Agnes: A Tale of the Streets — page 259: what you’re looking at

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

208 * Your meaning and mine, Mr. Timperley,” re- sumed Sir Roderick, ‘' are evidently very different. The preamble of this will provides that all my father’s debts shall be paid———” “ And they are all aettJed,” ejaculated Mr. Tim- perley. “I have the receipts in full, signed by all those gentlemen whom you have so uselessly troubled to come to this meeting.” “The debts may be settled, Mr. Timperley,” said Sir Roderick; “but they are not paid.” “Ob, I beg your pardon, sir,” cried Timperley, with another sneer. ‘In a legal point of view the settlement of debts is their payment. Everybody knows this.” | “T am well aware,” said Sir Roderick, ‘ that AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLBASURE. a case where actual coercion was known to be impossible. ‘1 wish you good day, gentlemen,” -~and gathering up his papers, Mr- Timperley was about to depart. “ You go with me, sir,” said a astern voice elose to his ear: and at the same time a hand was laid upon his shoulder. “With you, sir P’=and i¢ was with a sudden start that Timperley, turning round, thus con: fronted Mr. Devon. “ Yes—with me, sir. You are my prisoner.” “Your prisoner ?’—and Timperley became at white as a sheet. “ For—for—what ?” he gagpec forth P “ But, pooh! this is ridiculous!” he eja- culated, all in a moment recoveriug hitnself. you have the strict letter of the law on your side,, “It is a trick—or else a porjured tongue hat Mr. Timperley. But I now give you a asvlemn | 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 aummon the witnesses—thoy are here, be- commence by doing an act of justice on the pre- | neath thia roof ” sent occasion.” | «T have nothing to do with the will, Mr. Tim. “What is the meaning of this language, sir?” | perloy,” interrupted Devon. ; demanded Timperley, rising from his seat and “Then who are you, sir?” asked the lawyer fixing his Jooks fiercely upon the Baronet. “ How: and again an expression gf vague terror fiitted dare you take meto task? I stand upon my just. over his countenance : “ ¥.40 are you, sir ?” rights. You yourself have admitted that I have ! “ An offiggr of just,” was the reply. “ Iam the law in my favour and that is sufficient! | afe0n of the Detective Force.” We will not bandy words.” vhut—what — what — Mr. Wrightson,” “Take heed, Mr. Timperley,” said Dalbam, | faltered dat 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, ‘I charge you, sir,” replied the detective, “ witt you deem yourself strongest you are in reality | a crime which fur upwards of a twelvemonth hat 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 figw in the face of ; quivering—annihilated, he sank down upon hit an affectionate father’s wieles !—you, the dis- ! chair. owned and the discarded—having no right even to| Immense was the sensation that was produced enter within these walls!—you, a mere interloper | upon the spectators of this scene—with the excep. and intruder ad ; tion of Sir Roderick, who, as a matter of course, “Beware, sir—beware!” ejaculated Sir Rode- | was well aware of the tremendous charge that wat 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 4 Tiese words produced an immenee sensation on | moment a new phase in the scone developed itself the spectators cf the singular scene; and Tim-j for Mr. Timperley, rising up from his seat—out perley was again cmitten with a vague terror. Ho | wardly calm and collected—said in a firm voice swept his eyes around ; there was a seat ompty— “ Gentlemen, you noed not be surprised if for u it was Mr. Devon’r. Then it was with a sudden moment I was overwholmed by an accusatiun as un- etart that Timperle, became aware that this mys- | expected as it te preposterous. Jt 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 , knowe that his own wife was accused of the mur- something in the keen expression of his eyes which der, and that her acquittal arose from some cir- emote Timperley with the conviction that whatever cuwstances which are involved in mystery ” danger (if any) might threaten him, would ema- “Silence, sir!” exclaimed Roderick ; “ maligr nate trom that quarter! not the character of the purost 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 “Ob, 1 will go with you as a matter of course shall take my doparture, as I have business to Mr. Wrightsvn,” said Timperley ; ‘and ,yia aii transact elsewhere.” _800n see, gentlemen, what the magist: ate will say “ For the last time,” exclaimed Roderick Dal- | to this ridiculous charge.” ham, “ I conjure you to jisten to the dictates of | Thus speaking, he thrust his papers into hil rectitude and honeur, by giving those persons | pucket : and then taking .1p his hat, he accom: their just due :’—and he pvinted towards the | panied the detective trom the room, without agair array of creditors. | looking to the right or lett; and though the ex. “Knough of these impertinences !” exclaimed | pression of his countenance was firm and rigid, yet Timperley, again plucking up his courage; be- | it was remarked by sci,eral persons prosent that be cause he naturally thought frow the words of the ; seemed to stagger ¢.ve or twice and then catch Him- Baronet, that he was simply berg wppented to in self up suddenly as he procerded towards the dour o COnniclboockks