Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 222: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. nearly nineteen years since——-but I need not allude to unpleasant occurrences " “There is no reason why they should sot be alluded to, Mr. Timperley,” said Lord Ormsby, in that deop-toned voice of his which seemed to pene- trate into the very profundities of the lawyer’s soul with an effect as if it were a knell awakening @ remorse with all its concomitant terrors. “ Why not proceed openly and frankly and boldly to state that nearly nineteen years have elapsed since the devilish piece of villany contrivod by my father-in-law Joshua Waldron, aided by a cortain Thomas Timperley, proved tho fertilo source of a thousand calamities P” “My lord! my lord!” said Timperley, with a half-frightened, half-deprecating manner, “ I hope your lordship will not use terms that are too harsh. Be pleased to remember that I was a mere clerk at the time—a servant to a master whoso bread I ate—who paid me wages— “Do you tnean to tell me,” interrupted Lord | Ormesby, with a movement of disgust and aversion, | “‘ that because he paid you a wage, he bought you, ' body and soul? But let that pass! Timperley. 171 “When you said that to me, my lord,” replied Timperley, “ 1 wondered how you could possibly know it. But I suppose you naturally concluded the documents were of far too great consequence to make away with P” Ormsby's lips wreathed scornfully ; and ho said, “ No—nothing of the sort! ow was I to judge what estimate you might place upon tho docu- ments? How did I know but that Waldron himself might have destroyed them ore he com: mitted suicide? or how was I to know that you yourself had not destroyed them, suv that thore might be naught to criminate you 7” “True, my lord!’ said Timperley; and for a fow moments he looked bewildered. “Then how was it that your lordship knew these papers were still in my possession ?” “ You aro already aware,” continued Ormsby, “how tho baptismal certificate of my grandgire Andrew Evelyn came into my possession.” “Your lordship told mo tho other day,” roplied “Tho certificate had avcidentally got inside a deed which I had given to my niece I tell you | Cicely, that she might take it to your daughter at once, Mr. Timperley, that I am guing to take | Agnes—whence it might finally reach the hands no step which may unnecessarily compromise you. of old Mr. Barrington Not that for an instant I would have you sup- pose it is through friendship towards yourself Ormsby, *Yoa: and did I not tell you,’ resumed “bow that deed travollod out to the West Indies, and how by the dispensations of I am chary of your reputation. Nothing of the | sort! But thero is the reputation of others that | providence it was made to fall into my hands, 1 would fain scroon to the utmost of my power. ; so that whon I uponed it I beheld inside the cor- I will not suffer the grave tv bo ransacked, that tificate,—the lawful certificate which was to put the memory of my fathor-in-law may be disinterrod, | mo in possession of my birthright! Then I said s0 to speak—or that tho namo of my wretched ‘to myself, ‘ If Afr. Timperley is slill harping and long-perished wife Tlonoria may likewiso be ‘ on the affuir of’ the Ormshy estates and thinking covered with obloquy. For have | not a daughter it worth while to collect the documents which re- living ——”’ | gard that matter, he must have preserved the old “ Yes, yes, my lord!” ejaculated Timperloy— . onus 1”? “a daughter as amiablo as she is boautiful !” |} “Ah! tho calculation was made with infinito ‘Rest assured,” interrupted Ormpby, with that : tact,” cried tho attorney. “I roally do not think cynical bitterness which» was habitual to him, “I that the same idea would have struck me! But should not take the guarantee of her character | your lordship was just now speaking of yvur from your lipa!—no, not even the character of dauglter. May I inquire if you have yet soon my own daughter! I bolievo in nothing from | Miss Kvelyn ?” hearsay; noithor do I believe in anything from! “1 have seen her: yes, I have seen her nearly putward appearances only. In a word, I believe, every day since I arrived in London, which is nothing but that which I ascertain for myself | ; upwards of six woeoks agu; for I had beon in the which 1 sce with my own eyes—or know of my: metropulis nearly a mouth before I determined own knuwledge—or ascortain through agente of | upon prosenting myself to you. Yes—I havo my own appointing, and in whose trustworthiness | i soon wy daughter—but it has only been from a Ican place reliance, Ab! you may stare at me, | distance; and I have not yot spoken to her—nor Mr. Timperley !—but did not you yourself just | does she know that I am in existence !” now admit that experience must have taught me; “And I can assuro you, my lord, that both my- many rude lessons?” } self and Mrs. Timperley have’ kept tthe secret most “ Yes, yes, my lord! no doubt of it!’ said the | religiously, ucoording to your injunctions. But attorney. | pray suffer me to ask wherefore your lordship is “You do well to assure yourself,” continued | thus delaying that which ought to prove a joy Ormsby, “ that the person whom you now aeo before | and a delight-——” youis a very different being indeed from him whom | “'I'hink you that it would have been a joy aud you beheld fleeing away from England nivetoun | a delight,” interrupted Ormsby, sternly, “ to go, years ago! The Morton Evelyn of to-day is differ- | and clairo, recognise, and ackuowledgo a daughter ant indeed from the Morton Evelyn of that period ! ' without being previously confident that she was. The real Lord Ormsby of this date is very different ‘worthy of such acknowledgment P= =Did L not from the false Lord Ormaby of tho periud to which learn how her cousin Floribel Lister fled from hor we are referring! What did you think, Mr. ‘Tim- ; ' home perley whon after having presented mysulf to you | in Regent Street, the other day, the very next ; that your wisdom and prudence and caution are thing I said to you was this—‘ Fou havo got all; very great! But might I be permitted to inquires. the documents which regard my pase, and it were whorotfure, after arriving in Hogland, you sutferod useless for you to deny it ?'” ian entire mongh to elapse era you deigned w ; Comiclooo “ Ah, well, my lord,” said Mr. Timperley ; ‘“2-vac | S CO