The Argosy — page 262: what you’re looking at

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

244 The Master of Greylands. “To give up her would be to sacrifice all the prospects I care for.” “Tush, William !” “ Think what it is you would advise, sir!” spoke the son with ill- suppressed emotion. ‘“ Putting aside my own feelings, think of the dishonour to my name! I should be shuhned by all gocd and true men ; I should shun myself. Why, I would not live through such dis- honour.” Sir Richard took a pinch of snuff. “These misfortunes only render it the more urgent for me to carry out the ‘engagement, sir. Is it possible that you do not see it? Mary Castlemaine’s happiness is, I believe, bound up in me; and mine, I freely avow it, is in hers. Surely, father, you would not part us!” “Listen, William,” spoke Sir Richard, in the calm, stern tones he could assume at will, more telling, more penetrating than the loudest passion. “Should Miss Castlemaine become portionless—as I believe it will turn out she has become—you cannot marry her. Or, if you do, it would be with my curse. I would not advise you, for your own sake, to invoke that. You can look elsewhere for a wife: there are numbers of young women as eligible as ever was Miss Castlemaine.” Long they talked together, far on into the night, the stern tones on the one hand becoming persuasive ones; the opposition sinking into silence. When they separated, Sir Richard felt that he had three parts gained his point. ‘Tt is all right,” said he mentally, as he stalked up to bed with his candle. ‘‘ William was always ultra dutiful.” Sir Richard interdicted his son’s visits to Miss Castlemaine ; and the one or two scant calls the young man made on her, were made in dis- obedience. But this state of things could not last. William Blake- Gordon, with his yielding nature, had ever passessed a rather ex- aggerated idea of the duty a son owes his father: moreover, he knew instinctively that Mary would never consent to marry in opposition to Sir Richard, even though he brought himself to do it: and he was as 2 very reed in the stronger hands. It soon became known abroad that Miss Castlemaine’s fortune had certainly been sacrificed. Sir Richard was cold and distant to his son, the young man miserable. One day the baronet returned to the charge ; intending his mandate to be final. They were in the library. William was listening in silence when the note was brought from Miss Castlemaine. It could not have arrived more seasonably for Sir Richard’s views. The young man opened it; read it to the end; and passed it to his father in silence. “A very sensible girl, upon my word,” exclaimed Sir Richard, when he had mastered the contents by the aid of a double eye-glass. ‘She sees things in their right light. Castlemaine was, after all,,an.extremely ® ECORNICLOOO SS (CO) in —_)