Rx heey o) Natt ose ae i ee ed 2 BS ah Soe feu? Se ona &, at A Tyatet ‘tars pa a +s Ys 4 {~ ee 415+ - FORM NO 513, REV. 1/84 Digitized by the Internet Archive In 2023 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill https://archive.org/details/johnfortescuereyOOstor _ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, Q.6., * P oh) ee, AA < PA eS Sol OF LINCOLN’S INN; we ~ f t Pe Mines * i c.) =i D. he Rare as \ \ Ns 4 OR “THE BUBBLE AND SQUEAK COMPANY.” A NOVEL. - IN THREE VOLUMES. BY C. STORM. ‘SSEEK AND YE SHALL FIND.” VOL. I. | Lonpon : T. CAUTLEY NEWBY, PUBLISHER, . 30, WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. . . : 1873. {ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ] ee 4. ae ar JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ, OF LINCOLN’S INN. CHAPTER I. ‘STAR FETE CHAMPETRE. ’—-WATTEAU. CuituincHam Hatt is one of those charming residences only to be found in green and fertile England. Hmbosomed in trees, its white and pillared Greek front forms a con- spicuous object in the surrounding land- scape, where it reposes in serene enjoyment of its beautiful lawns, its towering elms and stately oaks— giants of their race —its glorious river (the Thames), and above all of the good and happy family who called it —** home.” VOL. I. B 2 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Though fair and tranquil its general aspect, think not that silence and solitude have made it their dwelling place, or that its groves and glades are alone resonant with the soft notes of the nightingale. No, the light echoes of youthful laughter are borne onward by the bounding river, the soft breezes answer to sighs seductive as themselves, whilst the glow- ing skies beam on countenances scarcely less radiant than their own. Yes, life is there to give animation to the picture. The hospitable gates of Chilingham are open alike to gentle and simple; but on the day upon which our story commences, — its barriers and portals are opened to their widest extent, and the whole neighbourhood is roused to unwonted excitement. And well it may be, for the dear son, the» only scion of the house, Colonel Freemantle, has but recently recovered from wounds re- ceived during the horrors of the Indian mutiny. Prostrate he had lain for months— his deeds the theme of every tongue—his name an example for every age. It is for his sake that Chilingham dons its festal attire, and his parents, in the lavish gratitude JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ian of their hearts, kill the fatted calf and bid friends and neighbours welcome to the cheer. The poor have had their feast—not Lazarus- like, with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table—but solid English fare, with merry games and rustic dance, and now they lend their willing hands to aid the master of the revels. | From an early hour the bells have rung out a joyous peal, arches have been raised, tents are scattered over the grounds, boats are upon the river, music on the lawn, whilst carriages dash up the avenue towards the house. We will not stop to admire the beauty of the vehicles, but follow a party just arrived across the lawn, like them to be introduced to Mr. Freemantle, the worthy owner of this beautitul- property, who, under the shade of a magnificent beech tree, and, to use a courtly phrase, “‘surrounded by a brilhant company,’ received his guests with that benign, indescribable charm of manner, which won for him the love and regard of all who knew him. By Mr. Freemantle’s side sat his wife, a lady of dignified appearance, gentle and : B 2 4, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. lovable also, and not a little proud of being the mother of the Lion of the day. And where was he, the hero of our tale P There! upon the terrace, within view of the beech tree, conspicuous among his fellows, stood “the man of men.” In him Nature had not left her handiwork imperfect, but in fashioning her masterpiece, had produced the good Englishman. We may be accused of prejudice in favour of our own countrymen ; we care not, neither do we mind to whom else the palm be awarded, but boldly fling down the gauntlet, and defy the world to produce his counterpart. Of — dauntless courage, of spotless integrity, the purest of patriots, the steadfast friend, the generous enemy, strong in his affec- tions, loathing deceit, abhorring treachery, preferring death to dishonour. Proud he may be, but it is the pride of a great soul instinct with those qualities, which alone can justify man in the otherwise impious assertion that he, so oft the slave of every vice, is the image of his maker. And both great and good was Colonel Free- mantle, as he stood there in the pride of his JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 5 strength, the glory of his manhood, the fuls ness of life circling in his veins, and his heart glowing with the highest aspirations. His active life had afforded little opportunity for the development of the softer affections; yet had he taken with him to India the tender remembrance of a youthful face: it had been to him as the face of an angel, shining on him throughout every phase of that event- ful period of his career: In the deadly breach, amid the horrors of famine, in the fearful con- flict, when stretched apparently lifeless on the plain, and even numbered with the slain. With returning health the light of other days came back, and with it the intense long- ing to see again the object of all his thoughts and. hopes. As yet he had not spoken to her he loved. He came a stranger, saw, and was conquered, yet not ignobly, for he resolved to win. At the moment his resolute efforts to gain an introduction to her father were on the point of success, the first whispering of the storm in India reached England, and his regi- ment was ordered out there instantly. The fire, however, was not, extinguished. 6 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. He enlisted his mother in his cause, and she made the discovery that the Whynns, whose acquaintance he had made previous to his de- parture, were sworn friends and allies of the family of his enslaver. She resolved to bring about the introduction, and fortune so far favoured her that she was able to number the young lady among her guests of the day. For some time previous to the appearance of the arrival before mentioned, Colonel Free- mantle had been pacing the terrace in front of the mansion, In company with -several gentlemen,.and his mother smiled as_ she divined the cause that made him stop, and with his face turned towards the beech tree, continue the conversation with his friends. The group whose entrance appeared to in- terest him consisted of a lady, wife to Admiral Whynn, her son, and a most beautiful girl. The Squire, as Mr. Freemantle was called by the good people of Chillingham, advanced to meet the new comers, his face beaming with pleasure as he greeted them, and then led them to his wife. The first greetings over, Mrs. Whynn in- JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 7 troduced her son and her protegée, Miss Augusta Reynolds. The first glance at Mrs. Whynn sufficed to determine her position in life. She looked what she was—a lady in every sense of the word. In her youth her face must have been eminently handsome; but sufferme— not ‘time—had changed its expression ; it was grave even to melancholy, little indica- tive of the vivacity that gave hfe and anima- tion to her countenance in earlier years. She was, however, a woman of cultivated mind and large affections. Those who knew her were devoted to her, and attributed the change to grief for the loss of her children. The last who died, a fine youth, it was long feared she would not survive. For two years she was never seen to smile. One child only remained, and he seemed to have been spared to show, how much folly and mischief could be combined in one shape and brought into action at the shortest notice. Fred Whynn, as he was generally called, had already acquired notoriety of which he was not a little proud. He could enter the lists, and carry the day against Colonel Free- 8 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. mantle, as regarded the number of his exploits; and the jokes and laughter which were wont to follow his appearance in public he took as proofs of his popularity, and the admiration excited by his extraordinary abilities. He had hitherto been a source of constant alarm and anxiety, to say nothing of expense, to his parents. Admiral Whynn being much away, the burthen of his misdeeds fell upon his mother. In one respect Fred’s reckless conduct had been beneficial. It had pre- vented Mrs. Whynn sinking into that morbid state of apathy to which, on the loss of her other son, she seemed fast approaching. His conduct roused her, which was more than friends or physicians could do. As he never went anywhere, without giving ample evidence of his presence in the shape of damage and disaster, it was with consider- able misgiving Mrs. Whynn brought him with her to Chillingham. He rarely did ac- company her anywhere, but this was a special occasion, and she really did require something in the shape of a cavalier, to do duty for her- self and young friend ; besides, Fred had ap- peared tamer of late; a mishap in the spring JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 9 had sobered him, for how long no one could tell, and Mrs. Whynn felt uneasy ; she could not feel sure of him one moment. If the freak took him, there was no saying to what pitch of absurdity he might not attain. At present he had behaved pretty well, driving the two ladies to Chillingham with, for him, unnatural caution. Fred always made interest with coach- men to surrender the reins into his keeping. The box seat was the height of his ambi- tion; he preferred it to a throne—it was more elevating. Driving was his forte; no matter what, from an express train to a hansom, he would under- take it, but the fees exacted for the honour of the thing, made serious inroads on his purse. “I could keep a dwag for what it costs me in bwibes,’ he would say, so he tried the drag, and came to grief in his first essay. People said he had been imbibing “ pota- tions deep” much too freely before starting— scandal, no doubt—yet it is certain from some cause the drag got off the road, into an ugly ditch; Fred said it was ‘the dwag’s fault.’ There was a regular upset; the poor BS 10 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. outsiders came badly off, and sufferers on such occasions are apt to be abusive and un- just. The unfortunate driver fared worse than anyone ; the little brains he possessed seemed. quite knocked out of him. He was picked up insensible, and for some time 1t was doubtful whether he was alive or dead. Heavy expenses were incurred, in the shape of doctors’ bills, compensation, &c. The drag and its beautiful team, which had not been paid for, were returned to their respec- tive proprietors, the former more damaged than by the ‘‘ reasonable wear and tear’’ of twenty years, while the latter, had speech been given to them, would have declared that the driving of Jehu, the son of Nimshi, furious as it was, was nothing to it, not half , $o striking in its effects. This escapade was a bygone, almost passed from Fred’s short memory; he was all right now, and on exceedingly good terms with himself; quite elated at having handled once more his beloved ribands, and his round, unintellectual face fairly twinkled with glee and self-satisfaction. JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Bie He was not bad looking; his best points were his dark eyes and shock head of curly black hair; but to negative these, a frightful poke not only detracted from his height, but, being violent and impulsive in his move- ments, it gave him the appearance of running to butt at people. Nature, too, for some wise but hidden purpose—perhaps in pity—had placed in his speech a bar, which prevented his listeners receiving all at once the full benefit of his few and foolish ideas. This impediment in Fred’s utterance could not be called hesitation or stammering; it was a convulsive, prolonged crowing or whoop preceding each sentence, conveying at first the most painful sensations, and had procured for him the cognomen of “* Hoopey,”’ amongst his gay and thoughtless companions. It was reported, and very generally be- lieved, that this hopeful youth was the des- tined husband of the beautiful Augusta Rey- nolds; she had been the playmate of Mrs. Whynn’s lost children, and this alone was sufficient to endear her to that lady, who had petted, caressed and almost provided for IZ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ: Augusta from infancy, and’ as the more we benefit the object of our affections the more intense our interest becomes, so with the increasing years and requirements of the girl, Mrs. Whynn’s love had almost grown into idolatry. But “ ?homme propose,’ often very blindly, _ The matrimonial intentions above referred to were entertained by the two mothers—we say “mothers,” for the admiral, owing to his long periods of absence, could scarce be expected to interfere much in home affairs, and Mrs. Reynolds, being a strong-minded woman. would not allow of her husband’s interference in her department; she treated him as a dummy, and turned a deaf ear to his protest- ations “that Augusta should not be sacrificed to such ascamp as young Whynn.” Whatever pains had been taken to arrange a marriage, seemed likely to be frustrated by the perverse obstinacy natural to young persons. Augusta wickedly regarded the honour intended, with feelings akin to horror, and inscribed on her gentle heart the word never; but such had been the discipline exercised by JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 13: her mother, she had not dared to negative in words that lady’s’ decision; her hopes rested on Frederick, who decidedly objected to being disposed of without his permission. *«* W—ould—suppose—was—booby—of—a —boy. Didn’t—know—his—own—m—ind.” Fred was not the least scrupulous in ex- pressing his sentiments, and with affecting tenderness characteristic of him, would blurt out— © §—ee—them—all—hanged—first. Be— hanged — myself —before—I—marwy—Miss — Weynolds, — isn’t—to—my—taste. B— Bell — of —the ‘* B—Bell Inn” — worth — hundwed—.of — her. St—unner,—Bwick— of —girl, — Twelve — st — one, —two—of— Augusta—any—day. Deuced—glad—wasn’t —hurt—when—dwag—spilled.” Such was the state of affairs at the time our narrative commences. cd 14 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER II. ‘¢ GIRL WITH ROSES.” —GREUZE. Many circumstances combined to make this day memorable to Colonel Freemantle. In the morning a letter had arrived from the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford, requesting, in the name of the University, permission to confer upon so distinguished an officer the highest title it possessed the power of bestowing, to wit, the famed D.C.L. All hail to thee, glorious old Oxford! Pre- éminent thyself in wisdom and honour, the grandest attributes of man, thou art ever - first to recognise those qualities in others; first to stretch forth the generous hand and place the immortal wreath on brows kindred to thine own. No event of his, outer life at least, had touched Colonel Freemantle so deeply as this. