Mr. Egerton

“ The butler drew up level with him and, looking sideways at him, marked the sudden excitement in the face, the new color that had mounted to the forehead, and felt flattered at having at last, as he considered, evoked interest.
“Haunted?” repeated the traveler. “Haunted, did you say?” Then, as if catching himself up, “this is curious, Mr. Daniells—I caught your name right, didn't I? Interesting. Any reason that you could think of?”
“NO, SIR. As I said, Sir Jasper was unlike himself. No one had ever seen him nervous before. Angry, if you like—oh, angry enough—but never nervous. ”

“ So lone and stoical had grown the man who had made it his object to have no private life. Revealing, however, neither pleasure or pain, but with the composed calmness of a judge upon the bench, Egerton replied:
"The alternative is, to continue in the course you have begun, and still to rely on me."
"Sir, my dear Mr. Egerton," exclaimed Randal, regaining all his usual tenderness of look and voice, "rely on you! But that is all I ask! ”

“ Egerton's confidence, and he may give you some verbal message besides a written reply. Egerton is [Pg 107] often over cautious and brief in the litera scripta."
Randal went first to Egerton's neighboring office—he had not been there that day. He then took a cabriolet and drove to Grosvenor Square. A quiet-looking chariot was at the door. Mr. Egerton was at home; but the servant said, "Dr. F. is with him, sir; and perhaps he may not like to be disturbed."
"What, is your master ill?"
"Not that I know of, sir. He never says he is ill. But he has looked poorly the last day or two." ”

“ As he replaced his watch in his pocket and re-buttoned his coat over his firm, broad chest, he lifted his eyes, and saw a young man standing before him.
"Do you want me?" asked the statesman, with the direct brevity of his practical character.
"Mr. Egerton," said the young man, with a voice that slightly trembled and yet was manly amidst emotion, "you have a great name, and great power; I stand here in these streets of London without a friend, and without employment. ”

“ Clarice was the only child he ever did notice, in fact.
Soon after Guy's birth, Mr. Egerton had a severe illness—acute rheumatic fever—and it aged him terribly. His hair grew grey, and this, with his stooping figure, made him look quite old—very much older than did his father, who still flourished at Egerton Highfield. When Mr. Egerton recovered, he told his wife that he intended to let the farm, either for grazing, or, what they call in Ireland, by con-acre: which means that several poor men join to take a field, of which each of them cultivates his own proportion. ”

“ You will understand, sir, that—fair is fair, as the saying goes—we can not at short notice have things done as if Sir Jasper were in residence. But it will be as good, I hope, as the Three Choughs. The poor Choughs,” sighed Mr. Daniells. “Now then, Mrs. D., bustle along,” he cried, peremptorily, as the housekeeper, with dismayed countenance, still stood hesitating. “The gentleman is tired and hungry. And, while that's being done, sir, there is a fire in my office, if you don't mind waiting there.” ”

“ It is not because he must leave me Honoured Sir for one as never knew the flaviour of her lodgers tea can always fill her house respectable, though not to equall Mr. Egerton and that I will say.
"It is not his own doings but all along of a young gent that he has got to know which for all his fine clothes and uppish ways is not a real gent at all as Mr. Guy most truly is in all his ways. But this Mr. Price has begun to come here and take Mr. Guy out in the evenings and glad I was for the poor young man was fair pined for want of a little fun. ”

“ Yet he is very young; he may extricate himself,—leaving half his fortune behind him. What, he nods to you! You know him?”
“Very well; he is nephew to Mr. Egerton.”
“Indeed! I did not know that. Hazeldean is a new name in London. I heard his father was a plain country gentleman, of good fortune, but not that he was related to Mr. Egerton.”
“Half-brother.”
“Will Mr. Egerton pay the young gentleman’s debts? He has no sons himself.”
RANDAL.—“Mr. Egerton’s fortune comes from his wife, from my family,—from a Leslie, not from a Hazeldean.” ”

