Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

m7 ars scorn to abuse you,” interrupted Ormsby, bending down from the height of his dignity a look upon the old mav which was almost sufficient to crush him. “ There is something vulgar and low in the idea of merely levelling abuse at a person! It is a thing, not do. But if you in your tru your own consci you to the world,— up your name to execration “No, no! you will not do it! for God’s sake spare me!” eroaned the wretched old man. “ You do not know how shamefully I have been treated | by the Dalbams!” af “ By Sir John ai tr mean,” interjected ou mean. that I show ill presently denounce ou mean that by holding | Ormsby. “Use not therefore the. plural; for if you include his son, you speak falsely! With just | as much reason might “tie accuse me of being your enemy.” “But one is apt to visit the sins of the father upon the son,” said old Barrington, with a half petulant, half affrighted manner. “Tf you quote scripture, sir,’ interrupted Ormsby sternly, “do not pervert it to suit your own vile prejadices and selfishnesses. @ maxim which says, ‘Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Have you acted upon this priuciple? have you behaved to Winifred with that goodness, that forbearance, and that gentleness which you always exacted from her? I do not interfere with your hostility egainst Sir John Dalham. It is natural: perhaps therefore it is rather to be commended than other- wise. I myself have had my hatreds and my loves; and Oh! would to God that the latter had predominated over the former !” _ At this moment the door opened, and Mrs, Sleter entered the room. =e CHAPTER XXXII ORMSBY AND WINIPBED. THE worthy woman was in tears; and she adopted | @ supplicating manner as she advanced towards the old man and his visitor. Ormsby had sud- denly stopped short; but it was a look of the ut- roost kindness that he bent on Mrs. Slater; for he had heard from the lips of his daughter Agnes how admirably she had behaved to Winitred throughout all the period of her troubles. “Pray excuse me, gentlemen,” said Mrs, Slater, looking first at one and then at the other; “but I feared you were quarrelling—I mean to say dis- puting, or having high words: and [ could not help stopping at the door, and I overheared a por- tion of what took place. Heaven knows I am not given to eavesdropping * “Tam sure,” interrupted Lord Ormsby, “that you are too good a woman to do anything for which you need blush. You have perhaps learnt suffivient to be aware——” “That you are interceding for the best young woman that ever lived!’ Mrs. Slater hastened to add, “ God bless youfor it! I have prayed Mr. Barrington over and over again to see bis grand- daughter and be reconciled to her. And here she is waiting below——” AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, ich I never did, and could | at I denounce you to Is there not. 187 “Eb, what P” ejaculated the old man: “ Wini- fred down stairs? You have no business to allow it, Mrs. Slater! I have told you before that if you permit people to come to the house that I have no sympathy with ——” “Mrs. Slater,” interrupted Lord Ormsby, “go and tell Mrs. Roderick Dalham that her grand- father finally discards her and utterly casts her off! Go and say that she has already humbled herself more than even ary daughter need do to the author | of her being—far more therefore than any grand- daughter need do towards a grandsire ! Say ltke- wise that all her long pet and strugelings acainst adversity for the eake of this erandsire | have been thrown away, and that for all her illimitable goodness she is to experience naught but the most heartless ingratitude. Tell her therefore that she need come hither no more! So hiuch for the dark side of the picture. Aud now for the bright side. ‘Tell her that she has friends who esteem, admire, and love her; and that these shall all be summoned to-morrow, to meet for the purpose of devising tho means to accomplish for her some permanent and substantial good. Mr. Wardour, and Mr. Cartwright—the amiable Miss Evelyn—yourself, Mrs. Slater—and I, who am now addressing you,—we will all assemble, and we will each subscribe to the best of our means, so as to render her altogether independent of this heartless old man who rejects, repudiates, and dis- cards her! But stay! I will accompany you—and we will together tell Winifred all this.” While Mrs. Slater contemplated Lord Ormsby with mingled wonder and admiration, the old man sat writhing upon his chair, a prey to all the mise. rable feelings which could not fail to be expe- rienced by one in his position, suffering under the lash of the terrible language which emanated from the lips of a man who seemed to have been sent thither as the avenger of the poor young woman. Ormsby marked the effect which his words had produced; and he lost no time in fol- lowing up the blow. * Ag for you, old man,” he said, “ we leave you’ alone in grim anticipation of such enjoyment as the speedy possession of riches will afford you. | Keep them all to yourself! She whom you mizht ‘have rendered happy therewith, aud to whose palo countenance your kindness might have called up smiles, will nof be with you! You have not long to live. When you lio stretched upon your death- bed, where will sho be who might soothe your ce- parting moments, smooth your agitated pillow, and help you to pray that God may have merey upon your soul! Yes—and in your supremo hour you shall vainly call upon her! When the King of Terrors is striding towards you, ghestly in his spectral shape, yeu shall fruitlessly shriek out the name of her who will not come to solace and con- sole you in _ last painful instants when life is ebbing away! And now, Mre. Slater,” added Lord Ormsby, “let us descend and see Winifred.” “Stop, stop!” cried the old man, who was af- frighted by the terrible words which had just beea addressed to him, and which seemed to be fraught with all the awful impressiveness of prophecy : “do not leava moe in this manner! You, Mr, Hargrave, are very, very severe——” * Not moro severe,” interjected Ormsby, “* than your conduct seemed to deserve! But if you now COMMcaoolkk< (©) S}