponsford,” said Warren, who was still fishing, through the means of his own inter- jected remarks, for a clue towards ascertaining the precise extent of the Squire’s knowledge upon the subject. “Then if you were really labouring under a mistake—if it were an error on your part when you declared my daughter to have ceased to exist —you will now at once prove the rectitude of your conduct by handing me over the power of attorney authorising your firm to receive the interest of the capital or to sell out in case of need; and you will refund me the capital itself: Unless indeed,” oO Connicloooks Colin