The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASON’S DAUGHTER. 63 Grindem nodded in the affirmative. “1 thought as much; and pray did he inform you, sir, why I felt myself obliged to kick his son, Mr. Matthew Small, in the public streets of Manchester ?’’ Small the elder’s face turned absolutely crimson with rage. He had not named to his partner that his own son was the person with whom Henry Beacham had had a dispute about a girl—as he contemptuously termed the innocent object of his eldest son’s imper- tinence. Gilbert smiled at Small’s discomfort ; bad as he was himself, he could still despise his partner. “« And pray who was this girl,” he demanded. “ Girl!” repeated Henry, with difficulty mastering his indignation; “it was poor Richard Lawrence’s sister, who, while her brother, her natural protector, is lying, most probably, on his death-bed, Matthew found courage and manhood to insult. Tell him from me, sir, added the young man, “that if he presumes to address that young lady again—unless, indeed, it be to apologise for his previous ruffianly conduct—Tll horse- whip him in the most pyblic street in Manchester.” “ Humph!”’ ejaculated Grindem, with the air of a man not altogether satisfied, for he had rather the quarrel had been about anyone rather than Amy. ‘<This comes of boys being suffered to run wild. I beg, Small, I may be annoyed no further with these quarrels ; if your son is uncomfortable in the counting- house, he can quit, it. The affair is clear enough— VOL. I. F COniiclooecl SS (SO