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 15: He was not an Oxford man, soldiers and sailors. are not allowed time for university education, they are acting whilst scholars are thinking, and he valued this mark of esteem and ap- probation beyond any reward that could have been bestowed on him for military service. Later in the day a deputation from the in- fluential Borough of Rochester came to Chil- lingham, soliciting our hero to represent the Liberal interest, should the retirement of the present member on the ground of ill health take place. Two such flattering proofs of the esteem and admiration of his countrymen were to be fol- lowed by a third event, nearest of all to his heart. The girl whom long. he had loved, with entire and absorbing affection, and who as if to torture and prove him, had hitherto baffled every attempt, now stood before him. Strange the revulsion of feeling that so often takes place in the moment that gives us the fulfilment of hopes and ambitions every nerve hag been strained to attain. Free- mantle found it so: a presentiment took possession of him, that the enchanting illu- sion of his day-dream was about to vanish, 16 © JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. like many another zgnis fatuus of his, and rather than awaken to such mockery, he would prefer to dream on and worship from afar. While these scarcely defined ideas were coursing through his brain, it came to pass that the band to which he and his friends were in close proximity, renewing operations, interrupted conversation, and brought a con- course of people around. Freemantle took advantage of this, and quitting the terrace he led his friends to the beech tree. He warmly greeted Mrs. Whynn, whom he admired for her truly feminine character, and was by her introduced to Miss Reynolds, a common-place proceeding after all. Augusta’s reception of him, however, was so natural and frank that he felt disap- pointed. ‘‘She has forgotten me,” was the chilling thought. Colonel Freemantle was not a man once seen to be forgotten by anyone, least of all by her whose young heart had secretly made its first real response to his earnest, though silent appeal. But whether or not, certain it was her countenance lost none of its brightness ; JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 17 animated by a scene new to her, she looked radiant as the river sparkling under the sun- beams, A decided change had taken place in Miss Reynolds, so apparent was it to Colonel Free- mantle, that though he could not define in what. it consisted, yet as he gazed on her, he almost doubted her identity, albeit so indelibly had every lineament, her every movement been imprinted on his memory, that he recognised. her at the first glance, as she crossed the lawn with her friends. It was two years since he last saw her, and. she in the meantime had crossed the threshold. of womanhood, and now stood within its charmed precincts, her beauty assuming the form which dazzles and bewitches. Men of orave, studious pursuits, who troubled them- selves little about feminine attractions, were captivated by Miss Reynolds ; steady, married men, whose allegiance had never wavered, would lead up the happy partners of their domestic felicity to share in their admira- tion of the ‘loveliest face they ever be- held.” Augusta had the fairest complexion and. 18 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. the loveliest blue eyes imaginable, eyes of that intense ultramarine blue—seen in the glorious gether of summer skies, and shaded with the thickest black lashes. People were wont to argue which bore away the palm, her eyes, or her mouth, so divinely curved and graced with the most exquisite of little pouts. It is a false and unjust premise ied because a woman is handsome, she must be vain, ignorant, and foolish likewise. We do not claim for her entire exemption from these failings, which are incidental to* humanity, and distributed proportionably between men and women of allages. We have known some of the plainest women to be the vainest, the most frivolous, and worse; as girls boasting of their conquests, and committing follies to attract notice, that would be quite unnecessary trouble for a pretty woman to take. Augusta was neither weak nor vain, she possessed qualities of a high order, united with an affectionate and gentle disposition ; she had been trained with severity, and kept secluded long beyond the stereotyped time — JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 19: for girls to ‘‘come out;” she was little seen except by her own family. Beautiful as she was, it cannot be supposed she was all unconscious of her gifts, but she did not make that count of them, the less favoured may imagine. ‘The homage and ad- miration testified in a thousand ways she accepted as proofs of the love and kindness to be found in the world, rather than as due to any merit of her own. Tt was this charming, artless manner, this willingness to be pleased and to please, that. reassured Colonel Freemantle, who at first had felt a little dazzled. ‘They were’ soon. friends, laughing and talking in a most un-. precedented way for a first meeting. Mr. Frederick Whynn had disappeared from: the scene without waiting to be introduced to the rival hero, the Colonel, who, though well acquainted with Admiral Whynn, having been much in his society before going to India, had. never met his son, though he had often heard. of him. The fact was, that interesting specimen of Nature’s “’prentice hand” felt completely out of his element ; he voted the whole thing ‘a bore,’ and the elegance and quiet refine- 20 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ment of the assemblage under the beech tree— “ s_slow—enough—to—kill—old—Harwy.”’ His small stock of conversation was soon exhausted, extending through only a few sentences exchanged with Mr. Freemantle. ‘Did you come by train, Mr. Whynn; or drive here ?” “ Oh, dwove—to—hbe sure. I like dwiving ; —jolly—dwive.” «Did you dwive P” The good old gentleman positively said “dwive,’ to the great amusement of his friends. He was so struck by Fred’s peculiar pronunciation he caught it instanter. “Yes, [dwove. Vewy—fond—of—dwiving —and widing. Do—you—wide ?” «Yes, | wide,’ answered Fred’s apt pupil, committing himself a second time, and laugh- ing heartily at his capacity for acquiring new forms of speech in his old days. “Why, Freemantle,” exclaimed an intimate friend; ‘‘ you have been bitten by a rabid W to-day, like your young friend ;” then turning to Fred, the speaker continued—‘ You wide in Wotten Wow, I believe ; I wemember your cweating a sensation there,’ a pure invention, he had never seen him before. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 21 *“ Wotten Wow,” returned Fred. “ Oh— when— I —wode — that —stupid— mare — Wose,—tfell—down,—nearly—bwoke—my— neck,—head—funny—ever—s—ince.” The friend laughed loudly at his success in mounting falsehood on truth’s back. ** Let me give you one piece of advice,” he said, as soon as he could speak. ‘In such cases, you should always remember to let your head come to the ground first. Be assured, it is the thickest part about you, and will save your neck.” As he finished speak- ing, he fixed his eyes on Augusta, to win a smile of approval at his wit; but she did not approve. Looking very grave, she turned to Frederick, and called his attention to Mrs. Freemantle, who desired to speak to him. «You ought to take care of yourself,” said she, kindly; “for the sake of your parents, whose only son you are.” “ Pwe—cious—bore—only son,” Fred re- plied, and then paused so long, the spectators believed a sudden inspiration had revealed to him his own character ; but such hopes were dispelled by the following— ** B—ullied,—b—adgered—all—day—long, 22 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. m—ustn’t— wide,—m—ustn’t—dwive,—fear —of—losing—pwecious—life,” the last words with an air of extreme importance, “ wish— had—elder—bwother. Do—wide—though,— e” (pointing to Mrs. Whynn), ‘ don’t— know—it,—must—n’t—tell her.” “Oh no, you may trust me, Mrs. Freemantle, contrasting her own good fortune in sonship with that of her friend. Mrs. Whynn being at a little distance was not edified by hearing this graceful tribute paid to her maternal solicitude; but she saw Fred in full fling, and the laughter he oc- casioned made her so uneasy that it was a relief to see him go away. Fred’s first move was to the band in the act of finishing the masterpiece of Weber’s, the overture to ‘‘ Der Freischutz.”’ To show his thorough appreciation of good music he, with his bewitching intonation, thus accosts them— *‘ Hallo! f—ightinge—fellows! Call—that —m—usic ?” This speech was responded to by the trom- bone player, he was the wag of the regiment. “ And pray, sir, what may you gh to call it P”? > answered JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 23 *¢ |—J—I—call—1it-—noisiest-——-wow—ever heard, stun—a—fellow. Stwike—up—‘ P— p—perfect—Cure !’”’ Seeing them rise to depart, ‘‘ Off—to—dwill—hey ?”’ This was to display his intimate knowledge of military matters, and accompanied by a wink at the bystanders, who were convulsed with laughter. It was an unfortunate speech. **¢ |—_I—-I wish,’’ mimicked the trombone, with another wink, ‘‘ I—had—dwilling—of— you, I—I—I’d ‘ Perfect—Cure ’—you—of— hump—on—shoulders—next—minute; head . —taller—no—time.”’ Frederick raised his arm to chastise the man, but he being a tall, powerful individual, he decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and contented himself with— * Insolence !—weport—commanding—ofii- cer |”’ The trombone turned, giving the military salute— ** And—my—vewy— best — wespects—to 1 ai | Then raising his instrument he blew the first ° bars of the “ Perfect Cure,’ as he said to the ‘24, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. bandmaster, to voice his pipe for the next piece. | Fred had “ a—gweat—mind—to—wun —after—and—murder—him.” But as this formidable operation required consideration, he meanwhile moved off to the stables, of all places the one most congenial to his taste, where his opinions were received with the de- ference half-crowns exact. On the subject of horses his heart and his coffers alike flowed over. The grooms listened with attention, agreed with all he said, praised what he ap- proved, censured what he blamed; but when his back was turned— ** He’s a knowing one, he is; knows as much about horseflesh as that there cat.” From the stables he ran the gauntlet of the carriages in the lane. With the coachmen he was more popular, perhaps for his genuine admiration of their exalted positions, for they one and all agreed that— “Though he were aright strange one to look at, he might be a good one to go.” With which flattering eulogium we leave him for the present. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 23 CHAPTER III. ‘64 DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY. ’—-SIR E. LANDSEER. We left Colonel Freemantle under the beech tree, trying to make good his position, and add to his well earned laurels bright smiles and soft glances from the chosen of his heart. Offering his arm to Mrs. Whynn he pro- posed a stroll through the grounds, and was supreme in content, inasmuch as Augusta walked the other side of him, and so agree- able did he make himself, the latter would have been puzzled to decide which were most captivated, ears or eyes. Of course they were not suffered to escape the kind criticism of the bystanders, those whose chief occupation at places of amuse- ment is “making fun of people,’ never guessing that they themselves are equally objects of “fun” to said people. vol. 1. | C 26 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “ Why, Grimes!” exclaimed a visitor, ‘who ever dreamed of seeing you here? I thought you safe at the Antipodes, our soles meeting if not our bodies. Where do you come from ?”’ “From wandering to and fro upon the earth, and going up and down it,” was the answer. «‘ And pray what may be the result of your Satanic Majesty’s researches ?” “That there are things in the world that Satan in his innocence wotted not of ; he must go to school again would he keep pace with these times.” Then if his majesty takes my advice he will rest content with his innocence, lest in the end he die too.” ‘Ah! ah! ‘ Where ignorance is bliss ’tis folly to be wise.’ Who are those that have just passed us? I know no one here.” “The tall, dark man with a lady on his arm, and the beautiful girl in a violet cloud the other side of him ®” ‘‘'T'he same,” returned Mr. Grimes. “Oh! heis Colonel Freemantle, the Indian hero, son of the house.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 27 ** For whom they are making all this fuss ?” ** Fuss, indeed ! to judge by the noise they make, you would suppose that no one ever had a son before.” * Well! he’s a fine looking fellow, and I am glad I have seen him, but I think his parents a couple of old fools to spend his inheritance in such a galanty show as this. I should say his prospects in life will be seriously diminished by it.”’ | “I should say so too,” was the reply. ** It is all very well for our aristocracy, when the heir to their million acres arrives at years _ of discretion, or rather indiscretion, to give a grand spread in celebration; but for people with only a few pence in their pocket—a set of nobodies—to ape them merely because their son has distinguished himself, as they term it, is a piece of impertinence, a positive insult to one’s understanding, and ought to be put down.” “Perfectly ridiculous! Then the Free- mantles are not rich?” “ Oh! report says the old fellow is worth @ million.” A loud laugh followed this announcement. 0 2 28 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “ We must scratch off the numeral,” said Mr. Grimes, “and leave the noughts standing. I suspect we shall then be nearer the truth.” « Just so. The son managed to fill his pockets in India, in spite of his wounds.” “ Ah, ha! That’s what has made a hero of him. Those sort of gentry never come back empty handed. ‘ Make hay while the sun shines’ is their motto.” * Ah,ha!” wasechoed. ‘‘ He brought home a ‘ power of jewels’ into the bargain. [am told the old dame wears to-day a splendid bracelet he gave her, bought, so he says, of a poor brother officer whose arms were so manacled by the chains and handcuffs he sought to relieve the Delhi rascals of, that he was glad to part with some of them for a mere song.”” “Ah, ah! Then depend upon it, the old lady’s vanity is at the bottom of this exhibition. You see she is hung in chains ; she wanted to show off her regalia.” “No doubt; the old things are every whit as vain as the young ones. Her son keeps his choicest emerald for his Sultana that is to be.” ‘““ And it does not require a Solon to tell JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 29 us whom he has selected for that post of honour. The old folks will like to see him settled before they die, I dare say.” ‘If you mean the girl he has been philan- dering with this last half-hour, he cannot have her.” “No! How comes that?” “ She is the beautiful Augusta Reynolds everyone is raving about, and engaged to that horrible young scapegrace, Frederick Whynn.”’ “ Whew! I pity her,” exclaimed Mr. Grimes. ‘‘ What parents will do for money!” ‘What girls will do for money, you mean! Poor, innocent victims to filial obedience, dragged to the altar by their cruel, tyrannical mammas! Bah! It makes me sick.” * Well, all the worse, say I, for the colonel’s handcuff as you call it; he could not give it to a fairer, I would advise him to make her a wedding present of it.”’ In blessed ignorance of this canvass of them and their concerns, our happy duo if not trio pursued their walk. The Chilling- ham grounds had long been celebrated for their beauty; the flower garden especially was deemed unsurpassed, and on the present occasion was a blaze of blossoms. 30 JOHH FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. In the centre was a fountain, the waters of which, catching the rays of an almost tropical sun, reflected in their descent a perfect rainbow. Augusta was the first to remark the lovely prismatic effect, Freemantle became excited and called the company in the garden to wit- ness it, which often, he said, as he had watched the play of the waters, he had never before observed, gallantly declaring— “‘ Tt must be ascribed to the presence of the fair Iris, who, in the likeness of Miss Rey- nolds, had deigned to honour their poor garden with her presence.” | The fair Iris, her divinity revealing itself in her “ celestial rosy-red” blushes, would not own to the disguise, and laughingly refused to comply with his entreaties, to confess herself to him, and him only. But whether goddess or not, certain it is that on their quitting the garden, the beauti- ful illusion vanished, to the disappointment of numbers who came fluttering in to see some- thing wonderful. : This little incident effectually destroyed the charm of their walk, its exclusiveness, for it brought them into contact with those Colonel JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 31 Freemantle was compelled to do the agreeable to; and though he still retained possession of Mrs. Whynn’s arm, his young companion was separated from him. However he had—to him—the bliss of watching her as she heralded the way in company with some young other ladies. To her all was new and entrancing, and she floated on as the spirit moved her, nor guessed that a wary eye marked her every movement, and silently tracked her footsteps. They had reached the river—the glorious river—to-day clear, limpid, and transparent, reflecting as a mirror the beauteous forms, that bent over to peer into its liquid depths. Augusta was startled from her contempla- tion, by hearing her name crowed rather than called, from a boat that was jerking its way in splashing style towards them. There was no mistaking that voice, and a nearer view revealed Frederick in his shirt sleeves, without a hat; his face very red, and his curly hair thrown back from his forehead. “ Do take care, Frederick!’ cried Mrs. Whynn, alarmed. “ I do not like to see you there ; you are not used to boating.” 32 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Fred was not pleased at having his igno- rance proclaimed before company. «¢ No—danger—mother. Old—enough— to—to to—take—care—of—myself. Think —me—boy—always. ‘T'wenty—one—no-— mis—take! Havea—wow—Miss—Weynolds? Nice—day—for—a—wow—ladies !’’ adopting boat phraseology. “ No thank you, Mr. Whynn! Not to- day,” answered the young lady specially ad- dressed, but seeing him look disappointed, she added playfully, “I have not a boat-cloak.” ** Never—mind! Lend—my—coat!” was the generous rejoinder; ‘ you—any—of— young—ladies,” and he held it up to tempt them. ‘“ T'w—y—it—ladies! fit—one, take —one—it—fits—”’ This unique offer created a sensation, and much laughing and banter ensued among the group of ladies and gentlemen collected, as to which of the fortunate fair ones the coat would fit, Frederick, in his boat, feeling as happy as a king at being the object of general mirth and amusement. _ As’soon as the merriment had somewhat subsided, Augusta stepped forward. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 30 ** We are all very much obliged to you, Mr. Whynn, for your kind offer,”’ said she, raising her gentle voice, ‘ but we do not think the coat will fit any of us, and we are all afraid of spoiling our best bonnets.” A murmur of approval followed this feminine excuse, peculiarly adapted to the comprehension of the party addressed, who was won't to declaim loudly against the ** extw—avagance—of—the—¢irls.”’ Augusta moved from the bank, followed by the smiling bevy of damsels, who bowed their acknowledgments to the boatman in passing. Kncouraged by their politeness, he accom- panied them in his “ light bark,” delicately urging them to— “ Twy—coat! Could—trust—him! Vewy —careful! Slow—coach !” &e. “ Frederick !” said Mrs. Whynn, as they were leaving the river to return to the house, “you had better get out of your boat. There’s a steamer coming in the distance.” “ By Jove! so—there—is !” he exclaimed. “© Be—off—t—meet it !”” As he spoke he turned to resume play with his oars, so it is probable that the lady did oes) 34: JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. not hear this touching proof of his desire to comply with her request, and our little party wended their way through a plantation to the lawn, where the band was performing a selec- tion from that most magnificent of all operas — Robert le Diable.” Augusta was susceptible in the extreme to musical influence; carried away by the ex- citing strains, she half expected to see spirits In unison with the wild measure, emerge from the ground amid the tall trees, in answer to the magic spell. Spirits there were in abundance, evil as well as good, no doubt; but the former were not now evoked, and love and harmony were the order of the day. On quitting the trees, a brilliant spectacle presented itself ; the lawn was a_ living parterre, as dazzling to the eye as the flower- garden in all its glory. Attracted by the music, the company had congregated there, disposed in groups that sauntered or sat. Idlers reclined on the soft grass luxuriating in ices, sherbet, and flirtation, while some youthful Terpsichoreans gave life and vivacity to the scene, by their adaptation of the music to a bewildering valse. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 30 Freemantle provided seats for his ladies, and, deputing his care of them to his brother- in-law, Mr. Adamson, went in search of ices. Mr. Adamson was vicar of the parish in which the Reynolds resided, when in the country, and of course well known to them, though not on intimate terms. 7 A short time passed in lively converse, Colonel Freemantle did not return, at which Mr. Adamson expressed surprise, saying— ‘“What can have become of our hero and the ices? It is to be hoped no vengeful Rajah has waylaid him, and spoiled his triumphs to-day by making him stand and deliver.”’ «¢ And ending in making him prisoner,’ re- turned a certain Lord Chester, in the same jesting tone; ‘“‘for there he goes full speed down to the river, escorted by a strong body guard to prevent escape; and positively there’s a steamer righting about face for the express purpose of taking him on board.” All laughed, and looked in the direction indicated. “Many a true word spoken in jest,” said Mr. Adamson: “the steamer is backing and 36 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. no mistake. There must be something the matter !”” | “‘There’s a wild goose chase of some sort going on,” said Lord Chester. ‘‘ Let us to the rescue! Ladies, will you join our ranks ?” Augusta looked round for Mrs. Whynn, but she bad disappeared, as also Mrs. Freemantle, to whom a messenger had hastened with tid- ings delivered aside, upon which that lady rose, and invited Mrs. Whynn to accompany her into the house. So our heroine was fain to accompany the rest. ; A dense crowd had collected on the bank of the river, an eager, excited crowd, loud and vociferating, thoroughly roused out of the quiet propriety that distinguishes the better classes of English society. The cause for this excitement was soon manifest; a boat had ~ been upset by the steamer, and now, bottom upwards, was slowly drifting down the river. The steamer had reversed her engine, and was making her way back to the scene of the dis- aster, preparing boats and ropes to render assistance to some unlucky individual in the water. Augusta’s first thought was of Frederick, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. aye and she looked eagerly into the different boats that like magic appeared in sight, all rowing vigorously, and felt a relief at seeing he was not in any of them. “Whew!” exclaimed Lord Chester, “a boat upset, and the unfortunate boatman gone to the bottom, to look after his fishing tackle.” As he spoke a loud cry arose. *‘ There he is !”” And a black head appeared above the water, nearly opposite to where our friends were standing. Augusta’s shriek at the discovery that it was the wretched Frederick in this predica- ment was stopped by astonishment, for at the instant Freemantle divested of his coat, rushed to the spot. Waving his hand to the boats, “‘ Back !’’ he shouted in a voice resembling a war-trumpet, and the next instant he plunged into the river to the rescue of the drowning man. It seemed at this moment as if some magi- cian had waved his wand, and transfixed the crowd as it stood; so silent and breathless was every one, watching, with intense anxiety, 38 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. the struggle between life and death taking place in the water. Fred, after vainly striving to catch the rope thrown from the steamer, began to sink the secondtime just as Colonel Freemantle reached him. | Few of the actual spectators of such pain- ful scenes can ever, we fancy, give an accu- rate description of them. The only persons unmoved are generally the actors; their ener- gies being called into play they are calm and self-possessed, whilst the lookers-on see the occurrences more through the medium of their own excited feelings, than as they really take place. To the bystanders the effort made by Free- mantle to grasp the drowning man was as a flash of lightning, in which both disappeared. “ Ohmy son! my son! Let me go!” ex- claimed Mr. Freemantle, endeavouring to dis- engage himself from the hands which held him back, while a simultaneous shriek came from the women. * Silence!’ shouted Mr. Adamson, turning angrily round, the agony of his mind depicted on his. face. ‘* Do you mean to unnerve Colonel Freemantle ?” And he began pulling JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 39’ off his coat in most unclerical haste to rush into the river. } As he spoke a deafening cheer, pealing from boats and banks greeted the colonel as he rose to the surface, firmly grasping the half-drowned Triton by the hair, who clung so desperately to his preserver there was some danger of both again sinking. The steamer’s boat hurried to the rescue, and with some difficulty Fred was taken in and rowed in all haste to land. | Some very considerate persons had provided a shutter for his accommodation, and were urgent their prudence and foresight should be properly appreciated, but Fred tabooed them and their shutter most disrespectfully. — & W—hat—want—shutter—for ? Not— d—d—dead! Only—ducking! Legs—again! All—mad! Get—on—it—yourselves !” And the matter was settled on his debarca- tion by his giving his solicitous friends, shutter and all, leg bail, and running as fast as he could to the house. The boatmen belonging to the steamer endeavoured to exculpate themselves from occasioning the accident by assuring— “Ladies and gen’l’m’n, it warn’t no fault 40 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. of ourn, not-a bit; the young gen’l’m’n ’ailed us and wanted to come aboord, but Lor’ bless you, ladies and gen’l’m’n! we see how it would be the moment we clapped eyes on him, he warn’t no more fit to manage that there boat, no more nor he was to manage a man- a-war, in a hurricane. The cap’en warned him off our paddle-wheels, but p’raps he didn’t understand, bein’ a furrineer most likely, for he do talk most outlandish, so he stan’s up to parley-woo the cap’en, and over he tops, boat and all, and that’s the blessed truth, ladies and gen’l’m’n as how it happen.” Englishmen cannot be accused of coldness when their sympathies are roused, and Free- mantle received a perfect ovation on the success of his humane exertions as he swam to the shore. Oddly enough, he determined to land not far from a spot where a group of young ladies were standing apart from the crowd, so ab- sorbed by various emotions that they never thought of running away to preserve. their finery, though they knew the risk it ran should the river god approach too near them with his dripping garments. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Al The bank was a failure, a downright bank- rupt, and very dangerous. It would have been atrociously cruel and wicked, after the act Colonel Freemantle had just done, to let him run into further danger, perhaps drown then and there before their eyes, and not one stir a foot or lend a hand to help him in his ex- tremity. | No! women are not so barbarous. The softest hearted made the first move. A beautiful blushing face bent over the water; a voice remarkably grave and proper said— 7 “Can I assist you?’ and a hand was offered. It certainly was a small hand, and perfectly absurd the idea of a hand like that being any assistance in a case of such emergency. But we know drowning men will catch at straws, so in like manner Colonel Freemantle seemed most happy to avail himself of this particular straw. The hand was of no more use than a straw, we do believe, but by its help he got out with wonderful facility. Now the reader must not suppose by this that Augusta was the only tender-hearted girl there. On the contrary, they all came forward.. 42, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. We do not know what their mammas and chaperones would have said had they seen them; most likely have marched them back then and there to their respective homes and schoolroom lessons. There was quite an array of ladies’ hands, of various sizes, held out for the Colonel to choose from, but Augusta’s came first, and ** first come first served ’’ 1s a favourite apho- rism, and may be adapted to our present re- quirement. Nor could it be expected that while drowning Freemantle could look to see which would suit him best. However, he thanked them all, “ he was indebted to them beyond measure,” &c., &c. Whereas to Augusta, whose straw of a hand had been of such signal service, he said nothing, not even gave her common thanks. A piece of ingratitude we are sorry to have to record of our preux chevalier. To be sure she beat a retreat after her gallant rescue, half-frightened at what she had done; but he who seemed marvellously up in women’s ways might have followed her, dripping wet as he was. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 43: CHAPTER IV. ** 4 BANQUETTING HALL. ’—G. CATTERMOLE. Not only did the incident related in the last chapter throw a damp over the general hilarity of the day, but what was infinitely worse, it delayed the dinner-hour. Mrs. Whynn was thoroughly unnerved at the finale to her son’s boating excursion, though imparted to her cautiously, and not - until all danger was over. With the thoughtful care of a woman— That is a blunder. What woman ever came up to man in tenderness, gentleness, and soli- citude, where his affections were concerned, or his sympathies aroused ? We will alter our phrase, and say, with the thoughtful kindness of a man, Colonel Free- mantle, on hearing of Frederick’s mishap, had sent to his mother to tell her of it, begging her to prevent, if possible, its coming to the 4A, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. knowledge of Mrs. Whynn, by taking her out of sight and sound of the bustle going on by the river. On being assured of his safety it was diff- cult to say which affected Mrs. Whynn most, regret for the accident or displeasure at the danger his fool-hardiness had caused to his kind rescuer, and nothing but the disappoint- ment it would have caused her protégeée, Augusta, prevented her returning home at once. . Freemantle, for whom, as well as for the other aquatic, warm baths were prescribed after their immersion, sent an emphatic protest against dinner being delayed on his account. But to have commenced feasting without the person in whose honour the company had assembled, and whose absence was occasioned. by a meritorious action, would have been con- trary to the refinement and good taste of the nineteenth century. It was very long after the appointed hour when the summons was given to ladies and gentlemen to repair to the house, there to discuss the good cheer provided for their special delectation. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Ai It would save the harassed mistress of revels such as these much trouble did she ap- point a factotum, a sort of town-crier, who, armed with a list, should call up the couples, and pair them off accordingly. As it was, few met as originally intended, some being absent at the decisive moment, or had chosen partners for themselves. And here let us remark how closely the British youth approximate to their prototypes the Laczede- moniums in the respect they pay to age, many a dowager, not fair, but fat, and a very long way after forty, being led off by young, handsome, and most eligible parizs, to the intense disgust of young, it may be hand- some, but not eligible young ladies. The fact is, Many a young man, knowing it to be his duty to take in someone, feels he cannot err, or better please his hostess, than by doing the agreeable to those who are the least so to himself, and possibly, from insufficient ac- quaintance, he hesitates to offer himself without a special introduction to the girl who most takes his fancy. In spite of the admiration and curiosity she excited at this important moment, Augusta 46 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. found herself quite deserted, her late com- panions hurrying on in front, laughing, chat- | ting, and happy on the arms of their ob- sequious squires. However, she looked any- thing but a member of the forlorn hope; serene and lovely she followed in their wake, dreaming no doubt that a protecting spirit hovered over her to descend in the shape of Colonel Freemantle, who soon appeared with another gentleman, whom he introduced, and then disappeared. Augusta and her new acquaintance, the Lord Chester of previous mention, proceeded on their way, the latter doing his best to amuse and draw out his fair companion. A man of the world, in which he occupied a distin- guished position, he was much interested by. her fresh and guileless manner, without which her beauty would scarce have charmed him, or at any rate he thought so. Arrived at the hall-door came the tug of war; the crush of some hundreds of hungry individuals, all eager to enter the land of promise, yet forced, like fretful chargers, to curb their impatience, and rest content with indulging in an undercurrent of polite sar- JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. A7 casm, mostly on the absurdity of human , nature, the company present affording illus- trations. Having brought our guests to the door, 2.e., aS near as pressure of circumstances will permit, let us avail ourselves of the privilege accorded to us in our character of reporters, free and untrammelled, to edge our way in- side, and there take a survey of the hall, made to do duty on this and most festive oc- casions. A spacious apartment, large enough for a good-sized house; the hall occupied the centre -of the mansion, behind lay the reception rooms, atone end the billiard room, at the other the library. In winter warmed, and ornamented with orange trees and greenhouse plants, it formed a good substitute for a jardin @ hwwer, and much use was made of it during the in- clement weather as a promenade by old and young. | To-day, however, right royal was its aspect. In addition to its usual adornments of antlers, bows, and weapons bespeaking the chase, it was gaily decorated with banners and ever- greens, while standing in recesses, and artis- 48 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. tically relieved by crimson drapery, from the folds of which they appeared to issue, were exquisite statues. Here peeped outa laugh- ing nymph, the blooming Hebe, or sylvan Diana, and there in loftier pride some stalwart warrior or heathen god, or “man divine,” mute, mystic spectators of the scene below. “ Mais revenons a nos moutons,”’ that is to our dinner, to which the aforesaid moutons may reasonably be swpposed to bear some re- lation. The farther end of the hall was spanned by a long table, from which extended two others, running almost the length of the hall, a magnificent carved oak sideboard against the wall completing the hollow square. We know not to whom the management and decoration of these tables was deputed, perhaps to the far-famed Gunter; if so, he ~ surpassed himself. The effect on entering was perfectly daz- zling ; though day without it was night within: night with her thousand lights blazing and re- flected everywhere. It seemed as if nature and art had combined to bewilder the spectator, and incapacitate him from deciding as to which the palm-branch should be awarded. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 49 Fruits, the choicest, half-hidden by leaves, gleamed in juxtaposition with their crystallized representatives, confectionary sparkled in their crystal dishes, statuettes, vases, epergnes, while surrounding all, flowers the loveliest, the sweetest, shed their beauty and delicious fragrance around. The principal table differed from the others only in its centre-piece, a wonderful trophy, the gift of good old London, on presenting our hero with the freedom of the city. VOL. I. D 50 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER V. ‘¢ THE VOW OF THE PEACOCK.’ —D. MACLISE. We left our company, it will be remembered, waiting at the hall door, and beguiling the tedium by lively sallies, everyone according to his humour. On entering each gentleman delivered up his hat and received a ticket in exchange. “ Highty !”’ said Lord Chester, Augusta’s cavalier, looking at his “ tally’ as he called it, ‘* fancy my being eighty. I hope you are not disgusted.” “ Not in the least,” she answered; “ gen- tlemen of that age are often the kindest and most agreeable,”’ “ Then,’ said he, “I will wear my tally as a decoration, since it has already procured me one point in your favour. Come; it’s something worth living so long for.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ol ** But that would be wearing false colours,” she replied, ‘‘ and you would lose instead, by pretending to what you are not.” “To gain such a point, one would even dare the escutcheon of presence. But facts!” he continued, “to what else but my eighty years can | attribute the honour of the prize which all men covet? Do you know what that 1s ?”’ * Scarcely,’ she answered innocently, ** they covet so many things.” *¢ Indeed! Do tell me what they are.” * They covet glory and honour and wisdom and riches.”’ * Sensible fellows, wemen! And we des- pise the grovelling process of eating and drinking, and steel our hearts against the fascinations of the fair (with a tinge of aspe- rity) like my friend Freemantle, who prefers to pay homage at the shrine of my excellent mother, in preferenceto any other, to judge by his manner; I never saw him in such spirits.” *‘Genlemens will find as their places is on the table!” was shouted in a stentorian voice close to his ear. * That means, gentlemen are to take their D 2 52 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. places on the table; a new move, a rise in the world; formerly their places were under it. But there is our gallant colonel looking for us, now he has disposed of my worthy mamma to his satisfaction. We come! (ad- dressing him) that is, if we can. ‘ But as to Loretto! I shall never get there,’ at any rate _to dinner, according to the present aspect of affairs.” In this way Lord Chester rattled on, while clearing a passage for his liege lady to the upper table. “ T say, Freemantle!’ said he, on reaching him, “ your man informs us that we gentle- men are to stand on the table! Show us the way up. Weare to figure as ornaments, I suppose.” “* Ag overseers, rather,’ was Freemantle’s answer, ‘** to watch over the interests of the ladies, our only real ornaments; all others are counterfeits.” Ticketing the. places is an excellent arrange- ment for small parties, but was not successful on this occasion; much confusion prevailed and much laughter, but in time all settled down to their apparent satisfaction. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 53 Soup, fish, and the entrées were handed round in quick succession to the famishing company by a staff of watchful attendants, who moved about with noiseless tread, and muttered out ‘ potty garden,’ ‘“ salmon capers,” “ bully beef,” “sammy snipes,” &., presenting the savoury morsels to each guest. The weighty responsibilities involved in these important discussions had reduced to gravity and silence the most thoughtless ; the clatter of plates and plate was alone to be heard, unless now and then a titter or sup- pressed ejaculation, as a somersault of soup or wine acted as cascade over some luckless individual ; but ** When the rage of hunger was repressed,” forthwith the tongues became loosened. However much we may admire the vox humani as a solo, its effect is certainly not entrancing in chorus, especially at dinner parties, where these wind instruments, not being pitched in unison, produce anything but a concourse of sweet sounds; on the con- trary, they rather savour of discord, and may properly be termed a din. 54 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. The hubbub within completely destroyed the harmony of the band without, which had moved to the green sward in front of the hall, and by way of contrast was performing a selection of soft music, that divinest of airs “’ cried his wife. * Spoke to you, papa?” echoed his daughter. “Did he speak to you, papa dear?” timidly enquired Augusta. *‘ Yes, my dear, he did. He asked me if I would permit him to try his chance here, and T gave him leave.” “ Dear, kind papa! How good of you!” and Augusta got up and put her arms tenderly round his neck. «© And never to say a word of it to me!” said the enraged lady. * And I thought he was coming after me,”’ added the disappointed daughter. “Dear Gerty,’ said Thomas, solemnly, ‘you are in advance of your age. Do cease this disputing, it’s like Bedlam broke loose.” “T will not forgive it,” protested Mrs. Reynolds. ‘‘ This accounts for his insolence in persisting to thrust himself into this house when he knew it was contrary to my wishes.” ** My dear, remember you are speaking of a gentleman.” “TI do not forget that you have been behaving unlike one,” retorted his spouse. ** What do you mean by that, madam >” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 4S ‘Madam, indeed!” cried the indignant Mrs. Reynolds. ‘* What next, I wonder ?” * As the frogs said when their tails dropped off,’ quietly observed Tom, who loved humour. “It means, that I intend to be master!” said warlike Mr. Reynolds. *‘ It means that I mean to be master too,” said warlike Mrs. Reynolds. “When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war,’ again observed Thomas, sotto voce. “You have been king regnant too long, Mrs. Reynolds !” ‘1 mean to be king-regnant as you call it, some time longer, Mr. Reynolds.” ‘Then I will abdicate in your favour, and | leave you to govern—yourself ; the hardest task you ever undertook.” **There’s a harder still !”’ “Is there, indeed? I should be glad to know what it is. You would drive a man mad.” ** And you are enough to drive a woman mad. Your conduct is of a piece from be- ginning to end ; and all I can say is, if that 46 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. man Freemantle dares to show his face here, I will order the servants to turn him out!” _ “T£T know you give such an order,” said Mr. Reynolds, transported with anger, “ as sure as I am speaking I will leave you with- out a shilling.” Mrs. Reynolds did not lke that prospect ; her own fortune of two hundred a-year had been settled on herself, and barely sufficed her as pin-money. She turned white with anger, and wanting an object, showered down her hailstones on the luckless Augusta. ** As for you, miss, if I know you to hold any correspondence with that man, I willturn you out of the house that instant.” “Woman, you have lost your senses!” exclaimed Mr. Reynolds, then turning to Augusta— You had better leave the room, my dear; your mother has gone into ‘ ecsta- tics !’—She will recover presently.” “* Don’t turn her out of the house, mamma,” said Gertrude, “ or she will be running off to him 1”? “Gerty,” says Thomas, “ Augusta is not like you, who run after the men; they run after her.’’ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 47 * You are as nasty and spiteful as ever |” returned the disgusted Gertrude, forgetting her reverence. ‘‘ She would be sure then to go to—to— Mamma, shall I say ?” “Say what you like, miss,” said her mother, authoritatively. She will run then to her dear—M—M— Mrs. Whynn.” “Ts that all?’ returned Thomas. ‘She could not go to a better person; I shall pay a visit to Mrs. Whynn myself. I am very partial to her.” ** You had better not; mamma hates her, and so do I.” “ Be silent, Gerty !” said herfather. ‘It’s a wonder the police have not come to the door, thinking by the noise and uproar some deed of violence was being committed.” “ Better is a dry crust where love is,” said Thomas, with feeling, “ than the stall’d - ox and hatred therewith.” “True, my son!” returned Mr. Reynolds. **“ So Pll leave off where I began, And tak’ my auld great cloak aboot me.’ ” 48 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER VI. ‘> DARK AND FAIR.’—-COMTE DE JARNAO. DIFFERENT roads may lead to the same locality, and different persons, with far other interests and views at heart, may yet desire the same thing, and seeking to attain it, may, in the end, achieve the same purpose. Mrs. Freemantle and Mr. Reynolds, opposite to each other as the poles, had yet the same object in view at the present moment—to wit, to bring our hero and heroine together once more. The lady tried various plans, in her desire to avoid inviting the whole family of the Reynolds to her house, but gave it up at last as impossible. She had no means of seeing and conversing with Augusta without her relations, and her recent visit turned out a fruitless errand. She had no resource left but to write, which JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 49 would have been equally unsuccessful, had not chance, for once propitious, brought her in contact with Mr. Reynolds at the house of a friend. Few people carry in their bearing and manners a more decisive letter of recommen- dation than did Mr. Reynolds; his greatest enemies must have allowed him that charm. Courteous and polished, he was the perfect gentleman, while a remarkably musical voice, and a fund of lively conversation, made him an acquisition in every society. ‘To women especially, his politeness and deference, the perfectly happy medium, recommended him at all times and at all seasons. Mrs. Freemantle, a gracious and dignified lady, with rigid ideas of honour as regarded men and women, liked him excessively, and as he advanced to meet her, and stood con- versing in his own cheerful, pleasant way, the tears fairly started into her eyes, as the recol- lection rose in her mind of the reports con- cerning him and his embarrassed position— his want of principle and good faith in his dealings with the world. ** T hope it is not true,” thought the kind- VoL. Il. D 50 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. hearted woman ; ‘*‘ I should be very, very sorry to hear of ill coming to him.” “T have been wishing to see Mrs. Rey- nolds,’ said she, ‘“‘ but was unfortunate enough to miss her, and now I hear that you are all going to Switzerland for the autumn. We shall be left alone soon, to watch the process of the grass growing in the streets of London.”’ Mr. Reynolds laughed, and said he was going to do the same; but all his duties were marked out for him, and he had nothing to do but to follow his leader, Mrs. Reynolds. She had made a sime quad non of Switzerland. They only intended visiting the lakes there ; but did she change her mind and make the top of Mont Blanc her destination, he must do as she bid him, and pitch his tent there. Mrs. Freemantle laughed in her turn, and told him her travelling days were over; Brighton formed the sum total of her latter- day experiences. And then she asked when they intended to start. “* Next week,” he answered ; “if I can get away so soon.” “Is all the family going?” she asked, with JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. d1 a hope that one might be left behind—the one, who was the sole cause of the proposed trip. He answered, all who were at home, and they would make a formidable party; it was, perhaps, the only chance of the girls seeing — a little of foreign life, and he could not leave his little one behind ; he would have liked to take his two boys who were at Highgate, but he found it impossible. Mrs. Freemantle said sensibly, she did not think so much of the number of people in travelling as in the quantity of luggage. At this he begged her not to recall to his mind the frightful vision he had been trying to force into the background. He was speaking to a lady who was indulgent as she was experienced, and felt she would agree with him, that the real cause of the aversion to matrimony in the young men of the present day, was not really the want of dowry, but the enormous amount of finery that supplied the place of it. | Mrs. Freemantle agreed that this was a growing evil, and in travelling became a mountain of miseries to the gentleman of the D2 52 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. party ; then she said she should regret not seeing them before they went. ‘* Would he and Mrs. Reynolds come and dine with them next week, and bring the two young ladies ? she was going to havea few friends to dinner, and a musical party in the evening ; perhaps they would assist, and it was for this purpose she had called; she knew, too, that he liked music.” Mr. Reynolds said it was the only one of his early friends that remained to him; he dearly loved music, and would gladly accept her kind invitation for himself and girls. What day was it P” She said Friday. He answered they were intending to start on Saturday; but never mind, they were not chained to a day. He would put it off till Monday rather than lose so pleasant an even- ing. And then he asked, jokingly, if the Colonel had returned to India, it was so long since they had seen him. Mrs. Freemantle told him they had seen very little of him either; he had been down on a visit to Sir George Goodwin ; that, and Chillingham, had divided his time. Mr. Free- JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. a3 mantle was anxious the repairs should be finished ; he was tired of town, and longed to return to his home and his hobbies once more. They parted, and Mrs. Freemantle sent a formal invitation to Mrs. Reynolds, which was the signal for a second pitched battle on the same subject, the first having taken place on Mr. Reynolds acquainting his affectionate partner of his proceedings with the above lady—the invite given and. accepted. 54, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER VII. FAUST AND MARGUERITE.—ARY-SCHEFFER. Noraine but the assurances of her husband as to the absolute necessity of their being friends with the Freemantles, and his inability other- wise to take them on their tour, prevented Mrs. Reynolds withdrawing from her agree- ment to attend the detestable soirée, even at the eleventh hour; or retract from her prohi- bition of Augusta’s appearance at it, but the positive assertion, one hundred times reiter- ated by him, that Freemantle would not and could not be there. Augusta was worn out with the changes of temper of which she was the victim, and but for the express commands of “ her father” would have decided not to go, especially as * somebody” would not be home. The tortures and trials of the last few JOHN FORTESCUE’ REYNOLDS, ESQ. 55 months, increased tenfold by the cause, had wrought a great change in her. She was more womanly, more self-reliant, less buoy- ant, less wayward, but not less lovely, nor less lovable. Both Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds looked wonderingly at her as she sat opposite to them on their way to the Freemantles’ ; men gazed on her as she passed along, and every eye turned upon her when she presently entered the guest-room, her mass of white drapery surging round her, a sea of foam. He was not there, remember, why should she not be calm P She was the last to enter. Some one ap- proached her, held out his hand and spoke. She looked up. It was her heart’s secret idol! His faith in her was rewarded. The quiet eyes flashed delight. The crimson flood suffused neck, cheek, and brow, in answer to the kindling spirit. No need of words. The tale was told without them. Freemantle led her, all glowing and smiling, to his mother, and she, who had with beating heart watched for him to turn round, and who knew every turn of that beloved 56 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. face, read content therein. She greeted the - girl lovingly, kissed her before all the com- pany, and made her sit down beside her. Mrs. Whynn was present, a quiet, anxious observer, and so pleased was she, so grateful to Mrs. Reynolds did she feel, for what she considered was her part in bringing her, that in the warmth of her heart she thought, * I have wronged her!’ And she rose, and went to that lady, holding out the hand of peace. At this moment, for the first and only time, she wavered in her purpose. Augusta so well and happily married, what could she do better for her? To what purpose rake up this old story P ruin themselves in the good opinion of their husbands, open the eyes of their children to follies committed by their mothers, and make themselves and their ~ actions the common talk of everyone they knew ? Mrs. Reynolds did not accept the olive branch in the spirit with which it was offered. She was disgusted to find her there, and no less so that Freemantle was at home ; never- theless it was he who led her to dinner, and Mrs. Whynn fell to the care of Mr. Reynolds. JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 57 _ Augusta took to dreaming, as usual. She went down to dinner on somebody’s arm, she did not know whose. She fancied that she had heard the voice before, and the one glance she took revealed a face not altogether strange ; but never mind, it did not signify who he was, it was not him. So she said “‘yes” and “no” to everything in its proper place—albeit me- chanically—till at last the object of such un- feeling indifference said mischievously— *‘ However captivating gentlemen of eighty may be to young ladies, their grey hairs I see are soon forgotten.”’ The charm was broken: Augusta looked up, and in the fair and handsome man beside her, with the wicked eyes and bewitching tongue, she remembered her gallant cavalier, the Lord Chester, who had played second at Chillingham on that ever memorable epoch of her life. Now as then, either by accident or design, her place at table was between the two, and if ever fair lady had reason to be proud of homage paid at her shrine, assuredly Augusta was that favoured one, though her sex are sad greedy creatures at best—greedy of praise, DS 58 JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. greedy of power, greedy of gain, with a host of other greedinesses in their store-closets. The two gentlemen did their best to outvie each other in tending her, but she was Lord Chester’s parte, and Freemantle found he sat between two fires—the one soft and entranc- ing, the other so fierce and withering, that it required his utmost care and skill to avoid burning his fingers; but he seemed in first- rate spirits, and joined in the light laugh elicited by his rival’s witty tongue. Gertrude, not old enough nor yet striking enough to take precedence in company, had been paired off with a gentleman, “ older than papa,” she thought, with great disgust, and she looked cross, and laid the blame on mamma for bringing that “ nasty Augusta, whose place she would have had she knew, with that love of a darling, Lord Chester, to talk to and pay her so much attention. She liked him a great deal better than that stupid Colonel Freemantle, who hardly spoke to her. She hated him, and would like to scratch Augusta’s face, and make her ugly for ever.” _ Mrs, Reynolds, on her part, was perfectly JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 59 amazed at Augusta’s indelicate behaviour, laughing and talking in that bold manner to a perfect stranger; she could not care much for Colonel Freemantle, that was one comfort, nor he for her, that was another, she was glad shetold that—that—well,—she told his mother of the engagement. Mrs. Freemantle will see it is quite true about her requiring re- straint. He never cared for her ! If that was the case, why was Mrs. Rey- nolds for ever assuring herself of it ? Lady Chester occupied the post of honour on Mr. Freemantle’s right, and thought— “What a beautiful girl! I hope my son will not fall in love with her. Oh, Evelyn! How perverse men are !”’ And Mr. Reynolds and Mrs. Whynn hiiyches together once more, talked like the good friends they were. She knew him to be all a kind father could be to her daughter, and re- spected him accordingly. He asked much about the movements of Fred, told her that young man had quite for- gotten his friends, and attributed it to attrac- tionselsewhere. It was allright and natural, he expected to hear soon of Mr..Whynn’s 60 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. clearing off old scores, becoming steady and. domestic; and, “ Lo! Benedict, the married man appears !” Mrs. Whynn was much amused, and said stranger things than that happened every day of the year. Mr. Reynolds jocosely remarked that there was nothing strange that Dan Cupid could not do; he should call him the great re- former ! The gentlemen in his vicinity laughed, and Fred, according to custom, the cynosure of all eyes, at his end of the table; whose small stock of acuteness had centred in his ears, understood himself to be in some sort of way the promoter of general mirth at the other end, a circumstance he did not approve, so with an elegance characteristic of him, de- manded— ¢ W—w—what’s—the—wow ?” Upon which wicked Mr. Reynolds answered, that he had been examining Mrs. Whynn as to the state of his (Fred’s) health, who he could see was suffering from what 1s called an affec- tion of the heart—a dangerous complaint, since it was sure to attack the head too. It JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 61 had already made him oblivious of even his best friends, as it always did, and taken away his appetite, for Mr Reynolds saw, with pain, that he was eating nothing! Fred blurted out ‘‘B—bosh!” but he coloured to the roots of his hair, and everyone laughed, and wicked Mr. Reynolds said— *« A guilty conscience needs no accuser !”’ And Fred turned to a lady next him, a perfect stranger, and asked her if ‘ she did not think old Weynolds wemarkably stupid !”” The lady answered ‘she did not know,” but thought “ she knew that he (Fred) was.” Mrs. Reynolds rather subscribed to Fred’s opinion of her husband, and felt that she would like to pull his whiskers for talking such non- sense, and rendering, as he always did, her machinations nugatory. But Mrs. Whynn rejoiced to hear him, as it confirmed her state- ment to Mrs. Freemantle, as to there being no engagement between Fred and Augusta ; and Mrs. Freemantle looked towards her friend and smiled, signifying that she read her thoughts. This lady felt otherwise extremely uneasy, as she always did when Mr. Frederick 62 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Whynn entered her dwelling. She associated him with dangers innumerable, dangers by fire, dangers by water; she looked upon him as her Nemesis, the forerunner of evil—like Mother Cary’s chicken—a bird of ill-omen, and shuddered when she saw him, nor felt safe till at least a week had elapsed without the apprehended scourge his presence por- tended. She had her reasons for inviting him to- day, and they had just been certified. On the reassembling of the ladies in the drawing-room, the same play was enacted as on similar occasions. They betook them- selves to the conventional small talk that forms the staple of their intellectual converse. They discussed the court, the fashions, dress, fancy-work, their neighbours, whose Who’d it, their appearance, what they wore, what So- and-So said, what So-and-So did. They dis-. coursed on domestic grievances, domestic joys, domestic disappointments, pitied some, ridiculed others, laughed at all, and inwardly commented on present company. : Mrs. Whynn, who had scarce spoken to Augusta, went and sat down beside her, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 63 and told her what happiness it was to see her. How well she was looking! She must never wear anything but white and her gold ornaments ; 1t was so becoming, and some one else thought so too, Mrs. Whynn was sure. Oh, that some one! What a powerful per- sonage he is! Huis mythical appellation only can raise blushes, lower eyes, and make hearts beat ! Augusta mechanically glanced towards Mrs. Reynolds. The brightness of her look vanished, her countenance fell, for she read fines and imprisonments in the eyes that met her own. She presently moved away, and, taking a seat at a table apart, occupied herself with one of those hundred and one splendidly illustrated drawing-room table-books, pub- lished expressly for company to kill time with. Mrs. Freemantle, a quiet observer, saw it all—the look given, and its effects. She like- wise thought something else. ** How alike they are! They might pass for mother and daughter,” meaning Mrs. Whynn and Augusta. The gentlemen did not stay long in the 64, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. dining-room. They soon made their way up- stairs, Colonel Freemantle among:the first. His first look was in search of Augusta, whom he found surrounded by a goodly array of the young and fair, like her, dividing their time between coffee and books. The group was most attractive, and he took a chair, and sat down among them. “Why, Freemantle, you are to be envied said the Lord Chester, coming up, and placing his hand on his friend’s shoulder. ‘It’s Apollo and the muses !” | 1? “Come and join us,” replied Freemantle ; “we shall enjoy the music better here than nearer.” * With all my heart, and [ll help you to entertain ; and Miss Reynolds, being the odd lady, I hope she will do me the honour to accept me for her knight.” Augusta had been so thoroughly absorbed in her book that it is doubtful if she were aware of the addition of the gentlemen to their coterie; but as she was pointedly ad- dressed, she looked up and said she would accept his services with pleasure. But Freemantle’s eyes, as he sat opposite, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 65: were upon her, and positively she looked at him as she spoke, and hung out her red flag, as though she intended that ensign for him. We will not, however, accuse her of being two-faced, saying one thing and meaning another. There was no misunderstanding Gertrude ; she chose both Lord Chester and Colonel Freemantle for her knights, without their even soliciting the favour, and tried to make them jealous of each other by the gracious liberality of her attentions to each. Freemantle seemed as if he would prefer to borrow a little of Augusta’s’ silence, and took up a book. It was on Spain, and Gerty immediately became interested in the affairs and prospects of that romantic land. So thrilling were her enquiries and satis- factory his replies, that curiosity seized the band of listeners. Augusta even put down her book, and took to a puzzle—it was one of a ring—from among some nick-nackeries, by way of employment while attending to the conversation. Lord Chester found himself of no account, so he decided on leaving for the present, in 66 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. order to seek adventures in the land of song going on in the next room, to prove himself worthy of the “fairest of the fair” before again appearing in her presence. : Fred came upon the scene; he was a fish out of water in such refined society. He would gladly have talked to Augusta, “‘ who —never—laughed—at—him ;” but “ Gerty— was—makine—twe-twemendous—wow,—that —he—couldn’t—stand—it.” And ‘“ then— there—was— such—ca—caterwauling—going —on—in—the—next—woom, (the concert) ;— no—chance—of—his—being—able to—elec- twify — them — all—with— ce-celebwated— ‘ Hoop-de-dooden-do !’” So he determined to go down-stairs, and have asmoke. On his way, he encountered a trim damsel of the household, whom with a grace and politeness all his own, he requested to show to him the smoking-room, begging the honour of her company, to keep him awake while he smoked his ‘‘ che—woot,—he—was —pw-pwecious — sleepy — he — was— afwaid —he—might—pop—off—again,—and—set— fire—to—the—house.”’ The young lady modestly declined an office JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 67 not included in the list of her daily duties, and assured him that she “had a deal to do yet;” and then she showed the way to a door which opened on to the leads above the kitchen, ‘“‘ where he could smoke if so be he wished.” So Fred went out on to this same spacious promenade, which extended the whole length of the kitchen: surrounded by the lofty walls of the adjacent houses, and viewed from above it appeared a pit of some pretension. As Fred marched up and down, with his cheroot in his mouth, he looked like poor Truth, en travestie, at the bottom of her well. He had to turn every half-dozen steps, or else he went round and round for variety’s sake ; and one time on trying to look up from out the bricky depths of his well, to catch a glimpse of the stars, which are said to be visible at noon-day to persons in similar situations, his heel came in contact with the sky-lght, that made dark- ness visible in those nether regions ; and before he could recover himself, he had gone plump through, all among Mrs. Freemantle’s best china, standing on the kitchen table. Up sprang tureens, dishes, and plates, and 68 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. with a hideous outcry flew hither and thither, when yielding to superior force, they fell like so many falling harlequins into a thousand pieces. | Cook shrieked, and her crew came rushing in, yelling at the top of their voices, thinking that burglars had got into the wrong box, and were paying for it. Our unlucky hero came out of the fray a fearfulspectacle; his coat split in all directions; and himself so plastered over with the remains of the feast, that he looked as if he had been sailing about in a sauce-boat, which had become a wreck, and turned bottom upwards over him. Fred was a living wonder; he picked him- self up with incredible agility, declaring he was ‘all wight!” and politely told them “ to hold—wow ; — no —harm — done, — only— smash; and ere the terrified screamers could recover their scattered senses, and be certain that the evidence before them of a dreadful onslaught with china was a reality, and no nightmare, the victorious Briton, de- testing a public parade of his triumphs, had modestly retired from the field of combat, and JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 69 taken himself home, there to examine the extent of his wounds. Return we to our company, and to where we left Miss Gertrude and Freemantle deep on the subject of Spain, the demozselles round listening with breathless attention. Among other things the young lady desired to be informed of, was, whether the ladies of Spain were very pretty ? “Which are the prettiest—Spanish or English ?” “Who was the most beautiful lady Free- mantle ever saw ?”’ ** Was she dark or fair ?” “Was she tall or short ?”’ Was it in London ?” ‘Tt must have been in the country then ?”’ *‘ Whereabouts was she ?” *‘ Was he on the bridge too ?” “Oh! then was he on the water ?” ‘In a boat ?” «¢ Who did he take her for ?” “ T took her for a visitant from some other world,’ answered Freemantle, ‘* as she stood looking over the bridge, with her rippling hair streaming over her shoulders.” 70 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Augusta looked suddenly up from her puzzle of the ring; her eyes met his in con- firmation. “Tt was [!