Mr. Holt

“ He saw that his daughter was angry.
"Ho, ho!" thought Felix, " her father is frightened at her. How came he to have such a nice-stepping, long-necked peacock for his daughter? but she shall see that I am not frightened." Then he said aloud, "I should like to know how you will justify your admiration for such a writer, Miss Lyon."
"I should not attempt it with you, Mr Holt," said Esther. "You have such strong words at command, that they make the smallest argument seem formidable. ”

“ Felix had risen and moved toward the door that he might open it and shield Esther from more last words on his mother's part.
"Good-bye, Mr. Holt."
"Will Mr. Lyon like for me to sit with him an hour this evening, do you think?"
"Why not? He always likes to see you."
"Then I will come. Good-bye."
"She's a very straight figure," said Mrs. Holt. "How she carries herself! But I doubt there's some truth in what our people say. If she won't look at young Muscat, it's the better for him. He'd need have a big fortune that marries her." ”

“ Suppose you had squinted yourself?" said Felix, looking at Esther.
"Then, doubtless, you could have been more polite to me, Mr Holt," said Esther, rising and placing herself at her work-table. "You seem to prefer what is unusual and ugly."
"A peacock!" thought Felix. "I should like to come and scold her every day, and make her cry and cut her fine hair off."
Felix rose to go, and said, "I will not take up more of your valuable time, Mr Lyon. I know that you have not many spare evenings." ”

“ Job put his two brown fists on Esther's lap, and she stooped to kiss him. Then holding his face between her hands, she said, "Tell Mr Holt we don't mean to be naughty, Job. He should believe in us more. But now I must really go home."
Esther rose and held out her hand to Mrs Holt, who kept it while she said, a little to Esther's confusion,
"I'm very glad it's took your fancy to come here sometimes, Miss Lyon. I know you're thought to hold your head high, but I speak of people as I find 'em. ”

“ He was standing, and, as he turned round, his broad figure concealed the person who was seated writing at the bureau. "Mr Holt—a—will doubtless—a—make a point of saving a busy man's time. You can speak at once. This gentleman"—here Jermyn made a slight backward movement of the head—"is one of ourselves; he is a true-blue."
'I have simply to complain," said Felix, "that one of your agents has been sent on a bribing expedition to Sproxton—with what purpose you, sir, may know better than I do. Mr Transome, it appears, was ignorant of the affair, and does not approve it." ”

“ Holt drank to the bride and groom several times before he began soberly to believe he was not in a dream. Mr. and Mrs. Presidio beamed broadly, and declared that life without romance was no kind of a life for honest folk to live.
"Holt!" exclaimed Carrington, when the train carriage was announced, "you've been a brick about all this. I don't know how to show my appreciation."
"I'll tell you how," suggested Presidio. "Let Mr. Holt be the one to tell Mr. Curtis. He deserves the privilege of informing the governor."
"The very thing, Holt, old chap!" cried Carrington. "Will you do it?" ”

“ Mr Holt had clasped his hands together and kept his eyes fixed on Victoria's with unnatural intensity.
'You see, Victoria,' resumed Mrs Holt, 'it's always difficult when there's a young man in the house; of course I make allowances, but, really, you see it's so complicated and things get so annoying. You know what people are . . .'
'That'll do, Maria,' snarled Mr Holt, jumping to his feet. 'If you don't know what you have to say, I do. Look here, Mrs Fulton. Last night I saw Jack kissing you. I know perfectly well you didn't encourage him. You'd know better. However, there it is. ”

“ Your dunce who can't do his sums always has a taste for the infinite. Sir, do you know what a rhomboid is? O no, I don't value these things with limits. 'Cependant, j'aime la monotonie des sentimens de la vie, et si j'avais encore la folie de croire au bonheur——'"
"O pray, Mr Holt, don't go on reading with that dreadful accent; it sets one's teeth on edge." Esther, smarting helplessly under the previous lashes, was relieved by this diversion of criticism.
"There it is!" said Felix, throwing the book on the table, and getting up to walk about. ”

“ Lyon, that my husband, Mr. Holt, came from the north, and was a member in Malthouse Yard long before you began to be pastor of it, which was seven year ago last Michaelmas. It's the truth, Mr. Lyon, and I'm not that woman to sit here and say it if it wasn't true."
"Certainly, it is true."
"And if my husband had been alive when you'd come to preach upon trial, he'd have been as good a judge of your gifts as Mr. Nuttwood or Mr. Muscat, though whether he'd have agreed with some that your doctrine wasn't high enough, I can't say. For myself, I've my opinion about high doctrine." ”

