The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

6 REYNOLDS’ WORKS this unexpected proceeding sobered him in an instant, and tearing open the letter, he was astounded at its contents. These were laconic enough. They merely gave the young man to understand that everything was known, that thence- forth he was never again to appear in his uncle’s presence, and that an income of three hundred pounds a year was all that would be allowed him for the future. Recovering from the stupor into which this letter for the moment threw him, Ralph burst forth into a volley of the bitterest invectives against his uncle, adding, as he addressed himself to the steward, ‘‘Go and tell the old curmudgeon that I don’t care a fig for him. His estates are entailed and go along with the title, so it 1s but a little matter of time, and then I shall have all. In the interval I can raise plenty of money on post-obit bonds in the City, and therefore J repel with scorn the miserable pittance of three hundred a year which the old boy offers me.”’ With these words Ralph flung out of the house, and hastened away to rejoin his boon companions and report to them ali that had taken place. They applauded his spirit, and he plunged more deeply into dissipation and debauch- ery than ever. But in the meantime the old steward, who was a matter-of-fact kind of person, and never a sincere friend toward Ralph Farefield, proceeded to give Lord Saxondale a full and faithful account of all that his nephew had said, not even suppressing a single oath, nor one tittle of the indignities, threats, or defiances which the ungrateful young man had levelled against his uncle. “Oh,” said Lord Saxondale, his mind at once made up how to act, ‘‘ instead of contrition we have such conduct as this, have we? Let the travelling-carriage be prepared, and within an hour I shall start for Lincolnshire.” The old lord, who was just sixty years of age when this rupture with his nephew took place, had suddenly come to the determination of taking unto himself a second wile, in the hope that she might give him an heir to his possessions and title, and thus destroy the prospects of Mr. Ralph Farefield. While rolling along in his commodious travelling- carriage to Saxondale Castle, his lordship, who could be as vindictive on the one hand as he had proved himself indul- gent and generous on the other, gloated over the project which he had formed, and which became strengthened CONNIE OO KS (E(0) ~