“ I may say," added the squire, "that he is a near relation of mine, for his grandmother was a Hazeldean; but all I know about the Leslies is, that Mr. Egerton, as I am told, having no children of his own, took up young Randal (when his wife died, poor woman) , pays for his schooling, and has, I suppose, adopted the boy as his heir. Quite welcome. Frank and I want nothing from Mr. Audley Egerton, thank Heaven!"
"I can well believe in your brother's generosity to his wife's kindred," said the parson, sturdily, "for I am sure Mr. Egerton is a man of strong feeling." ”

“ Mr. Egerton, being told by Clarice that evening, made no objection. He only said,—
"You cannot go alone; and where is the money to come from?"
"We have a little laid by, and Aymer will go with me."
"Clarice, I am not trying to dissuade you, but think this over before you go. London will be very dreary to you, child. You will never get out, remember; and the musty little rooms over a provision shop will be a poor exchange for Ballintra, bad as this is."
"But, papa, do you think I should be of use to Guy?" ”

“ No man ever had more reason than I have to thank God for good children; no man ever deserved them less.
"'And now, father, I say farewell, and God bless you!'
"I will try to sign it, Clarice."
"You are very weak to-day," she said, startled to see how difficult he found it to hold the pen.
"I am," he said; "I think I am much weaker. Aymer, is there anything in that to which you object?"
"Nothing, father; I think you have done quite right."
"I have not said anything about your future," Mr. Egerton said, in a low voice. ”

“ Egerton resumed, as if in explanation, and even in kindly apology—
"Look at Lord L'Estrange himself. What young man could come into life with brighter auspices? Rank, wealth, high animal spirits (a great advantage those same spirits, Mr. Leslie) , courage, self-possession, scholarship as brilliant perhaps as your own; and now see how his life is wasted! Why? He always thought fit to think for himself. He could never be broken in to harness, and never will be. ”

“ In a word, I consider it to be my duty to warn you against at least two of those persons who call themselves your friends."
"My lord, I was not unprepared for such an announcement," said Egerton, in a deferential manner.
"Then is my task the more easy," exclaimed Richard. "I allude to Sir Rupert Harborough and Mr. Chichester, the latter of whom assumes the distinction of Honourable."
"And is he not of noble birth, my lord?" inquired Egerton.
"He is the son of a tradesman," answered Markham. "But that is no disgrace in my estimation: far from it! ”

“ Egerton, as usual, buttoned up, seated in his chair, in the erect posture of a man who scorns "inglorious ease." Harley, as usual, thrown at length on a sofa, his long hair in careless curls, his neckcloth loose, his habiliments flowing—simplex munditiis, indeed—his grace all his own; seemingly negligent, never slovenly; at ease every where and with every one, even with Mr. Audley Egerton, who chilled or awed the ease out of most people.
"Nay, my dear Audley, forgive me. But your eminent men are all men of one idea, and that not a diverting one—politics! politics! politics! ”

“ Elise saw her opportunity.
"Do not let the garden on any account, Mr. Egerton," she said eagerly, "nor the lawn."
"The lawn!" he repeated. "Why, there are eight acres in the lawn. I think I had better let it. The children can play there as usual, you know."
"Yes; but I could keep a cow, Mr. Egerton, and other things. And what shall I do without milk for the children? Leave me the lawn, the garden, and the peat bog, and let me do the best I can. You know I am not a helpless fine lady; I know about these things, and Katty will help me. Aymer is growing fast, and he is very strong ”

“ The squire scarcely heard what Preene said. He was turning over a desperate scheme in his mind. If he could secure Gurth, he could secure Heckett too. He would brave the worst and see Egerton at once.
‘By Heaven!’ he muttered to himself, ‘I’ll play my last card, ‘and hazard all upon it. Let Garth Egerton look to himself, for now it is a struggle to the death. I will not fall alone.’
CHAPTER LXI.
A LATE VISITOR FOR MR. EGERTON. Squire Heritage, or Edward Marston, as we may now again call him, leapt into a cab when he left Preene, and bade the man drive to Birnie’s address. ”

“ He does not like crotchetty men. Do you see that, Egerton?"
At this moment, Mr Egerton and his friend were about to step over from Trafalgar square to Charing Cross. They observed the carriages of Lady St Julians and the Marchioness of Deloraine drawn up side by side in the middle of the street, and those two eminent stateswomen in earnest conversation. Egerton and Berners bowed and smiled, but could not hear the brief but not uninteresting words that have nevertheless reached us. ”