“ I asked of Flora.
“The exercise, dear,” said she.
“Exercise!” cried I. “What are we to exercise?”
A curious sort of gurgle came from Angus’s part of the room, as if a laugh had made its way into his throat, and he had smothered it in its cradle.
“The word is strange to Miss Caroline,” said Mr Keith, looking round with a smile. “We Scots people, Madam, speak of exercising our souls in prayer. We are about to read in God’s Word, and pray, if you please. It is our custom, morning and evening.”
“But how can we pray?” said I. “There is no clergyman.” ”

“ Holt.
“Nobody, Mrs. Holt,” cried Honora, “could be kinder to his friends than Mr. Brent!”
“We were speaking of disinterested kindness, my dear,” was Mrs. Holt's reply.
“You're quite right, Mrs. Holt,” said Trixton Brent, beginning, as the dinner progressed, to take in the lady opposite a delight that surprised him. “I'm willing to confess that I've led an extremely selfish existence.”
“The confession isn't necessary,” she replied. “It's written all over you. You're the type of successful man who gets what he wants. I don't mean to say that you are incapable of kindly instincts.” ”

“ Gerlach was moved. He looked down upon the little ones around him with an expression of affectionate thankfulness. Holt's lips also quivered, and bright tears of happiness streamed from the eyes of the mother.
"I am obliged to you, my little friends, for your greetings and for your prayers," spoke the millionaire. "You are well brought up. Continue always to be good children, such as you now are; have the fear of God, and honor your parents."
"Mr. Seraphin," said Holt, drawing a paper from his pocket, "here is the note that I have redeemed with the money you gave me. ”

“ Holt, approvingly. “Joshua, I wish you would read that sermon aloud to us.”
“Oh, do, Mr. Holt!” begged Honora.
The Vicomte, who had been acting very strangely during the meal, showed unmistakable signs of a futile anger. He had asked Honora to walk with him.
“Of course,” added Mrs. Holt, “no one need listen who doesn't wish to. Since you were good enough to reconsider your decision and attend divine service, Howard, I suppose I should be satisfied.”
The reading took place in the library. ”

“ Carrington said to some one inside who was struggling to hide, "this is Mr. Francis Holt; one of my oldest and dearest friends. He's the discreetest fellow I know and will arrange the whole matter in a minute. You must, darling! Fate has offered us a chance for life's happiness, and as I say—Holt, like a good fellow, go into the parsonage and explain who I am, and who Miss Caroline Curtis is. Your people know all the Curtises, and we're going to get married, and—don't protest, darling!—like a good chap, Holt, go and—for God's sake, man, don't stare like that! You know us, and can vouch for us. ”

“ Mr Tooke sat patiently waiting till Holt had made up his mind. He perceived something that never entered Hugh’s mind: that Holt’s pride was hurt at the notion of doing workman’s work. He wrote on a slip of paper these few words, and pushed them across the table to Holt, with a smile:—
“No debtor’s hands are clean, however white they be: Who digs and pays his way—the true gentleman is he.” ”

“ William Holt, a wealthy manufacturer of Chicago, was living temporarily in a little town of central New York, the name of which the writer's memory has not retained. Mr. Holt had had "trouble with his wife," from whom he had parted a year before. Whether the trouble was anything more serious than "incompatibility of temper," he is probably the only living person that knows: he is not addicted to the vice of confidences. ”

“ Lyon, however, by listening attentively, had begun partly to divine the source of her trouble.
"Am I wrong in gathering from what you say, Mistress Holt, that your son has objected in some way to your sale of your late husband's medicines?"
"Mr. Lyon, he's masterful beyond everything, and he talks more than his father did. I've got my reason, Mr. Lyon, and if anybody talks sense I can follow him; but Felix talks so wild, and contradicts his mother. ”

“ But these oddities "said nothing" in great folks, who were powerful in high quarters all the same. And Mrs. Holt rose and courtesied with a proud respect, precisely as she would have done if Mr. Transome had looked as wise as Lord Burleigh.
"I hope I'm in no way taking a liberty, sir," she began, while the old gentleman looked at her with bland feebleness; "I'm not that woman to sit anywhere out of my own home without inviting and pressing to. ”

