Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

194 don’t you suggest something? You may be very well aegured that 1 am not telling you all these thiugs in a mere chit-chat style—but that I havea spccal motuuve. And what motive could I pos- sibly have execpt that of seeking your advice and co-operation ?” * Pray might I ask, Sir John Dalham,” inquired Mr. Timperley, “ how much ready money would remain to vou in tho world if the forthcoming judgment of the Court of Chancery wero to transfer all your estates to Mr. Barrington P” The Baronet glanced around the room to assure himself that no one had entered during this col- loquy : Le then leant towards Timperley ; and in a low wysterious voice he said, “I havo got ten thousand pounds sumewhero; and then you know thore is this villa, which is my own froehold-———” “ And what is it worth?” asked Timperley. “With the duzen acres of land, the whole pro- perty is worth about ten thousand pounds. ut if we throw in the furniture, the plate, and so forth and all tho property in my town-mansion, to- gether with my horses and carriages, my wines, et celcra—I dare say that I might run up the figure to fifteen thousand.” Very good,” said Timperley, taking a sheet of paper and making certain memoranda upon it. * Yuva havo ten thousand pounds in ready money ; and you could raise fifteen thousand more by the sale of this freehold and all your personal pro- porty. Is this so?” “ That is how the matter stands, my dear Tim: perley,” rejoined the Baronet. “In plain terms, Sir John, if judgment be given against you in the course of two or three days,” said the lawyer, “you will be enabled to command twenty-five thousand pounds in one sence—but in another sense you will be utterly in: solvent, because you have liabilities to that amount. Pray forgive me, Sir John, if I put the case rather offensively ; but 1 am dealing with it as a lawyer—and in this point of view it is worse than madnss to ettempt to blind one’s eyes to the veritable aspect of an affair.” “To be sure! to be sure, my dear Timperley | Now, what should you recommend ?” asked tho Baronet, again leaning forward and speaking in a confidential tone, as he looked earnestly into the lawyer's face. “ Do you not think a little trip to the Continent would do me a great deal of good P” -——and then he chuckled to a degree that brought on another fit of coughing, whereby it was a wonder that he was not carried straight off into the other world. Mr. Timperley reflected for a few minutes ; and then he said, “It would never do, Sir John! Your intention would get wiod; for remember that you are not in a condition to take suddenly to your heels and decamp. You are an invalid—your re- moval might even prove fatal———” “Ah! maledictioffs upon it !’ muttered the old man, with a deep concentrated bitterness : “ this is but too true!” * “Well then,” continued Timperley, “if your sreditors heard of it, they would adopt means to: provent your selling your property—they would, jay an embargo upon it. In short, Sir John, this’ idea of flight would not serve your purpose. It must be abandoned.” “hen what cau I do P what can I do ?” asked , AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. tho Baronet. “ I was thinking of a mortgage—a bund—or warrant of attorney—or whatever you call it———if 1 could find some trustworthy per- son 7 “Somebody, in short,” interjected Timperley, “who would make a seizure of your property, Sir John, and then privately give it back to you? Well,” added Timperley, after a few moments of reflection, “ this scheme would succeed very well———” “Do you know any trustworthy person,” asked Sir John, “ who would enter into the business? Of course I would reward him well. And then too, there is the sum of ten thousand pounds which rmoust be secretly bought into the French Funds in my name——” “It isa sort of business,” obsorved Mr. Tim- perloy, “ which I could not very well recommend to a client: but it is something which for old friondship’s sake I can do mysalf. Now the truth is, Sir John, I have had a great deal of your money in one way or anotfaer: I myself am rich enough to be enabled to afford to be grateful—and this assurance perhaps is tén thousand times better. nap an} other kind of guarantee,” “ Well)’my dear Timperley,” said the Baronet, again obuckling joyously, “if you will undertake this little business for me, it will prove an im- mense relief to my mind, as you may very well suppose———” * No, father! no! you will never do this!” sud- denly exclaimed a voice emanating from the other side of the bed; and Ruderick Dalham, who had crossed the threshold unperceived by his parent and the lawyer, stepped hastily forwatd, “ What!” cried the Baronet, half ashamed and half angry : “ you have been listening, Roderick P” “It was not my intention to listen,” quickly re- sponded the son: “you ought to know, father, that Iam iacapable of.doing anything so mean and paltry as that of playing the eavesdropper. 1 opened the door gently, thinking that you might be aslecp—in which case I should have been sorry to disturb you. I could not help catching what was passing between yourself and this man at the moment-—-and then indeed I was riveted to the spot——— ‘And what have you heard, Roderick? what have you heard ?” demanded the old Baronet hastily. “Bat no matter!” he continued, with bitterness in his tone; “you have at all events heard enough to prove to you that if I lose the lawsuit I ems ruined man!” “Ruined in purse, perhaps,” rick, “but not I hope ruined in honour ! father ! your debts must be paid !—yes, the uttermost shilling !” at—and leave us beggars!” cried Sir John. “No, no! Quit the room, Roderick! Iand Mr. ejaculated Rode- No, no, paid to . Timperley will manage matters better: we have some discourse to engage us, whereat we need not witnesses——” “Patdon me, my dear father,” interrupted Ro- derick, “but I would much rather remain with you. Indeed, I cannot think of leaving you alone with thia person !” “Mr. Dalham,” said Timperley, putting dn an air of assurance, which indeed bordered upon de- fianoe, “ you have two or three times spoken of me rudely and superciliously——” CO comiclooolk