Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

AGHES; OR, BRAUTY AND PLEASURE. “TI 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 me into @ declaration of the opinion which I entertain of you, sir, you will at once take your depar- ture.” ‘ “ Hey? what P” ejaculated the Baronet: “ giy- ing orders in my presence and in my own room, Roderick! Thie is an impertinence which I do not choose to put up with. Mr. Timperley is a very excellent friend of mine-——”’ “A friond, father F’’ exclaimed Roderick, as he flung a scornful and indignant look at the attorney. “ No, no !—it coutd not be a friend who would ad- vise 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 Hercely 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 rétain—you need not mind his intemperate language———” “T troat it with the confompt that it desorves,” said Mr. Timperley; and he duneebPibe malig nant look upon Roderick Dalham. “Ab! you dare maintain a bold hardhood in my presence?” ejaculated Roderick; “and you dare look as if you thought that you could defy meP Depart, sir! Begone this very instant! It is my duty to protect my fathor 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 thuse affairs! But you shall not !—no, by beaven, you shall not! — for even at the risk of offending my father now, I will protect and shield his honour against your vilo 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 perfectly fiend. like in its malignity. It was the sardonic satis- faction and devilish inward chuckling of ono who felt confident that ho pusseased the moans of wreaking a bitter revenge, and who was calmly waiting for the moment whou the blow should be struck. “ And so, Mr. Roderick Dalbam,” he said, “ you talk of shielding and protecting your father’s honour —do you? Very good! Nuthing could be more propor! 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” Rodericx started and turned deadly palo; while hie father ejaculated, “What, what—the two names coupled? Timperley, it is you who are now giving vent to impertinences in your turn!” “TI am only afraid, Sir John,” rejoined tho lawyer, “that you will find I bave prucluimed a vory disagreeable truth. Ask Mr. Dalbam whother Wiuitred is not his wifo.” The Baronet fluoy a glance upon his son; and in that son’s countenance he read the fatal cor- ruboration of Mr. Timperley’s words, Then the old’man gave a4 wild cry and sank back upon the pillow. 195 “Never, never!” cried the Baronet, suddenly raising himself from his sitting posture again. “Never! My bitterest curse ——"’ “No, no, father!” ejaculated Roderick, sinking upon his knees by tho side of the bed; “curse me not! It is a terrible thing for a parent to shower maledictions upon the head of a aon!” “Yet such maledictions do I invoke——” “No, no, father! Spare mo, I beseech you! Oh, spare me, I implore! It is true that [ have wedded Winifred: I love her—she is tho best of women—and you would love her also, dear fathor, 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?” almost shrieked the old man. “No, never! nover! oe dorick I disown—I discard you——~” “One word, father!” ejaculated the afflicted son. “ For heaven’s sake conquer your prejudices and look at the policy of the step which 1 have taken. If you lose the lawsuit—as lose it you must—the riches will only pass temporarily away from our family: they will revert to us—fur I am sure that in the long run Mr. Barrington wil! for- givo his granddaughter, as you, father, will now forgive your son!” “Forgive you?” cried the Baronet: “ nover! never! Leave me at once! begone—depart—j.it the house, I command you! = I disown ana diseard you! You are no longer my son! Guv!’—and the old man pointed with his skinny arm in a peremptory manner towards the door. “ Father, you cannot mean it!” said Ivdorick, rising from his suppliant posturo; and he then caught a glimpse of Timperley’s sixistor vissze peering round the curtains at him; for the lawyer had now taken his stand at the foot of tho bed. “Ah! go long as you possess such an asltviscr as that,” cried Roderick pointing towards Tim- perley, “I am afraid that you will be capablo of any act of injustice!” “ Kverything, Roderick, is af an ond betweon you and me,” said the Baronet, now speaking in,a calm deliberate tone. “You have wilfully severed every tic which bound yourself to me or me to you. You have done it with your cyosvpen —and you must take the consequeacs. I now command you to leave my room this moment, and my bouse within an hour!” A violent struggle was taking place in iho breast of Roderick Dulham; and he was ayia on tha point of throwing bimself upon his Lnoes and im- ploring mercy at his father’s hands, when he once more caught sight of the sinister visage of Tim- perley—and he mutterold to himself, “ My evil genius is there to ruin me!” “ Depart !’ said the Baronet, now bursting forth in an infuriato tone again: “ depart! I discard you! If you tarry but another instant in my presence, I will curse you—I will invoke the must torribly maledictions upon your head !” * No, no!” exclaimed Roderick aifvighted at tay threat ; and he rushed out of the chamber. The Baronet again fell back upon tho pillows, gasping in the exhaustion which followed upor tho tremendous excitement through ‘which Ho bad just passed, Timperley hastened tv proffer a glasa “Father, doar father!” exclaimed Roderick, | of water: but Sir Joho waved it petulautly away * forgive me, I beseech you!” | with bis hand, and waurmuringly bade the las yor comic boo S CO