Frank Fairlegh Part 67

"It strikes me he'd be all the better for a few more lessons of the sort, eh? go through a regular 'educational course,' as they call it.

Governors nowadays get so dreadfully conceited and dictatorial--they know best--and they will have this--and they won't have that. It's no joke to be a son, I can tell you.--'Latchkey, sir! only let me hear of your daring to introduce that profligate modern invention into my house, and I'll cut you off with a shilling.'"

"'The most unkindest cut of all,'" quoted Freddy. "Worse than 'cut behind' for the small boys, who indulge their locomotive propensities by sitting on the spikes at the backs of carriages, eh?" said Lawless.

"Sharp set they must be, very!" put in Freddy. "Well, of all the vile puns I ever heard, that, which I believe to be an old Joe Miller, is the worst," exclaimed I. "Not to subject myself any longer to such wretched attempts, I shall go and dress for dinner."

"By way of obtaining _re-dress_! Well, I hope we shall be _better suited_ when we meet again," rejoined Freddy, fairly punning me out of the room.

Mr. Frampton returned from town late that evening, but in high health and spirits, having been closeted for some hours with his legal adviser, who had given him clear instructions as to the course he was to pursue to obtain possession of his niece on the following day.

When I retired to my room that night, I was too much excited to sleep, but it was excitement of a pleasurable nature. I lay picturing to myself the next day's scene-- -442-- the surprise and anger of Mr. Vernor--the impotent fury of c.u.mberland's disappointed avarice--the grotesque joy of old Peter Barnett--and, above all, the unspeakable delight of rescuing my sweet Clara from a home so unfitted to her gentle nature, and removing her to an atmosphere of kindness and affection; and with such pleasant thoughts wandering through my brain, towards morning I fell into a sound sleep. The sun was shining brightly when I again unclosed my eyes, and, hastily dressing, I hurried down to the breakfast-room, where I found Mr. Frampton already engaged in discussing a very substantial meal.

"Umph! I didn't expect you would have turned lie-abed this morning, of all the days in the year, Master Frank," was his salutation on my entrance.

"I really am ashamed of myself," replied I, sitting down to the breakfast-table; "but my thoughts were so busy, and my mind so filled with antic.i.p.ations of coming happiness, that I did not contrive to get to sleep till quite morning."

"Umph! serve you right--you never should antic.i.p.ate anything; depend upon it, it's the surest way to prevent what you wish for coming to pa.s.s. When I was in the Mahratta country, I antic.i.p.ated I was going to marry the Begum of Tinc.u.mrupee--splendid woman! kept forty-two elephants for her own special riding, and wore a necklace of pearls as big as hazel nuts. What was the consequence? Instead of fulfilling my expectations, one fine morning she changed her mind, took up with a tawny, and ordered me to be strangled, only I got timely notice of her benevolent intentions, and lost no time in putting myself under the protection of my old crony, Blessimaboo, the Rajah of Coddleafellah.

Umph!"

"Let me give you another cup of coffee, since the lady with the unp.r.o.nounceable name did not succeed in her amiable design of destroying your swallowing powers for ever," returned I.

"Umph! I won't say No--there's nothing like serving out good rations to your men before they go into action; I've seen campaigning enough to know that."

"On the strength of which argument I shall cut you another slice of ham," rejoined I, suiting the action to the word. At length even Mr.

Frampton's excellent appet.i.te appeared exhausted, and he declared himself ready to face old Vernor if he should prove as cantankerous as a rhinoceros in hysterics; after which statement we proposed to start on our expedition. During his visit to -443-- town on the previous day, Mr.

Frampton had purchased a very handsome light travelling carriage, which, with post-horses, was now in waiting to convey us to Barstone. On our way thither, my companion informed me of the particulars of his interview with his legal adviser, and the powers with which he was invested, and which were to be brought to bear upon Mr. Vernor, if, as was to be expected, he should attempt to resist the claim. As the effect of the information thus acquired will appear in the course of this veritable history, I need say no more concerning the matter at present.