“ I went up-stairs with the beautiful woman, who gave a little laugh as she shut the door.
“Poor Mr Raymond!” said she; “I feel so sorry for the man. Nature meant him to be a Tory, and education has turned him into a Whig. He has the kindest of hearts, and the most unmanageable of consciences. He will help us to free a prisoner, but he would not call me anything but ‘Mistress’ to save his life.”
“And your Ladyship—?” said I, guessing in an instant what she ought to be called, and that she was the wife of a peer—not a Hanoverian peer. ”

“ That young woman did not enjoy Mr Marshall’s conversation, and suddenly discovered that it was time for her return home.
“Hans is all I could desire,” said the old lady, returning to the subject: “he is a dear, good, sober-minded lad as need be. But I will not disguise from you, Mr Marshall, that I am in some disease of mind touching Aubrey.”
“May I ask wherefore?”
“You may ask, indeed, yet can I scarce tell. That is no wise-sounding thing to say: yet one may have cause for fear where he hath no evidence for demonstration.” ”

“ Mrs Holt came by invitation with little Job to share their dinner of roast-meat ; and, after much of what the minister called unprofitable discourse, she was quitting the house when she hastened back with an astonished face, to tell Mr Lyon and Esther, who were already in wonder at crashing, thundering sounds on the pavement, that there was a carriage stopping and stamping at the entry into Malthouse Yard, with "all sorts of fine liveries," and a lady and gentleman inside. Mr Lyon and Esther looked at each other, both having the same name in their minds. ”

“ Every man seemed sobered and awed. The Queen was weeping, the King silent and thoughtful. My Lord Rochester, whom at that time nothing could sober long, was the only one to speak, and rising with make-believe gravity, as though in his place in the House of Lords, he offered a motion that the King should please to send Mr Howard into the kitchen to make kail, and raise the Reverend Mr David Armstrong to the place of chaplain.”
“What is kail, Mrs Dolly?” asked Rhoda, laughing. ”

“ As saith the old proverb: ‘There is no worse pestilence than a familiar enemy,’” quoted the host.
“Well!” continued the Justice, with an amused look: “but now cometh a good jest, whereof I heard but yester-even. This Mistress Benden hath two brothers, named Hall—Roger and Thomas—one of whom dwelleth at Frittenden, and the other at yon corner house in Staplehurst, nigh to the Second Acre Close. Why, to be sure, he is your manager—that had I forgot.”
Mr Roberts nodded. Pandora had pricked up her ears at the name of Hall, and now began to listen intently. ”

“ Scarcely a gentleman, seeing he deals in horses.”
“Horses are good fellows enough, mostly: but folks who deal in horses are apt to be worser,—why, can I never tell. Is the horse-dealer pleasant company belike?”
“Not so much to my liking as Mr Winter.”
“I’m fain to hear it. Who else?”
“There is a Mr Percy, kin to my Lord Northumberland.”
Aunt Temperance drew in her breath with an inverted whistle. “Lo, you now, we are in select society!”
But Edith turned suddenly round. “Aubrey, is he a true Protestant?” She knew that Lord Northumberland was reckoned “the head of the recusants.” ”

“ I do hope Master Floriszoon ’ll not learn none of their tricks. If I see my Lady Lettice this next day or twain, I’ll drop a word to her. Don’t you think she’s looking a bit pale and poorly this last week or so? But mayhap you have not seen her, not of late.”
“I have not, but I am now on my way,” answered Mr Marshall, turning into the White Bear, in the hope of escaping Silence’s tongue. It was the first word he had been able to cast into the stream she poured forth.
“Well, maybe you’ll drop a word to her touching Master Floriszoon? Dear heart, what queer names them foreign folks do get! ”

“ Angus gave her a kiss, but not at all like Flora; rather as if he had it to do, and wanted to get it over.
“Well, Helen!” said Mr Cameron, as he came down from the chaise, “and how goes the world with you, my woman?”
“I wish ye a gude evening, Mr Alexander,” said she. “The warld gaes vara weel wi’ me, thanks to ye for speirin’. No that the warld’s onie better, but the Lord turns all to gude for His ain. The minister’s in his study, and he’ll be blithe to see ye. Now, my lassie—I ask your pardon, but ye see I’m used to Miss Flora.” ”