—it was I!” was the voiceless exclamation of her heart. ‘‘ He loves me!” The paleness of ecstasy spread over her cheek, her eyelids dropped, and all dreamingly, she sought refuge once more in the compli- cated, and significant riddle of the ring. ‘Then she must have been very young to wear her hair down ?” said the pertinacious Gerty, thinking at the same time if her hair only rippled, she would let it down too. ‘*She was,’ answered Freemantle, who all this time had to undergo the trying ordeal of half-a-dozen pair of eyes at least. *“* Dear me!” said the reflective Gerty, “ it’s just like our place; we have a river and a rustic bridge too.” Freemantle coloured; he was_ positively afraid she might next ask whether the young lady was Augusta. He turned quickly towards her. * Now, Miss. Reynolds, I hope I have ac- quitted myself to your satisfaction in the examination I have undergone. May I ask JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 71 you a few questionsP Who was the hand- somest man you ever saw P” “T should say you were,’ was the daunt- less answer. The laughing chorus succeeded, Augusta joining in it as heartily as anyone. “You do me too much honour!” gaid Freemantle amused. “You have not seen the world yet, or I am afraid you would tell a different story.” ‘Perhaps so,” replied Gerty, who thought it right to assent to everything he said, and did not observe that she was qualifying her Own opinion. On the contrary, she thought— ‘** He will see now that I admire him, and Augusta will have no chance.” Augusta’s mind at this moment was deep in memories of the past. She saw herself a girl, a few years back, standing on what was the keystone of the arch of her life. She had been rambling in the grounds of Beau- lieu, and crossing the river therein, had paused to look over the rustic bridge into the water, clear and transparent, under the unclouded sky. She was lost in admira- tion of the brightness and redundancy of 12 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. nature, while revelling in the glory of majestic summer, when she was roused by the plash of oars, and a boat shot out from beneath the bridge. It had only one person in it, a gentleman, who looked up at her, and so in- tently, that she blushing deeply at last moved away. She saw him about very often afterwards, sometimes in the lane that bounded their dwelling, and nearly always at church; he seemed to watch for her coming in and wait for her coming out, and she in time felt very disappointed if he was not there. By-and-bye the day came that she saw no more of him; she knew his name then, and whither he had gone; but India was so very far off: she would never see him again; but she would ever remember this time as a beau- tiful dream of the past. Yet here he was, back again, speaking to her, loving her she was sure; and looking at her, as he had never looked before. Now she was to go away from her Paradise; out into the world of sorrow and care; to bleak, cold, cheerless Switzerland, where the mountains were all snow, and the plains all JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 73 ice! And she should feel so wretched and miserable, longing to return home, perhaps to find that he—but no, she could not bear that; she would that moment die. And the music sounded so sweet, and a lady who had dined with them, whose gift of song enthralled the world, was pouring out ‘‘ Robert, tol que j’aime,’ with such ravishing sweetness, that it seemed like the voice of an angel. Augusta felt it too much. She made a movement to leave the table; there had been a clearance on one side; when Freemantle came and took the seat beside her, and asked if she had overcome the mystery of her puzzle, and then he took it from her, and worked away at it, and talked to her, till her Spirits seemed quite restored. The only drawback was the fierce looks of Mrs. Reynolds in the distance, and the con- stant interruption of the jealous Gertrude close by. Presently he pulled off the ring, and laid it down before her, which so excited her curiosity that he put it up again, in order to show her the way to take it off. VOL; Il. E 74 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. A movement of the young ladies at the table made Augusta rise too, and Freemantle offered his arm to conduct her to the music room. « What a lovely night,” said he, stopping at one of the windows looking over the park, it tempts one to wander,” and he drew her with him out on the balcony. Mrs. Reynolds was not in the room when this took place; Mrs. Freemantle had carried her out of harm’s way, but Gertrude hast- ened to her, and by significant signs drew her attention to what was going on. Her mother instantly took the hint, and glanced hastily round in search of the offenders. They were not visible, and she turned to Gertrude for further information. Gertrude never looked at her, but kept her eyes fixed on the fateful window. Mrs. Reynolds walked towards it. - She could not see them at first, but when she did, they were very lover-like in attitude ; his head was bent towards Augusta, and he was speaking in a low voice. “ Augusta,” said she, her voice modulated to the extreme of sweetness, ‘how can you JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 79 be so imprudent, my dear, as to go into the night air withoutanything overyour shoulders? You know you have a severe cold.” “It’s quite well now, mamma,” says the poor girl, apologetically. Colonel Freemantle, in his heart, voted Mrs. Reynolds the evil genius of his Pantomime. The two came in from the balcony, and mixed among the throng surrounding the piano, where the kind Lord Chester came up and talked to Augusta in his own light and cheerful manner. He admired her excessively, the little he. had seen of her; and felt that he could envy Freemantle the possession of such ajewel: but with the code of honour imstinct among men with reference to each other’s affacres de ceur, he was incapable of trespassing on the rights of his friend. ‘ He loved her first, and she ought to be his if he could win her.” The good-for-nothing Gertrude was sorely aggrieved. Neither Freemantle nor Lord Chester took the smallest notice of her, though the former knew that she admired him, ‘And Mrs. Freemantle has never once asked me to play,” she soliloquised, “‘ though | E 2 76 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, #SQ. that was what she wished me to come for, and I have been practising ever since the ‘Harthquake Gallop,’ till everything in the room danced like fun: and that beautiful vase on the cheffonier came tumbling off, and was broken to smash. I thought I should have killed myself with laughing. How I hate everybody here! I wish they were all dead |” Some slight refreshments were handed round, and Augusta still stood between her two cavaliers, when the summons was given to depart, and the ceremony of leave-taking commenced. ‘“‘T am sorry to lose you so soon, my dear,” said Mr. Freemantle to her. “I hear you start for Switzerland to-morrow. If you do go up Mont Blanc,” he continued, jestingly, “don’t forget to come down, or we shall be after to fetch you. Thanks for coming.” Freemantle was thunderstruck to hear of their going so immediately. He had only re- turned from Rochester that afternoon. Mrs. Whynn bid her adieu with a look that dwelt in her remembrance long, long after. On releasing her hand, she made a movement JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. pry to give it to Freemantle, who was waiting to conduct her to the door, whence they mounted the stairs for their wrappers. *“‘ Help me, my dear Chester,” said he, ‘* to two minutes’ conversation with Augusta; take the mother under your wing.” ** 1 do not know her; point her out to me.” And the two men waited within sight of the stairs for the descent. Atasign from Freemantle, Lord Chester moved forwards. ** Allow me, madam,” said he, to Mrs. Reynolds, “to have the pleasure ’’—offering his arm. She looked at him suspiciously, but could not refuse ; and turning her head towards her husband, told him that he could take Augusta. Mr. Reynolds had reasons of his own for not obeying. “Here, Gerty,’ said he, “take my arm,” and they followed in the press. Freemantle hung back, with the arm of his idol close pressed to his heart. On reaching the foot of the stairs, he drew her within the angle of the inner door. * Augusta,” said he, excitedly, “I have é8 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. only this moment to tell you that I love you to distraction. Can you ever bring yourself to like me sufficiently to marry me? Only give me that hope to live on.” | The girl reeled at the suddenness of it all; he felt the little hand within his own tremble ; she looked up and saw the strong man strangely moved, the muscles of his face working with the anxiety he felt. She was of too sympathetic a nature to have witnessed emotion in anyone unmoved. Here her whole soul responded to the appeal. She was as pale as death, but her eyes shone out like two stars, as she gazed up at him, and putting her hand into hig, murmured— ‘‘ The first to whom it has been given.” ‘¢ Mine, and mine only for ever!” he whis- pered, and grasped it with the force of his nature. They looked into each other’s eyes, as though they were looking their last; and all who saw them knew them to be lovers. Mrs. Whynn came down on Mr. Free- mantle’s arm; her eyes pierce the crowd in search of one loved form; presently she des- cries the beatified pair, and turns away her JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 79 head quickly. She knows not how she gets into her carriage, and cries the whole way home for joy. _“ Mr. Reynolds’ carriage stops the way !” shouts the link-man in a stentorian voice. Lord Chester looks towards the stairs; he has been playing a most conspicuous part as Mrs. Reynolds’ cavalier, at the front door. Freemantle comes forward with his beloved charge, and feels he would like to keep her with him for ever, and he whispers her not to forget him, and she answers “ Never, never!” ** Can I speak to you to-morrow >” he said to Mr. Reynolds, who placed his hand on Freemantle’s arm in token of assent. A fond pressure of the little hand he can now call his own, and a loving look at the dear face that looks out on him in return; and night has come to Freemantle. “Ts it all right, old fellow >’ enquired Lord Chester, cheerily, as they re-enter the house. *‘ It is, so far as she is concerned. ‘hanks to your good fellowship, my dear Lord Chester.” * Wish you joy with all my heart!” re- turned his generous friend; extending his hand, with something very like a sigh. 80 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER VIII. SCULPTURE—‘* NIGHT AND MORNING.”’ THE scene on the return home from the Freemantles was one not easy to describe. During the whole of the drive Mrs. Reynolds kept up a running fire on the luckless Augusta, who, with heaven in her heart, and tears of treble distilled joy in her eyes, took it very quietly ; she was used to it. Mrs. Reynolds’ anger was excited by Augusta’s keeping in the background, instead of following her. She called her a bold creature, making up to the men, who saw what she was, and despised her accordingly. If she thought Colonel Freemantle did not see through her, she was egregiously mistaken, Mr. Reynolds told his wife she was deceived. Augusta was the last girl to deserve such accusations. If she did not follow, it was JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 81 owing to the crowd on the stairs; he could scarcely move. The little one was touched, and put her hand into her father’s—for such he had ever been to her. She resolved to tell him what had occurred the moment she reached home, and ask him to break it to mamma, for she had not the courage to do so herself. ‘7 have something to tell you, papa dear,” said she, as he handed her out of the carriage. He knew well enough what that something was, and replied, ‘‘ My own girl.” She waited in the passage for the purpose of following him into his room, but Mrs. Reynolds called her upstairs. ‘There is something behind the curtain,” said she, closing the door of the room; “I see it by your manner, and insist upon know- ing what itis. What made you stay behind with that man ?”’ Augusta’s heart revolted at having the secret of her happiness wrenched from her by such coarse language, and was silent. “Do you hear? I insist upon knowing what you and the Colonel were talking about.” ‘*] have no cause to be ashamed,” gaid EO 82 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Augusta, excitedly. ‘“ Colonel Freemantle asked me to marry him.” | *¢ And pray what was your answer ?” “T have agreed to do so,” she answered, a burning blush suffusing her face at the recollection of that entrancing moment. “Then hear my words! Ill see you dead before I will suffer you to break your engage- ment with Frederick. You marry him and none other.” ““Mr. Whynn has never spoken to me; Colonel Freemantle has, and I have given him my promise ”’ ‘“‘ Retract your promise,’ said Mrs. Rey- nolds. | ‘IT cannot—I cannot, indeed !” was the poor girl’s protest. «* You refuse P” Augusta made no answer. “Where we are going,” said Mrs. Reynolds, ‘“‘ there are such places as convents for refrac- tory daughters, and prisons and madhouses.” Still Augusta said nothing. ‘T’o combat with her mother was unnatural as well as useless ; she felt wretched, and turned to leave the room. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 83 “You know my determination, and I expect obedience. I shall write and tell that man I will not listen to his proposal.” “ Pray do not, dear mamma! it would kill me. Am I not your child? Think how unhappy I should be, and how very wretched ' it would make him !” * You miserable idiot! you are more con- temptible even than I thought. He care for you! He wretched! A vain, conceited, unprincipled fellow !” Augusta went hastily to the door, lest she should forget her duty. ** How dare you turn away when I am _ speaking >’ continued the voluble lady. “ Pll teach you better manners. He cares for nothing but himself. He thinks you will have a fortune, and will laugh at you for your folly when he finds you are a beggar.” “‘ Indeed ! indeed, it is not go !” “You dare to contradict me !” At this juncture Mr. Reynolds appeared. “Why, mamma, what on earth is the matter? I heard your voice at the bottom of the house |” “The matter, indeed! Do you see that 84, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. creature? She has had the assurance to engage herself to that Colonel Freemantle, without consulting me, her mother; and knowing herself to be engaged to Frederick all the time !” Mrs. Reynolds was doubly enraged with Freemantle for gaining the victory over her, and proposing, despite her endeavours to prevent him. * Why, Augusta,” said her father, sharply, ** how could you be so undutiful? You ought to have said, ‘ Please, sir, Pll ask my ma!’ Go to bed, my dear; leave mamma to me,” Augusta bounded towards him, left her tears upon his cheek as she kissed him, and quitted the room. “What is the use, Sophy,” said Mr. Rey- nolds, gravely, ‘‘ of this noise and dissension, when troubles of all kind are coming upon us? You ought to be glad that one of your family is likely to be so well provided for. Do you know that the ‘Clod-Hopping Com- pany’ has stopped payment ?” ‘* And what have the Clod-Hoppers to do with this business ?”’ ** A great deal. JI am a director, holding JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 85 some hundreds of shares ; if these are called up, as I suppose they will be, I shall look foolish, that’s all !”’ “You need not do anything of the kind. Who ever heard of a director paying anything for his shares? They were given to you for the honour of your name ; you gave them that, and are quits |” ** My dear, you are a first-rate financier, and ought to be chairman and board all in one. The loss may be insignificant to what I should suffer, did some other undertakings of mine turn out failures; but this I take as a warning.” ‘You are always looking out for squalls! We must not do this, and we must not do that, and we must not go here, und we must not go there, merely because you will persist in going to meet troubles that may never come.” ‘7 wish it were so, but it is not. I tell you the storm is brewing, and mine will be a heavy reckoning when it bursts |” * Rhodomontade !” returned his unsenti- mental wife. And here let us remark how impossible it 86 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. is for anyone, however great his gifts, to be superlative in his own family, the members of which, see genius in his every-day life, actuated by the same motives and possessing the same foibles as themselves, and to whom the especial quality of the gifted one is neither a surprise nor novelty. Genius is simply a development of some particular faculty in a greater degree than is common to mankind, but this excess does not exempt its possessor from the weakness and frailty incident to humanity. Were it other- wise he would be a sort of lusus nature, a post Adamite perhaps, the specimen type of being who is to succeed man when his race is run out. Men regard with wondering eyes the in- firmities of genius—enlarge on them, draw precepts, deduce morals. They who argue thus are in error, and blind to the fact that these same infirmities are equally their own portion; but which are nevertheless hidden from the world in the boscurity of their exist- ence, wanting the transcendent lustre of genius, that, like the sun, illumines all parts —good and bad—yet, do we rejoice in it; JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 87 kindle into enthusiasm, and warm ourselves in its beneficent beams. Mr. Reynolds’ speeches in public were not only always reported, but read with avidity. ** There is a speech of Reynolds’ !”’ “Is there? Then let us hear it by all means!” was the common parlance in the world outside, yet neither wife nor + family ever took heed of them. Mr. Reynolds forbore to speak more of his apprehension to his wife, and turned the con- versation on the subject of the trip, gently hinting his wish that she would give up the Continent for this year. The lady turned livid at the bare idea. It was the last desperate throw for a break-up between Freemantle and Augusta. * She could not and would not,” she said, listen to such a proposal; he must give her some much more substantial reasons than he had yet done, before she could listen to any- thing so absurd; those he had brought for- ward were too nonsensical to be listened to fora moment. She had told all her friends where they were going; to give it up now would be disgraceful. People would say they 88 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. had become beggars, and could not afford the expense of the journey.” And Mr. Reynolds answered—‘ People would be very near the truth if they did say so; he had neither time nor money to throw away on such follies, and she must wait till he had.” Mrs. Reynolds said “she would not! Tom could go with them, and as to want of means it was horrible to hear him tell such things, when he was making money like hay. He was like the rest of men, who the more money they get the more niggardly they become.” He told her he would give her the money if he had it to give, but that he had not; it was all locked up in securities, and she must at any rate wait a few days till he sold out. That did not suit her views either; it would be ruin to her scheme if she waited another day. After a sharp warfare of words a compro- mise was effected, and Mr. Reynolds consented to let his wife make the first stage of her journey, their packing being as far advanced as it was likely to be, did they wait another month. It was settled they should JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 89 start on the next day by the first train for Dover, and there wait till he could join them. Augusta went to her chamber—a _ blue- chamber indeed now, filled with dire images of tortures preparing for her by the resolute, unsparing, relentless Mrs. Reynolds. Going away! His and not his! Loving and beloved! Torn from each other as they stood on the threshold of Paradise! Ship- wrecked on the shores of the illimitable sea! She paced the room like a perturbed spirit ; now she was flinging herself on her knees praying incoherently ; anon shivering with dread, she would creep into bed, terrified at every sound, terrified at her own shadowy figure as it crossed her mirror in the dim twilight. Excitement and terror produced transient delirium. Sleep was impossible; starting from her couch she whirled along the room rather than walked, and at length fell heavily on the floor. When she recovered consciousness she was being raised from the floor; neither sight nor speech had returned, but hope was strong within her. It might be “ mamma” relenting ; 90 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. but the voice she heard was not that of Mrs. Reynolds, * Pretty dear!’ were the words, which she recognised as those of nurse. ‘ Pretty dear! What would her wicked Ma say if she see her now ?” “ If [ was a standin’ in your shoes I’d go and tell her,” and cook was the spokes-woman. ‘‘ But she ain’t my missus,” returned Grace Williams, “and it ain’t no bigness o’ mine to interfere. She may a’ had private reasons for actin’ as she has done, and this here poor sufferin’ lamb has it all wisited on her.” “TI always thought as how there was a something strange in the way they treated her. She and Gerty—I hates that girl, and she hates this one.” ‘It was she as told me, and tells me not to tell, and I says no: but lor, it was sich a norrible tale, as | couldn’t ha’ kep’ it to my- self no how. So be pertickler as you don’t let the cat out o’ the bag.” } You knows as I ain’t a bit of a gossup.” ‘Hush!’ said nurse, ‘‘ she’s a comin’—to. Heigho! she’s a shiverin’ as if she’d got the shakin’ Invitus-to-dance-polka.”’ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 9] But notwithstanding these women’s unre- fined conversation they had hearts, and did their best for the poor child, whose only sin was giving her love when asked for it, and thinking the object of it first in the universe, as he was to her. Could he have seen her now he would have gone frantic ; he was picturing a pair of loving eyes, a soft hand, and two lips which murmured back his vows. The good women, more clever and ready in such a case than most of their more highly educated sisters in the world, managed to bring Augusta to her senses. Nurse chafed her hands, and cook bathed her temples with Hau-de-Cologne, as tenderly, with as much love and care, as she would have tended the delicate Ortolan that was to test her gastro- nomic skill. Augusta put her soft little hand into the rough, honest one of nurse’s, who in a voice that tried to speak calmly asked if she should fetch up master or missus. The little one shook her head, and then asked nurse if she thought she was going to die, if so she would like to see him. By some inscrutable agency the two women 92 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. perfectly understood who was the proprietor of that mysterious pronoun ; they looked at one another; and cook’s heart became soft as butter when undergoing manipulation at her hands. She fairly broke down, but nurse, more heroic, drove back her tears and turned fortune-teller ; told her not to think of dying, she would live a great many years yet, and marry the gentleman she liked, and be a happy young lady after all. - The poor listener grasped eagerly at this straw of comfort, and smiled faintly in answer; turning to the soft-hearted cook, she thanked her for her sympathy, and said she would never forget her kindness. Nurse said she must now try to sleep, she would feel so much better. “ Yes,’ she answered, “if I could only sleep, but I cannot !”’ But youth is strong and love is hopeful; with daylight came brighter prospects, and no one who saw Augusta in the morning would have guessed her sufferings of the night, save in the whiteness of her usually blooming cheek. With the morning came a scene of the most JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 93 indescribable confusion; it was something terrific. Mr. Reynolds calling, Mrs. Rey- nolds scolding, the little Bessie, huffed and pushed about, amused herself by cutting her fingers with the bread knife, and then scream- ing at the top of her voice. The hall was piled to the ceiling with trunks, boxes, and baskets; cabs came to the door, cabmen seized hold of everything they saw, and hurried to their vehicles midst shrieks that they were either not packed, or not locked. Mr. Reynolds rushing out, nearly broke his neck by tumbling over the little one’s bath, and expressed himself thereon in language not savouring of his usual eloquence, and which we should not dare to record here. Augusta tried hard to hope for the best ; Freemantle would try to see her, and bring mamma round, and she really was happier than if he had not spoken to her. Gertrude looked spiteful. She had listened at her mother’s door the previous night, and had thereby learned all particulars, and re- joiced exceedingly: and she told Augusta how glad she was they were going to Switzerland ; she hoped they would stay there a long time; 94, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. she would persuade Ma not to come back again. She hated England, a nasty dull place; whereas everything was so beautiful abroad. Did Augusta not think so?P To which the other replied, ‘“‘ She did not know. She had never been abroad, but she knew she should never love any place like dear old England.” “Oh, that is because Colonel Freemantle will be left behind,” returned Gerty. ‘ It will be of no use Azs coming after us, for he will never find out where we have gone to.” Augusta did not like Ads name batted from one to the other; and merely observed that Gertrude would miss the rides she was so fond of. Gertrude fired up. ‘That I shall not,’? she answered, “ for Brown is going with us, as he can speak French like a Francis, for he has been to Bouillon, and stayed there a whole week; besides, everybody speaks English, so we are going to take him to speak French for us ; and you need not be spiteful, and think to cheat me of my rides, for I shall ride all the same. ladies never ride abroad, so I shall JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 95 set the fashion, and everybody will look at me.” Augusta said she only spoke to put Gerty in mind of one little loss she would have in quitting their dear, dear home, and did not see what Brown had to do with her riding. And Gertrude returned, “A good deal; for we shall go up Mont Blanc on donkeys ; people always go up on donkeys, because donkeys are so sensible, and know better . than anybody what to do, and where to go to ; and then they never fall down: you could not make a donkey fall, not if you were to beat and pinch and poke him till your arm dropped off. And I do not think it a dear home at all. I hate it, and wish England was dead.” The carriage at last came to the door to take them to the station. They were in the act of stepping in when our friend Freemantle appeared on the scene, in order to get one more look at his Augusta, who was already in the carriage. | “Glad to see you,” said Mr. Reynolds; *“ not a moment to lose. Go with us to the station. Jump in.” 96 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. He obeyed with alacrity, and seated him- self beside his beloved. Mrs. Reynolds looked daggers at him. It was with difficulty she restrained herself from telling him what she thought of his conduct ; but Switzerland was her revenge! and her husband wanted him only as a tool. This kept her within bounds, though she was not the less resolute. They were not a moment too soon at the station. The porters were about to close the doors. ‘ The train was just going to start !”’ The luggage, hastily labelled, was thrust into the van. Freemantle came down the plat- form, carrying no end of wrappers for Mrs. Reynolds, walking beside Augusta, saying funny things, and asking all manner of ques- tions, for the sake of hearing her voice and seeing her smile. He lifted her tenderly into the carriage, and told her he would soon be after her. The signal was given, and the train moved on. His soul went with it as he watched it gliding out of the station, and something like @ foreshadowing of evil crept over him, but whether that evil pointed to her or to himself, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 97 he had not time to enquire, for a touch on his arm re-called him to the reality of existence. He then saw that Mr. Reynolds had not ac- companied his family. He looked so surprised, that Mr. Reynolds laughed, and said— “It is all right! My son Thomas will take charge of them till I can join them. Have you breakfasted ?”’ Freemantle replied that he had not. ‘Then breakfast with me,” said Mr. Rey- nolds ; ‘*‘ I have had none either.” vou. II. Fr 98 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER IX. ‘TEMPTATION OF ST. ANTHONY.’ —TENIERS, THE ELDER. Tue house to both men on entering seemed strangely silent and altered. But, with the romance of passion, Freemantle felt that the halo of her presence still lingered around the deserted dwelling. Mr. Reynolds ordered a fresh relay of breakfast, and then opened proceedings by saying, that this reminded him of his happy bachelor days, and warned his companion to look before he took the fatal leap. Freemantle laughed, and said the warning came too late. Mr. Reynolds replied that it was like pro- phecies, which foretold after the events had taken place, to use an Irishism, so it would JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 99 be of no use to offer himself up as a living example of the woes of matrimony. The Colonel returned for answer that such is the infatuation of mortals on this subject, that could they be brought to see effects, they never would admit the causes. To which the man of many burthens answered, that he could bear witness to the truth of that, for he knew not to what cause to attribute the striking effects of living always in uproar and confusion, with expenses daily increasing, and demands on his pockets so pressing and numerous, that he often felt inclined “to shut up shop,” and run to the world’s end. But,no! That was impossible! Whatever drags his domestic ties entailed on him, it was too late to withdraw; he would not break his bonds if he could. They were too strong for him ; he hugged his chains, and would be the most miserable of men without them. | And Mr. Reynolds spoke truth. Freemantle said he entirely believed him ; the burthens of married life were more than counterbalanced by its joys. It gave fixed purposes and higher motives than the selfish F2 100 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ones of a solitary life. Men did not marry without reckoning up the costs and risks they incurred, but for the honour of human nature he was glad to say, that the better part of our race were as eager to run for this great stake of happiness, as they were to enter the lists whether in pursuit of wealth, honour, or fame; where the chances were more fre- quently loss, defeat, and even death. “True, oh, king!” returned Mr. Reynolds. ** And it is also true that the man who talks thus is running that same race, and has nearly reached the goal.” Freemantle laughed and coloured, and said that the man who spoke thus had run the race, he had reached the goal, and now came to receive the prize at his hands. Mr. Reynolds considered himself fortunate in being selected for the honour of placing the wreath on Colonel Freemantle’s brows ; for was it not said that a virtuous woman was a crown of glory to her husband : and though Augusta was his daughter, he could truly say, without partiality, that she was worthy even of Colonel Freemantle. Freemantle was moved, and sgaid with JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 101 humility, that never could he think himself worthy of the inestimable treasure bestowed on him. He could not express his feelings; but this much he could say, that all the hap- piness, all the anticipation experienced by him in the race, had been as nought compared to what he now felt in this his hour of victory. Silence ensued. The lover was far away in the land of enchantment; Mr. Reynolds, while discussing breakfast, seemed occupied with his thoughts. He was meditating how he should begin his subject. It really went against him, for he had great regard for Free- mantle, and was elated at having a man so distinguished for his son-in-law. “You will be looking out for quarters soon,’ said he. ‘‘ Here is a house already for you. I was thinking of letting it, but it will do capitally for you and Augusta; I will take you over it after breakfast.” Freemantle was enraptured at the thought of beholding the haunt of his Nymph, and said it would give him great pleasure to look over the house, but he was afraid his circum- stances would scarce allow of his launching out with such dignity as that house an- nounced. 102 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “What! and you going to turn M.P.? Why, man, you will want a castle at least to put your new dignity in. And here is our observatory, eke conservatory, the same thing, from whence you may watch over the interest of your pocket-borough.”’ Freemantle was much amused. “T think,’ said he, “I had better not make too sure of my pocket-piece. Suppose I should not get it? ThenI shall, mm all probability, rejoin my regiment; and Augusta, I trust for my sake, will consent to share with me the trials and hardships of a soldier’s life, and go—” “Where glory waits thee,’ added Mr. Reynolds. ‘“‘ Butthere is no doubt of your getting in, is there? When does the election come off P” ‘“¢ Not for another month.” “Wheugh! That’s rather a long time to be kept on the tenter-hooks. ‘There’s no chance of opposition. You will have nothing to do but walk over the course ?”’ “It seems so at present. But one does not know what may turn up between this and then. The present member may recover his health at Homberg, where he has been ordered JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 108 for change of air. I hope he may, for he seems an honest-hearted old man, and I should be sorry to step into his shoes too soon.” *“'There’s no chance of that, I think; but you can never be sure of these petty places ; some of the electors may put up an opposi- tion candidate, merely to show themselves of importance ; they make as much of their small privileges as all London put together. We are more magnanimous, and can afford to waive a few of the ceremonies.” For the first time Colonel Freemantle observed that his future father-in-law, who always said that law and justice had no politics, might be a Conservative. But it made no difference to him. Upright men are to be found among them as in any other class of politicians. They only see things from a different point of view. Progression they look on as destruction, subversive of those laws and institutions which time has con- secrated, and which are sometimes succeeded by others mischievous and impolitic. But did any vital question arise pertaining to the honour and dignity of the nation, who more 104. