Vellenaux A Novel, Edmund William Edmund William [reading a book .TXT] 📗

Accident Happened To Mrs. Coleman In Switzerland Which Resulted In

Her Death. Ralph Being Again Alone In The World,  As It Were,  Entered

Into All The Wild Dissipations Of Vienna And Paris,  Which Ended In His

Ruin; And He Returned To England With Only A Five Pound Note Between Him

And Beggary. As The Cousin And Only Male Relative Of Sir Jasper Coleman,

He Was Heir To The Baronetcy But Not To The Property. This Was

Unentailed,  And At The Will Of The Baronet; But Should He Die Intestate

The Whole Would Fall To Ralph.

 

But The Hope Of Succeeding To The Estate Banished,  Or Was At Least,  To

A Considerable Extent,  Quashed,  When He Learned That Miss Effingham Had

Been Adopted By Her Uncle,  And That Likewise He Had Made A Protege Of

The Son Of His Old Friend Eustace Carlton,  And Would No Doubt Eventually

Make A Will In Their Favor; But So Far As He Could Learn,  Up To The

Present Time No Will Had Been Made. There Was A Degree Of Consolation In

This; But In The Meantime He Must Live; He Therefore Resumed His

Profession,  And By Energy,  And The Aid Of His Aristocratic Friends,

Succeeded In Obtaining A Tolerable Practice.

 

He Was On Pretty Good Terms With His Cousin,  And Usually Went Down To

Devonshire For A Few Days During The Shooting Season,  And On More Than

One Occasion Had Sir Jasper Spoken To Him Of The Future Career Of Young

Arthur; But The Lawyer Generally Managed To Evade The Subject By Saying

There Was Plenty Of Time To Think About That When The Youngster Should

Leave College,  And Appeared To Interest Himself Very Little In The

Matter,  Because He Did Not See In What Way The Youth'S Future Career

Could Affect Him; That Sir Jasper Might Assist Arthur With His Interest,

At The Outset,  And Perhaps Give Him A Couple Of Hundred Pounds To Help

Him On In His Profession Or Calling,  He Did Not At All Doubt; But Beyond

This Ralph Did Not Believe The Baronet Would Assist Him.

 

"Ah!" Said The Attorney,  As He Took Up The Fourth Letter And Glanced At

The Postmark,  "From Devonshire,  And The Handwriting Is That Of Mrs.

Fraudhurst; What Can That Maneuvering Woman Have To Communicate? But We

Shall See,  We Shall See," And At Once Opened The Letter. The Contents

Were Evidently Not Of An Agreeable Character,  For His Brow Darken And

His Lips Were Firmly Compressed As He Read The Long And Closely Written

Epistle. At Its Conclusion He Moved For A Few Seconds Uneasily In His

Chair,  Then Re-Folded The Letter And Placed It Carefully In His

Pocketbook. With His Head Resting On His Hand He Remained Sometime In

Deep Thought; Presently His Brow Became Clear And,  Turning To His Desk,

Wrote Rapidly For The Space Of An Hour.

 

"Scrubbins," Said He,  Addressing His Confidential (And Only) Clerk,  "I

Am Going To Devonshire,  But Will Return The Day After To-Morrow; You

Will Find Your Instructions On My Desk,  And Now Give Me The Deeds; And

Remember,  Should Any One Enquire For Me Tell Them I Am Gone To The

Country On Business,  And Shall Be Back The Day After To-Morrow," And

Without Farther Comment,  Ralph Coleman Passed Out Of The Office.

 

It Was A Still,  Calm Night In early Autumn,  The Silvery Moon Looked Down

From Her Deep Violet Throne Amidst The Starry Heavens; The Dull,  Heavy

Sound Made By The Mighty Ocean,  As Its Huge Waves Were Dashed Upon The

Sea-Beat Shore,  Fell Audibly On The Ear In The Silent Night. A Light Sea

Breeze Swept Through The Furze Bushes That Were Scattered Over The

Downs,  Across Which Lay The High Road Leading Past The Park.

 

Bridoon,  The Old Gate Keeper,  Was Seated On His Wooden Settle Within The

Porch Of The Lodge,  Smoking A Long Clay Pipe,  And Occasionally Quaffing

Long Draughts Of Rare Old Cider. He Was Just Thinking Of Turning In For

The Night,  When A Vehicle Stopped,  And A Voice Demanded Admittance. As

The Gates Swung Open A Gig And Its Occupant Passed Through And Proceeded

At A Smart Pace Along The Broad Avenue Towards The Mansion.

