The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

1/949 affected t to be, ashamed | of his violence. ‘The high cha- racter of Doctor Howland would, he knew, give great weight to any statement he might make, to his pre- judice, and interfere with his prospects of the reversion of the title, now the sole object of his ambition; for, anomalous as the character may appear, he was not less vain of his descent from the old house of Bamff than avaricious. He ascribed his vehemence, there- | fore, to his fears of exposing the infirmities of his deceased uncle, and even consented to the aftixing of the seals of the parties present to the cabin 1 in| tion; promising that if, upon examinatio papers belonging to Mr. Fitzgerald, he we sa | deliver them, and that the seals should x broken till the day of the funeral, and in hig p | With this promise our hero was oblig ee to rest con- tent. Much as he doubted Grabblestai, be eos that he was too pradent to violate a Pree ee given, and before sueh witnesses as r. onan and the lawyer. The morning of the funeral at last arrived, and Mr. Duncan Grabblestain, in all the wolf-drepees parapher- nalia of woe, received the mou gracionsly ; ; al- though, with his usual eye to sey, very few had been asked. Previous to procession atarting, Lord Selkirk and Judge Burton arrived; although not invited by the heir, they had ‘thought proper to. attend. “This is an unexpected pleasure,” faltered Grabble- stain. Or “ Why, ay, young man,” replied judge coolly, “Tam thinking that, considering our old friendship with your uncle, you “night funeral.” the wishes of the dear decease The judge and Lord Ae both eyed him with an | expression of sarcastic humour, which under any other | circumstances would have been risible 5 at least our hero thought SO, “That is not the worst part of your conduct,” resumed the judge; “Dr. Mowland talks of gross neglect. We will examine into that by and by.” Grabblestain began to think the friend of his uncle was a prosy old bore, and longed to order him from _ the house; but a sentiment of decency restrained him. “ Mr. Fitzgerald,” said Lord Selkirk, extending his hand to our hero, “Iam happy to meet you here This is as it should be—very thoughtful of Mr. Grab- blestain to invite you here,” “Very,” echoed the judge. Again the same half-suppressed smile played round the lips of each. Fitzgerald felt surprised at the dis- tinction with which Lord Selkirk had treated him, never having been previously introduced, or even having met his lordship before. ‘the melancholy service over, the party returned to the house of the deceased, and at once adjourned to the room in which Lord Bamff hed expired. “How is this!” exclaimed this judge; “only one cabinot sealed—very improper !” “Very,” echoed Lord Selkirk. “The property being entailed, I did not think it necessary to fix the usual seals,” ‘replied Mr. Grabble- stain tartly; for he began to be tired. of the Temarks of bis late uncle’s very partic malar friends. “ This cabinet was only sealed,” he a: ided, “in consequence f an assertion that it contained! pap ars belonging to is gentleman, Mr, pie As next of kin, and ies undoubted heir of the ¢ ceased, I break the oa . ' ’ THE MYSTURIES OF LONDON. .. , have invited us to his Grabblestain muttered meaning about privacy and | 0 ee ee Upon examination, the cabinet was found toe tain, amongst title deeds and other papers, ar . labelled “ The property of Richard Radcliff, respecting | the birth of his grandson, § “They are mine, give them to me,” exclanned | Fitzgerald eagerly. ; “J must be ire of that,” answered the heir, conligaa “The late Mr. Radcliff never mentioned you in his will, You must first prove your title to them.” “At any rate,” said Judge Burton, quietly them from the hands of the triumphant heir, “ . are not yours; I shall see that they find their _— a owner.” a viel speaker put them in his pocket as he con- uded. * This is too much for human patience,” exclaimed the enraged Grabbiestain, furious at being baulked in y | his project of humb in possibly injuring F gerald. “ Return those rs, my lord; you exee a privilege, You hay Ho right, although a judge, . to take possession of pro erty not bel g to you”, “To my capacity B his lordship, smiling; | right to do so as one of EA late uncJe’s executors.” — “Executor! executor!” — Grabblestain, | turning very pale; | for he b an to ear that his unc might have saved money ro th the estates, and willed it from him. “ What, i Bi: 2 of Heaven, had my uncle to leave? All the property is entailed.” “ You shall hear,” re fed his lordship, drawing the ) will of his old friond rom his pocket 5 “proper that you should, as you are in it.” J: “Very proper,” echoe “Lord Selkirk, whose con« versation was genera y ii bang echoing the remarks of his brother judge in being himself one of t lords of session in Sc Bi ‘Jadge Burton broke iy seals in ip fhe p prevence of th pesem mbled party, and read as + John, Earl of Bans of Bamit Castle, do give } my estates, real and rsonal, wheresoever and whatsoever, unto Gerald Fitzgerald, Esquire, grandson of my old and yalued friend Richard Radcliff, Esquir rolledy styled the Honourable Richard Radcliff, ¢ Delsel, Northumberland.” “Pshaw!’’ exclaimed Grabblestain, his face de. pale, and cold drops of perspiration trickling down his forehead; “ your lordship knows that the estates are entailed; that paper is worthless.” } “ Not one of them,” answered the judge; “the entail was cut off by your grandfather. ‘T have all the ti deeds in my possession. Your late uncle was free to will them as he pleased. Mr. Fitzgerald,” he ad ed, shaking our astonished hero by the hand, “I ¥ you joy of your fortune—fourteen thousand a besides the personals. sf “Tl not resign my right,” cried Grabbl furiously. “ As heir-at-law, my name should been mentioned in the will.” “So it should,” quietly observed Lord Selkirk. — ** So it is,” chimed in Judge Burton, who scomed to take a malicious pleasure in termenting Grabbi stain, whose ‘brutal treatment of Lord Baméff he ti terly resented; “here is a eddicil, which i ac to the will at the ‘request of my old friend :— * “** And whereas my deat nephew, Dancan Grabble- stain, has lately evinced a love for the fine os f which I did not heretofore judge him capable, and bequeath to him a certain picture by Albc Oy danetag in the dining-room, begging he will cc pt 1 it as a token of my admiration of his taste.’” =~" * Damnation!” roared the infuriated nephew. “2 Eomicbooks am a ay