We then proceeded to lay down the plan of operations, which embraced an innocent little stratagem for more effectually taking "the change"

out of Mr. Vernor, as Lawless would have termed it. It was agreed, in pursuance of this scheme, that I should open the conversation, by informing Clara's guardian that, owing to an unexpected change in my fortunes, I was now in possession of means amply sufficient to maintain a wife, and had therefore come to renew my suit for the hand of his fair ward, merely introducing Mr. Frampton as a friend of mine, who was prepared to furnish proof of the truth of my statement, if Mr. Vernor were not satisfied with my bare a.s.sertion. According to the way in which he should behave when this communication was made to him, were we to regulate our after conduct. I now learned for the first time that Frampton was not my benefactor's real name, but one which he had adopted when he commenced his wanderings, and which he determined to retain on learning, as he imagined he had done indisputably, that his family was extinct. This accounted for the otherwise strange fact, that Mr. Vernor should have remained in ignorance, up to the present period, of the existence of his ward's uncle. Lady Saville's maiden name, as I had been previously told, was Elliot, and my companion's real t.i.tle, therefore, was Ralph Elliot. So occupied were we in discussing these interesting topics, that we had reached the gates of Bar-stone Park before our conversation began to flag; but the sight of the old quaintly built lodge, realising, as it did, the object of our visit, raised a host of varying thoughts and feelings too powerful for utterance; and, by mutual consent, we finished our drive in silence.

A servant, whose face was unknown to me, answered the door; and replying in the affirmative to my inquiry whether Mr. Vernor was at home led the way to the library.

"What name shall I say, sir?"

-444-- "Merely say, two gentlemen wish to see Mr. Vernor upon business,"

was my reply; and in another moment I was once again face to face with Clara's guardian. He looked older and thinner than when I had seen him before, and care and anxiety had left their traces even on his iron frame: he was less erect than formerly, and I observed that, when his eyes fell upon me, his lip quivered, and his hand shook with suppressed irritation. Still his face wore the same cold, immovable, relentless expression as ever; and when he spoke, it was with his usual sarcastic bitterness.

"I cannot imagine under what possible pretext Mr. Fairlegh can expect to be regarded in this house in any other light than as an unwelcome intruder, after his late outrageous conduct," was the speech with which he received me.

"If you refer, sir, to the well-merited chastis.e.m.e.nt I inflicted on your nephew, I can only say, that Mr. c.u.mberland alike provoked the quarrel and commenced the attack; if you have received a true account of the matter, you must be aware it was not until your nephew had struck me more than once with his cane that I returned the blow."

"Well, sir, we will not discuss the affair any farther, as I presume it was scarcely for the purpose of justifying yourself that you have come hither to-day."

"You are right, sir," returned I; "and not to prolong a conversation which appears disagreeable to you, I will proceed at once to the purport of my visit. You have not, I imagine, forgotten the occasion of my former intrusion, as you termed it?"

"No, sir," he replied angrily, "I have not forgotten the presumptuous hopes you entertained, nor the cool effrontery with which you, a needy man--not to use any stronger term--preferred your suit for the hand and _fortune_" he added, laying a strong emphasis upon the last word, "of my ward, Miss Saville."

"That suit, sir, I am now about to renew," replied I, "but no longer as the needy fortune-hunter you were pleased to designate me. My friend here is prepared to show you doc.u.ments to prove, if you require it, that I am, at this moment, in possession of an income amply sufficient to support a wife, and that, should my proposal find favour with your ward, I am in a position to offer her an establishment embracing not only the comforts but the refinements of life, and am prepared to make as liberal settlements as can reasonably be required of me: -445-- her own fortune I wish to have placed entirely under her own control."

As I spoke his brow grew dark as night, and rising from his chair, he exclaimed, "I'll not believe it, sir! This is some new trick--I know your scheming talents of old; but, however," he continued, seeing, no doubt, from my manner, that I was in a position to prove the truth of my a.s.sertions, "rich or poor, it makes no difference in my decision; I have but one answer to give--I have other prospects in view, other intentions in regard to the disposal of my ward's hand, and, once for all, I finally and unhesitatingly reject your offer."

"I believe, sir," replied I, restraining by an appealing glance Mr.

Frampton, whose zeal in my cause was becoming almost ungovernable, and who was evidently burning to be at him, as he afterwards expressed it-- "I believe, sir, I am right in imagining Miss Saville is of age, in which case I must insist upon your laying my proposal before her, and on receiving her decision from her own lips."

"She is of age, sir, but her late father, knowing how liable girls are, from their warm feelings, and ignorance of the ways of the world, to become the prey of designing persons, wisely inserted a clause in his will, by which it is provided, that in case of her marrying without my consent, her fortune shall pa.s.s into my hands, to be disposed of as I may consider advisable. I need scarcely add, that in the event of her marrying Mr. Fairlegh, she will do so without a farthing."