 

The Clock Of The Village Church Was Striking Ten As Ralph Coleman

Pulled Up At The Principal Entrance Of Vellenaux,  And Was Met In The

Hall By Reynolds The Old Butler,  And Conducted To The Room He Usually

Occupied When Visiting There During The Shooting Season.

 

"Sir Jasper," Said The Old Servant,  "Has Retired For The Night,  And Miss

Effingham Is On A Visit To The Willows,  But Mrs. Fraudhurst Is,  I

Believe,  Still In The Drawing Room; Will You Please To Step In There

Until Supper Is Prepared For You." This Suited The Lawyer Exactly,  As He

Wished To Have A Few Minutes Conversation With That Lady Previous To

Meeting The Baronet,  For The Letter He Had Received From Mrs. Fraudhurst

Was So Cautiously Worded,  That Although Sufficiently Explicit On Most

Points,  There Were Some Portions Of It Which He Could Not Exactly

Understand,  Or See In What Way He Ought To Act,  But Doubtless She Would

Put Him Right On All Matters That Were To Be Brought Quietly To The

Notice Of Sir Jasper. While Making Some Addition To His Toilet,  It

Occurred To Him That She Might Be Only Making A Cat'S Paw Of Him To

Feather Her Own Nest,  But As He Could Not See Clearly How This Could Be,

Dismissed The Idea From His Mind,  And Shortly After Made His Bow To The

Widow.

 

She Rose And Received Him Courteously; Apologised For The Absence Of The

Host And His Niece,  Supposed He Would Feel Inclined To Retire Early,  As

Doubtless He Would Wish To Rise At The Dawn Of Day,  To Avail Himself Of

The Excellent Shooting Which Was To Be Had In The Turnip Fields,  And Was

Altogether Very Chatty And Agreeable; But She In No Way Alluded To The

Letter She Had Written,  To Him,  He Was Therefore Compelled To Broach The

Subject,  And Before The Supper Bell Rang,  A Mutual Understanding As To

What Was To Be Said And Done Was Arrived At Between Them.

 

The Baronet And Mr. Coleman Breakfasted Alone On The Following Morning.

Edith Had Not Returned,  And Mrs. Fraudhurst Excused Herself On The Plea

Of Indisposition,  But Doubtless She Had Some Other Motive For Absenting

Herself.

 

"And You Found The Birds Plentiful,  And In Good Condition," Enquired Sir

Jasper,  As He Pushed Away His Plate,  And Turned His Chair Towards The

Bright,  Cheerful Fire Which Was Blazing In The Polished Grate,  And

Stooping Down To Pat A Couple Of Pointers That Were Crouching

Comfortably On The Hearth Rug At His Feet.

 

"Yes,  Indeed,  Quite So,  I Do Not Remember A Season When The Partridges

Have Been So Plump Or In Such Numbers,  But Had Hoped To Have Had Your

Company This Morning,  But Perhaps To-Morrow."

 

"So I Have Heard,  But You Must Really Excuse Me,  It Used To Be My Chief

Delight To Shoot Over The Grounds And Preserves On A Fine Autumn Morning

Like The Present One,  But It Is Too Much For Me Now,  And I Have Given It

Up,  But I Like My Friends To Enjoy It. How Long Can You Stay This Time?"

 

"Only Three Days; I Cannot Be Absent From Town More Than That,  But It Is

Well Worth The Journey To Shoot Over A Friends Property,  Even If Only

For Three Days."

 

"Then You Must Make The Most Of Your Time; Old Tom The Game-Keeper Will

Show You The Best Covers And General Shooting Ground. I Wish You Could

Have Remained For A Week Or Two,  The Young Fellows Belonging To The

Neighboring Families Will Be Home From School And College,  And There

Will Be Plenty Of Popping Then,  I Promise You. Ah! That Reminds Me That

Arthur Carlton Has Finished His Education,  And Is Coming Home,  And It Is

Not My Intention That He Should Again Return To Oxford; And Now We Are

Alone And Not Likely To Be Disturbed,  I Wish You Would Give Me Your

Opinion As To What Profession Or Occupation It Would Be Best For Him To

Embark In. I Should Like To Give The Youngster A Fair Start In Life. I

Have Given Him The Education Of A Gentleman,  And I Should Like Him To

Retain That Position."