“ Guy tried to remonstrate, but he might as well have talked to the wind, which at that moment rose with a long wild moan, as if of sorrow.
Sir Aymer thrust the note into his son's pocket, and turning sharp round entered the hall. A servant stood there waiting.
"Bid them bring the carriage round again. Have Mr. Guy's luggage put in, and let it follow him to the East Lodge. Leave the house, sir; I will never see your face, nor speak your name again!" ”

“ And secondly, Lord L’Estrange seems to me a man in whose organization sentiment usurps too large a share for practical existence.”
“You have a keen eye,” said Audley, with some admiration,—“keen for one so young. Poor Harley!”
Mr. Egerton’s last words were said to himself. He resumed quickly,
“There is something on my mind, my young friend. Let us be frank with each other. ”

“ Persuade him to come home if you can,—and—"
"And what?" said Aymer, hotly. "Work hard and live poorly, without a hope or chance of better days!"
"Aymer, I see no good, no object to be gained by any of you, uneducated and unfriended, risking yourselves."
Again Aymer interrupted him. "How is it to end?" he asked, passionately. "If we all remain here, just living—what is to become of us, father?"
"When I am gone, my family must do something for you," Mr. Egerton answered, quickly. "For their own sakes, they must do it." ”

“ Egerton? Oh! he's all right," said Donald, giving Bella a poke in the ribs with his whip. "Haven't you seen him?"
Coonie spat disapprovingly. "Yes, you bet. Seen him this mornin' showin' off the soles o' his boots on Peter McNabb's veranda an' readin' novels. Soft snap them preacher fellows have. Nothin' in the world to do but run after the girls. Don't wonder that you're headin' that way yourself; guess Mr. Egerton thinks you're tryin' to get up to him in the religion business, so he'll race you in the sparkin' line. ”

“ Aymer said that the time would soon come for him and Guy to go to New Zealand, where they would work hard, get experience, and send home money enough to bring out the rest of the family. But soon after Guy and Clarice had returned to London, a most unlooked-for misfortune occurred—Mr. Egerton fell ill. ”

“ Ausley said, and you said something like it just now, was—'that every Christian life, however weak and faulty, is a miracle greater than any other. Because,' he said, 'here are sinful men, weak women, silly young people, tempted and tried, and yet going on somehow, living a life that is not only not easy, but actually against their very nature.'"
"I have felt that," Mr. Egerton said. "Clarice, I think my time is short. What had I better do?"
"Papa, would you not let Aymer go to E— and ask Mr. Monroe to come to see you?" ”

“ Egerton might lose his election. If so, what would become of him? How support his wife, whose return to him he always counted on, and whom it would then become him at all hazards to acknowledge? It was that day that he had spoken to William Hazeldean as to the family living. “Peace, at least,” thought the ambitious man—“I shall have peace!” And the Squire had promised him the rectory if needed; not without a secret pang, for his Carry was already using her conjugal influence in favour of her old school friend’s husband, Mr Dale ”

“ Ferrars sat at a bare table and, leaning his head on his hands, lost himself in brooding cogitation.
Mr. Wapshot, however, in the midst of his professional reticence, showed distinct signs of nervousness; pacing the room; consulting his watch at ever shorter intervals; peering with unmistakable anxiety into the broad coldness of Bedford Row, whenever wheels or footsteps were heard approaching the front door. A great clock outside in the passage struck the half-hour; then the three-quarters. Within the room the silence between the two men remained unbroken. ”

“ Yes, dull enough it was, I must confess, sir. For Sir Jasper used to keep pleasant company. And I found it duller, as you may fancy, when it came to be left my lee-lone at the hall with Mrs. D., for she has not much talk in her, if you see what I mean.
“A good soul and capable, but her Bible and Fox's 'Martyrs' and her cupboards—that is mostly what she cares about. And Mr. Withall keeps to himself over the stables. The Choughs, that was a resource, in a manner of saying. And now that it's gone, you'll understand, sir, I spoke truth when I said it was dreary at Stanton.” ”