Agnes Vol. 2 — page 194: what you’re looking at

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

- 187 _ “T scorn to. abuse you,” interrupted Ormuby,; “Eh, what?” ejaculated the old man: “ Wini- bending down from the height of his dignity a* fred down staira? You have no business to allow look upon the old man which was almost sufficient . it, Mre. Slater! I have told you before that if you to crush him. “ There is something vulgar and ! permit people to come fo the house that I have no low in the idéa of mercly levelling abuse at a | sympathy with——”” | person! It ia a thing which I never did, and could! “Mrs, Slater,” interrupted Lord Ormsby, “go nut dv. But if by abuse you mean that I show land tell Mra. Roderick Daliam that her grand- you in your true coloure—that I denounce you to | father finally discards her and utterly casts her of ! your own gonscience, as I will presently denounce | Go and say that she has already humbled herself AGNES;*OR, HEAUTY AND PLEASURE, you to the world,—ff you mean that by holding up your name to execration—~p—” more than even any daughter need do to the author 6f her being—-far more therfore than any grand- ‘No, no! you will not do it! for God’s sake | daughter need do towards a grandsire! Say like- spare me!” groaned the wretched old man. “ You | wise that all her long battlinge and strugglings do not know how shamefully IT havo been treated by the Dathams!” “ By Sir Juhn Dalham, you mean,” interjected | ‘Ormaby. “Use not therefore the plural; for if | yow include bis son, you speak falsely! With just as much reason might you accuse me Of being your enemy,” ° oe . “But one is apt to Visit the sins of the father upon the eon,” said old Barrington, with a half petulant, half affrighted manner. “If you quote scripture, sir,’ interrupted Ormaby stornly, “dd not pervert it to suit your own vile prejudices and selfishnesses, Is there not & maxim which says, ‘Do unto others as you would that they should dv unto*you.’ Have you acted upon this principle? bave you behaved to_ Wiuilred with that goodness, that forbearance, and | against adversity for the sake of this grandusire have been thrown away, 4ud that for all her illimitable goodness she is to experiency naught but ho most heurtless ingratitude. Tell her therefore.that she need come hither no more! Su much for the dark side of the picture. And now for the bright side.. Tell her that she has friends who esteem, edimire, and love her; and that these shall all be summoned to-morrow, to meet for the purpose of dovisiig the means to accomplish for her some permanent and substantial good. Mr. Wardour, and Mr. Cartwrigbt—~the amiable Miss _ Evelyn—yourself, Mrs. Slater~and [, who sm now addressing you,—we will all assemble, and we will each subscribe to the best of our woans, so as to render her altogether independent of thia heartless old man who rejects, repudiates, and dis- that gentleness which you always exacted from; cards her! But stay! 1 will accompany you—and her ? against Sir John Daiham. It is natural: porbaps thereforo it is rather tu be commended than other- wise. I myself have had wy hatreds and my loves; aud Oi! would to Gud that the latter had predominated over the former?’ At this moment the duor opened, and Mrs. Slater entered the ruom. CHAPTER XXATI. ORMSLY AND WINIFRBD. Tox worthy woman was in tears; und she adopted t do not interfere with your hostility ; we will tuzgetber tell Winifred all this.” While Mra. Slater contemplated Lurd Orawby— with mingled wonder and admiration, the old man | sat writhing upyn his chair, a prey to all the wiee- rable fe.lings which coulu not tail to be expe- rienced by one in his position, suffering under the lash of the terrible language which omanated from the lips of a man who seemed tu bave been sent thither as the avenger of the pusr young oman. Ormsby marked the eifect which bis words had produced; aad bo lost no tiny in iul- lowing up the blow. “ As for you, old man,” he said, ‘‘ we leave you alone in grim anticipation of such cnjoyment as the speedy possession of riches will alfurd you. supplicating uauner as sho sivanced towards | Keep them all to yourself! She whom you might the vid man and hin visitor. Ormsby bad sud- ) have rendered happy therewith, aud to whose pale denly stopped short; but it wae u luck of the ué- | countenance your kindness mizht have called up tuost kindness flat be bout ou Sly, Siater; for ho ; amiles, will nut be with you! had heard from tho hips of his daughter Agnes to live. how admirably abe had behaved to Wiruwed throughout all the period of nor troubles. “Pray excuse ioe, gentlomen,” said Mra. “but @ looking first at one aad then at the other; “ but fvared you wero quarrelling—I mean to say dis- pulling, of basing bigh words: and 1 could not help stopping at the door, and I ovsrheared a por- tion of what tovk place. Weaven knows I am not given tu oaveadropping - “Jam sure,’ interrupted Lord Ormsby, “that you are too good a woman to do anything for which you need blush. You have perhaps learnt Bullicioat to be aware 7 “That you are interceding for the best young woman that ever lived?’ Mrs. Slater hastened to add. “ God bless youforit! J bave prayed Mr. Barringtun over and over again to see his grand- daugpter and be reconciled tu her. And here she is waiting below ” You have not long When you hie atrotehod upon your death- bed, where will she be who might svothe your de- parting moments, smooth your agitated pillow, and help you to pray that God may have meroy upon your soul! ‘Yes-—and in your supreme hour you shall yainly cali upon her! When the King of Terrors is striding towards you, ghastly in his spectral shapes, you shall fruitlessly shriek out the name of ber who will not. come to solace and con- sole you iu the laat painful iustauts when iile is ebbing away! And now, Mrs, Slater,” added Lord Ormsby, “let us descend and eve Winifred.” * Stop, atop!” cried the old man, who was af- frighted by tbe terrible words which bad just been addressed to him, and which seemed to be fraught with all the awful impressiveness of prophecy : ‘do not leave me in this manner! You, Mr. Hargrave, are very, very severe ” ‘« Not more severe,” interjected Ormaby, “ than your conduct seemed tv deserve! But it you now GORGE OOO OY <S (©