 

This Was The Turn In The Conversation The Lawyer Had Been Anxiously

Waiting For,  But He Seemed In No Hurry To Take Advantage Of It; He

Shifted His Position So That The Light Might Not Fall On His Features,

Took A Pinch Of Snuff And Crossed One Knee Over The Other Before He

Ventured An Opinion On The Subject.

 

"I Know So Very Little Of The Young Gentleman," He Began,  "As Scarcely

To Be Able To Advise You On A Matter Of Such Moment,  And Have Hitherto

Declined From So Doing On That Account,  But As You So Desire It,  I Will

Give My Opinion On The Matter According To The Best Of My Judgment."

 

"Thank You,  Thank You,  That Is All I Ask. Then," Resumed The Lawyer,

"The Road By Which A Young Man Of Education Can,  By Perseverance,  Hope

To Earn For Himself A Competency And A Good Position In The Social

Scale,  Is That Of The Church,  The Navy Or In The Military Service Of His

Country. As For The Pulpit,  Unless The Aspirant Has A Special Tendency

For It,  Or Some Good Friend Who Has A Living To Bestow,  He Will Hardly

Realize A Sufficient Income To Support Himself As A Gentleman; And To

Send Him Up To London To Study Law,  Or Medicine For Two Or Three Years

Would But Expose Him To The Temptations And Dissipations Of That Great

City,  And It Would Take Years Of Drudgery Before He Would Be Able To

Obtain A Competency. In My Opinion The Safest And Most Expeditious Way

Of Proceeding Is To Put Him Into The Army; His Commission And Outfit Is

The Only Outlay,  And Can Be Done At Once; His Position Is Established,

And It Only Remains With Himself To Rise In His Profession,  And You Will

Be Relieved From All Care And Responsibility On His Account; But

Understand Me,  I Do Not Mean That He Should Enter One Of The Regiments,

Now In england,  To Loiter His Time Away At Some Country Quarters Or

Fashionable Watering Place,  To Fall Into Debt,  Difficulty,  Love,  Or Some

Other Absurd Scrape,  But Put Him Into Some Corps That Is Now And Will Be

For Some Years Stationed Somewhere Abroad,  India,  For Instance,  For I

Have Been,  By Competent Authorities,  Informed That There An Officer Can

Live Comfortably On The Pay Of His Rank.

 

"If He Is Abstemious,  And Takes Care Of His Health,  His Promotion Must

Ensue Without Purchase,  And That,  Too,  In a Few Years. It Is A Prospect

That Thousands Of Youngsters Would Jump At,  And One I Think That Is In

Every Way Suitable For Him; This Sir Jasper,  Is All I Have To Offer On

This Subject."

 

This Advice Of Ralph Coleman'S,  Although Given To Effect A Preconcerted

Scheme,  Was So In Unison With The Baronet'S Views,  That He Could But

Assent To What Had Been Uttered By Ralph,  And The Lawyer Had The

Satisfaction Of Knowing,  Ere He Left The Breakfast Room,  That His

Suggestions Would Be Carried Out To The Letter; And Prior To His Return

To London He Had Another Interview With The Wily Widow,  At Which He

Informed Her Of The Arrangement That Had Been Decided Upon By The

Baronet In Regard To Arthur Carlton'S Future Career. "He Will," Ralph

Went On To Say,  "Be Thus Removed Out Of Harm'S Way For Several Years,

And Perchance May Never Again Cross Your Path,  And I Have No Doubt While

Sir Jasper Lives Your Position Will Be Secure. I Have Served Your Turn

Without Benefitting Myself In any Way."

 

"Not So," Was The Lady'S Reply,  "You Have But Been Paving The Way For

Your Own Advancement. Why Not Marry Edith,  She Is Aware That The Title

Falls To You,  But Is Ignorant Of The Fact That Her Uncle Has Made Her

Sole Heiress,  And Girls Brought Up As She Has Been,  Will Frequently

Overlook Much To Gain A Title,  And Become The Envied Lady Of Vellenaux."

 

"With Young Carlton Out Of The Way,  And Separated,  As They Will Be,  For

Years,  Any Rising Passion She May Now Feel For Him Will Soon Die Out,

And If You Make Your Advances With Caution,  And Be Not Too Precipitate,

I Have No Doubt That You Will Eventually Secure Both The Lady And The

Estate,  So Of The Two,  I Fancy That You Have Rather The Best Of The

Bargain." And After A Little More Conversation On The Subject,  This

Worthy Pair Parted.

 

And Now Let Us Introduce The Youth Whose Future Welfare Had Been The

Difficulty About Which The Widow And Ralph Had Given Themselves So Much

Concern.

 

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