"Umph! eh? perhaps not, sir--perhaps not; you seem to me to look upon this matter in a false light, Mr. Vernor--Umph! a very false light; and not to treat my young friend with the degree of courtesy which he and every other honourable man has a right to expect from any one calling himself a gentleman. Umph! Umph!"

"Really I cannot be expected to discuss the matter farther," replied Mr.

Vernor, with greater irritation of manner than he had yet suffered to appear. "I have not formed my opinion of Mr. Fairlegh hastily, nor on insufficient grounds, and it is not very probable that I shall alter it on the representations of a nameless individual, brought here for the evident purpose of chorusing Mr. Fairlegh's a.s.sertions, and a.s.sisting to browbeat those who may be so unfortunate as to differ from him. You must find such a friend invaluable, I should imagine," he added, turning towards me with a supercilious smile. "Umph! nameless individual, sir--nameless -446-- individual, indeed! Do you know who you are talking to?" Then came the aside, "Of course he does not, how should be? Umph!"

"I think you must by this time see the folly of attempting to prolong this absurd scene, Mr. Fairlegh," said Mr. Vernor, addressing me, without noticing Mr. Frampton's observation otherwise than by a contemptuous glance; "I presume we have come to the last act of this revival of the old comedy, 'A Bold Stroke for a Wife,' and I think you are pretty well aware of my opinion of the performance."

"Umph! eh?--I fancy you'll find there's another act before the play is ended yet, sir," returned Mr. Prampton, who was now thoroughly roused; "an act that, with all your cunning, you are not prepared for, and that even your unparalleled effrontery will be insufficient to carry you through unmoved. You say, sir, that by the will of the late Sir Henry Saville, his daughter's inheritance descends to you in the event of her marrying without your consent. May I ask whether there is not a certain contingency provided for, which might divert the property into another channel? Umph!"

"Really, sir, it is long since I looked at the will," exclaimed Mr.

Vernor, for the first time dropping his usual tone of contemptuous indifference, and speaking quickly and with excitement--"May I inquire to what you refer?"

"Was there not a clause to this effect, sir?" continued Mr. Frampton sternly; and, producing a slip of paper, he read as follows:--

"'But whereas it was the firm belief and conviction of the aforesaid Clara Rose Elliot, afterwards Lady Saville, my late lamented wife, that her brother Ralph Elliot, supposed to have perished at sea, had not so perished, but was living in one of our colonies, I hereby will and direct, that in the event of the said Ralph Elliot returning to England, and clearly proving and establishing his ident.i.ty, three hundred pounds per annum shall be allowed him out of my funded property, for his maintenance during the term of his natural life; and I further will and direct, that in the event of my daughter, Clara Saville, by disobedience to the commands of her guardian, Richard Vernor, forfeiting her inheritance as, by way of penalty, I have above directed, then I devise and bequeath the before mentioned funded property, together with Barstone Priory and the lands and rents appertaining thereunto, to the aforesaid Ralph Elliot, for his absolute use and behoof '."

-447--

As he listened to the reading of this portion of the will, Mr. Vernor's usually immovable features a.s.sumed an expression of uneasiness which increased into an appearance of vague and undefined alarm; and when Mr.

Frampton concluded, he exclaimed hurriedly, "Well, sir, what of that?

The man has been drowned these forty years."

"Umph! I rather think not," was the reply, "I don't look much like a drowned man, do I? Umph!"

So saying, he strode up to Mr. Vernor, and, regarding him with a stern expression of countenance, added: "You were pleased in your insolence, just now, to term me a 'nameless individual'; these papers," he continued, producing a bundle, "will prove to you that Ralph Elliot was not drowned at sea, as you imagine, but that the nameless individual whom in my person you have treated with unmerited insult, is none other than he".

"It is false!" exclaimed Mr. Vernor, turning pale with rage. "This is all a vile plot, got up in order to extort my consent to this marriage.

But I'll expose you--I'll--"

At this moment the library door was thrown violently open, and old Peter Barnett, his face bleeding and discoloured, as if from fighting, and his clothes torn and muddy, rushed into the centre of the apartment.

CHAPTER LV -- THE PURSUIT

"Let not search and inquisition fail to bring again those... runaways."

--_As You Like It_.

"Fetch me that handkerchief, My mind misgives."

--_Oth.e.l.lo_.

"Sharp goads the spur, and heavy falls the stroke, Rattle the wheels, the reeking horses smoke."

--_The Elopement_.