Agnes Vol. 2 — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

AGNES; OR, BRAUTY AND PLRASTRRE. “T eould 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 proyoke me into @ declaration of the opinion which I entertain of you, sir, you will at once take your depar- ture.” 4 “ Hey? what P” ejaculated the Baronet: “ giy- ing orders in my presence and in my own room, Roderick! Thies is an impertinence which I do not choose to put up with. Mr. Timperley is a very excellent friend of mine-——~’”’ “A friend, father f’’ exclaimed Roderick, aa 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 exisfonce ! Begone, sir—begone !”’ he added, turning Bercely 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 réimain—you need not mind his intemperate language——” “T troat it with the contempt that it desorves,” said Mr. Timperley; and he un eDipe malig- nant look upon Roderick Dalham. “Ab! you dare maintain a bold hardvhood 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 manrgement of thuse affairs! But you shall not!—no, by heaven, 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 one who felt confident that he pussegesed the means of wreaking a bitter revenge, and who was calmly waiting for the moment whou the blow should be etruck. “ 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 Birrington P” Roderic started and turned deadly pale; while hie father ejaculated, “What, what—the two names coupled? Timperley, it is you who are now giving vent to impertineuces in your turn!” “I am only afraid, Sir John,” rejoined tho lawyer, “that you will find I bave proclaimed a vory disagreeable truth. Ask Mr, Dalham whother Wiuitred is not his wifo.” The Baronet fluny a glance upon his son; and in that son’s countenavce he read the fatal cor- roboration of Mr. Timperley’s words, Then the oldman gave a wild cry and sank back upon the pillow, 106 “ Never, never!” cried the Baronet, suddenly raising himself from his sitting posture again. “Never! My bitterest cursa ——" “No, no, father!” ejaculated Roderick, sinking upon his knees by the side of the bed ; “‘ curse me not! It isa 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 I have wedded Winifred: I love her—she is the 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 foet and implore your blessing !” “What! a Barrington enter my house?” almost shrieked the old man. “No, never! nover! Ros derick I disown—TI discard you——~” “One word, father!” ejaculated the afflicted son. “ For heaven’s sake conquer your prejudices and look at the poltcy 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 [ am eure that in the long run Mr. Barrington will for- give his granddaughter, as you, father, will nuw forgive your son!” “Forgive you?” cried the Baronet: “ nover! never! Leave me at once! begone—depart—y uit the house, I command you! I disown ana disuard you! You are no longer my son! Gv!’—and the old man pointed with his skinny arm in 4 peremptory manner towards the door. “ Father, you cannot mean it!” said Rodorick, rising from his suppliant posture; and he then caught a glimpse of Timperley’s sinistor visuge 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 auch an adviser as that,” cried Roderick pointing towards Tim- perley, “I am afraid that you will be capablo of any act of injustice!” “ Kverything, Roderick, is at an end betweon you and me,” said the Baronet, nbw speaking in,a calm deliberate tone. “You have wilfully severed every tio which bound yoursclf to me or me to you. You have done it with your cyosepen —and you must take the consequences. I now command you to leave my room this moment, and my house within an hour!” A violent struggle was taking place in the breast of HKoderick Dulham; and he was ayia on tha point of throwing himself upon his Lnvoes and im- ploring mercy at his father’s hands, when he once more caught sight of the sinister visage of Tim- perley—and he mutterod to himself, “ My evil genius is there to ruin me!” “ Depart !” said the Baronet, now bursting forth in an infuriato tone again : “ depart! [ discard you ! If you terry but another instant in my prosenec, I will curse you—I will invoke the must torriblu 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 the pillows, gasping in the exhaustion which followed upodr tho tremendous excitement througl ‘which bo had just passed. Timperley hastened tv proifur a glaes “Father, doar father!” exclaimed Roderick, ! of water: but Sir Juha waved it petulautly away * forgive me, I beseech you!” | with his hand, and murmuringly bade tho las yor GORMGOOO S (C@