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. - ready than they to sink difference of opinion, join hands with their opponents, and fight to the last in its defence P All was couleur-de-rose with Freemantle. An awkward pause ensued, which Mr. Rey- nolds broke by saying that if Freemantle would take counsel’s opinion of him, as some others did in the way of business, he could point out a road to fortune, independent of election or army service. Our hero opened his eyes, and thought why did not Mr. Reynolds take that road himself, and replenish his exhausted stores, which according to his own account were at a very low ebb, but he only remarked, ‘‘ That he was contented with his lot, which had given him the only jewel he ever coveted. He would be ashamed to ask further of fortune.’ “But, my dear fellow, that is because you are in love; by-and-bye, you will find, like myself, that you have a great many favours to ask of fortune.” The other laughingly said he must cut his coat according to his cloth. “But you will find that there will be no squaring your cloth to suit the growing JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 105 capacity of some dozen strapping boys and girls, letting alone yourself and wife!” Freemantle answered “‘ that Mr. Reynolds was providing him with plenty of occupation.” “He jests at scars who never felt a wound,’” said Mr. Reynolds. “If it was not for an income derived outside my profession, I certainly could not hold on. But you are not a business-man, and do not patronise, I believe, joint stock companies ?”’ “No!” answered Freemantle, ‘‘ I cannot say that I do; the fact is, I have not cared to enquire into them, having always looked upon them as dangerous concerns; more, I will own from hearsay, than from actual experience. J have, however, heard lately of one or two that have turned out great successes.” | Unlucky speech! Mr. Reynolds was down upon him instantly. He said it was one of those same successes he was intending to propose to Freemantle. A position in one which would bring him pro- minently before the public, stamp him as a public man, and do more to favour his election than anything else. FO 106 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. | To which Freemantle replied that he was. content to waive all those advantages, work for them, earn them, anything, in preference to the worry and anxiety attending these sort of undertakings. “But wherefore worry and anxiety? The post I design for you is the ornamental part, simply as a looker-on, whose name alone will be all that is required.” Freemantle replied that he could not under- stand a post that involved all pay and no work; nor could he feel peace while the fortunes of others were dependent on him. What he possessed was sufficient for his wants, and he preferred a moderate com- petence with quiet and security, to affluence accompanied with anxiety and risk. “But there is no risk whatever attending it,’ returned his relentless pursuer. “ Ifevery one acted on that principle, what would become of the monetary interests of the country P Nothing venture, nothing have!” “Tt is all very well for men who have been brought up to understand the principles of commercial affairs,” returned Freemantle, “and who understand the workings of the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 107 system, to embark in them: but I think it imprudent for men, like myself, either in the army or navy, to gointo speculations ; ignorant as they are, to speak metaphorically, of the common rules of arithmetic.” “They are precisely the persons who are required to give strength and importance to these companies in the eyes of the public. Did you enquire into the cause of the suc- cesses of those now so popular, you would find it was owing mainly to the presence of such men as yourself; whose names and posi- tions are a tower of strength, and a sufficient guarantee of their respectability.”’ ‘You are very good to rate me at such a high interest,” Freemantle answered, “‘but not all the recommendations you urge personally would influence me; you only have the power to do so, belonging to them as you do, and wishing to associate me with yourself, now that I have the happiness to form part of your family, I feel it a bond, and earnest of the good faith and meehng that is to unite us in still closer ties.” Mr. Reynolds said that he had been pili to listen to logic at last. He would be a 108 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. millionaire some day, though he as his father in future, would tell him it was more than he deserved, having been so hard to convince. The Colonel accepted the reproof, and replied that now he must come to him for counsel and instruction in his new studies, and the first question he would ask, was the name of the company with which he was to enter into partnership. He was rather struck by the singularity of the cognomen, and seemed to consider it not high flown and sentimental enough for his present mood. ‘‘ Colonel Freemantle, Bubble- and-Squeak Company,’ somehow or other did not appear congenial. But Mr. Reynolds said truly, ‘ What’s ina name?’ This one had taken with the public, but it was very possible it would be altered shortly, there were rumours of an amalgamation with another and an older concern, whose name was sure to take pre- cedence, unless Bubble-and-Squeak should object, which was not very likely. Freemantle took all for gospel, and let him not be accused of weakness, in yielding to the solicitations of aman whom he admired for JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 109 himself, and loved, as the father of the girl for whom, we fear, in the infatuation of his passion, he would have gone a great deal further than just purchase a few shares in a company, to please that girl’s father, whom he saw only through the medium of his own honest, upright heart. Mr. Reynolds having gained his point so far, felt sure of no difficulty in getting him to take his place at the Board, which was to meet the next Tuesday; then he would make mention of his intention to withdraw, and propose his successor ;, this he knew would give great satisfaction; though he himself was deservedly popular on account of his talents and activity. Freemantle demurred even more at taking a place at the Board than the shares, but Mr. Reynolds threw himself on his mercy. “He really was so overpowered with busi- ness, that he was not able to devote the time and attention to the affairs of the company that they required. When he first joined it, he was, comparatively speaking, an idle man, with plenty of time to work the mischief idle hands are prompt to do,” he said, with a hight laugh. 110 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. But, though he told his friend that it was an excellent time to go in, the shares being at a slight discount; for the mere purpose of rising presently to the fabulous height pre- dicted; yet he did not tell him of the heavy liabilities of the company, nor of the mysteri- ous disappearance of its funds, nor his own share in certain transactions. Probably he thought it too much to tell at one time. Freemantle had better come to it by degrees. ‘ That business settled, let us,’ said he, “take a look over the house,” and rising from his seat, Mr. Reynolds led the way. Only two servants remained, and not having had time to clean up, the rooms presented that disturbed appearance, which suggested the idea that thieves had been ransacking the house, and turning out drawers, cupboards, &c., selected what they felt inclined to, and scattered abroad the remainder; in order that the disgusted proprietors might see at one glance, what the benevolent freebooters had been so generous as to leave them. Freemantle’s heart told him that none of the chambers in this condition could possibly belong to Augusta. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 111 “ Hardly right to show you rooms in this state,’ said Mr. Reynolds, apologetically. ‘However, it is as well to enlighten you a little, that you may know what to expect by- and-bye.”’ Freemantle again opened his eyes. “Is confusion and disorder such as this a necessary condition of married life P”’ thought he. : | They mounted to the top flight. *“‘ Here's Gussie’s room,”’ said Mr. Reynolds, entering ; “in apple-pie order, like herself. We may say with Faust— ‘¢*¢ Hew maidens’ chambers are so neat,’’ “Come, that’s @ propos. You and I will do very well for Faust and Mephistopheles ! Of course I play the enviable part of the old gentleman !” And he laughed as he thought that his morning’s work did bear some slight resem- blance to the machinations of that Machia- velian personage. Freemantle gave a glance round, and re- mained near the door. He felt he trod on hallowed ground, and in answer to Mr. Rey- 112 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. nolds’ quotation, he inwardly repeated another from the same source— “What doest thou here P” Not that he was a bit like Faust, or we would not have anything to do with him. Mr. Reynolds said it was too bad to poke Augusta up here, but the girls wanted separate rooms, and mamma, like a prudent woman, kept Gerty under her maternal eye. It is to be hoped that the lover was not dis- enchanted by this nearer view of his lady’s bower. He did not appear so; on the contrary, he seemed excessively anxious to take a run down by the evening train, in order to pass the next day (Sunday) with his fiancée. Mr. Reynolds, however, thought he had better be present at the first interview between him and the amiable lady he called his wife, who still had the golden apple in her posses- sion. She had vowed to see the Colonel hanged before he should have Augusta. Therefore Freemantle had better not be fool-hardy, and run his neck into the noose, and no one by to rescue him. So he said he had not the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 113 slightest idea of where they would rest. He did not expect to hear from them before the next morning, and till then was in happy ignorance of their whereabouts. The happy ignorance of Mr. Reynolds did not accord with the feelings of the impatient lover, and he left him looking more “the knight of the rueful countenance,” than any one would have supposed possible. — 114 JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER X. ‘S7HE GAMESTERS. —CARAVAGGIO. Mr. Reynotps resolving not to let the grass grow under his feet, set to work to réalize his plans with all possible dispatch. Accordingly, at the meeting of the “‘ Bubble- and-Squeak”’ Board the following Tuesday, he announced his intention of retiring from the active duties of the company. “‘ Tt was with grief and regret that he did so,’ he said; “but owing to his increasing professional engagements, he found it utterly impossible to devote the time and attention the high position of deputy chairman impera- tively demanded. He would remain a share- holder, and would be happy to give Counsel’s opinion if they would do him the honour to seek it in any case of difficulty that might arise ; and to show how close the interest and JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 115 welfare of the company lay at his heart, he had, before resigning his seat, looked about for _ one whom, with all due deference, he might propose as his successor. ‘He had been fortunate beyond precedent, for he had found a man whose equal he verily believed they would scarce find; one who, he was certain they would all acknowledge, was not only calculated to adorn the elevated position of deputy-chairman to this most honourable company, but to be a worthy coadjutor to their distinguished chairman, Sir Richard Ruinall, with whom he would with gratitude declare, that during the time they had been associated together as fellow- workers in this great undertaking, the most perfect concord had subsisted ; in every in- stance the same views, the same motives, the same anxious desire to fulfil the purposes of the company had actuated both.” Sir Richard Ruinall, Bart., M.P., was not present to be edified by this testimony of affection bestowed upon him by his colleague. It is probable that had he been so, Mr. Reynolds might not have been quite so earnest in asserting the perfect unanimity of 116 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. the two, true to the letter though it was, and borne out by the books of the company. The Baronet did not reciprocate Mr. Reynolds’ sentiments, on the contrary, he often thought his “ fellow-worker’’ made him- self too conspicuous for one who was nota Bart., nor an M.P. He took the shine com- pletely out of him (Sir Richard) in the talking part, and grasped so greedily at the loaves and fishes, that he got more than his share. In conclusion, Mr. Reynolds begged to propose his man, no other than the cele- brated Colonel Freemantle of Indian fame, as a fit and proper representative (cheers). ‘Did he not say they would approve his choice ?”” continued Mr. Reynolds. ‘ Already he himself had sunk into insignificance before the magic of that name, his light had paled, _ his occupation, like Othello’s, was gone, and he must hide his diminished head before the lustre of this rising star.” Then he launched out into such a dazzling eulogium on the hero’s character, his prowess, his abilities, his expectations as M.P., certi- fied and sure, giving loose all the while to his own gifted tongue, that, carried away by the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 117 general enthusiasm, Mr. Gammon started up and proposed a resolution, “‘ That this Board do call and convene an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders of this company, to confirm and approve the election of the incomparable Colonel Freemantle to the post of deputy-chairman, vice John Fortescue Reynolds, resigned.” Mr. Humbug seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr. Thiever proposed a vote of thanks in the name of the Board, to Mr. Reynolds, for having provided so irreproachable a substitute to compensate them for the loss of his own great services; which he could honestly declare had ever been distinguished, as much by unswerving honour, disinteres- tedness, and integrity, as by untiring zeal and ability ; and he did further propose that they should get up a testimonial other than in words, expressive of their grief and regret: which testimonial should consist of a valuable piece of plate; to be paid for out of the funds of the company. . Mr. Story seconded the second proposition, and said, “‘ Were it not that he was a poor 118 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. man, whose only riches consisted in the pos- session of a wife and large family, whose interests he was in duty bound to make his first consideration, he would himself have added considerably to the gift out of his own pocket ; but this being out of his power, he trusted that no expense would be spared by the company to make the present as splendid as possible, worthy alike of the giver and receiver.” Mr. Story was a man of lively imagination : ' the wife and family were impromptus got up for the occasion, to make the speech more piquant, he being a bachelor, living ‘‘ splendiferous,”’ as his man termed it; he had splendiferous apartments, rode splendi- ferous horses, and drove a splendiferous brougham. He had his opera-stall, and his shooting-box, (shouting-box “ Friday’’ called it), where he was known to be the cleverest hand at drawing the long bow of any sports- man round. Mr. Reynolds’s sun shone very bright indeed just now, so he proceeded to make hay as fast as he could, which proceeding consisted in “rigging the market ’’ for the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 119 purpose of selling out his shares to the best possible advantage. This gentleman was born a genius ; put him on his mettle, and he would have talked the old lady of Threadneedle Street into making over all that valuable proprietary and mountain of wealth she calls her “ Bank Stock,” into his keeping, and appointing him her heir. His first care was to have the minutes of this extraordinary meeting inserted in the newspapers,—proceedings, speeches, plate and all. ‘They were then placarded on the Stock-Exchange, emblazoned on the boards, proclaimed at the different railway-stations. “Second ‘Dish’ Times! Hven-Star ! Stannard ! ’stronary eatin’ o’ Bubble-and- Squeak! by Curnel Freeman—Mr. Ren- nards!’’ was the announcement made by hungry boys to hungry travellers, as they took train en route to Bubble-and-Squeak of their own. Mr. Reynolds’s next move was to the Telegraph Office, S.H. Line. His affectionate wife at Dover would be anxious to hear the good news of his success. 120 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. What so rapid as lghtning? Telegrams ought to be quicker in their transit of messages than the post, if they are not ; and if they should be a day or so longer in delivery, why it would not be his fault. Mr. Reynolds had done his best to let Mrs. R. know as soon as possible. He therefore ordered the following message to be dispatched forthwith :— ** Good news! Bubble-and-Squeak! Indian business secured! Cheer, boys, cheer! Shares rising! Here we go, up, up, up! Huzza! squeak for joy!” Changes took place in the transmission of this important document: Jee Jeebhoy’s name got substituted for the ‘ Cheer Boys,’ and the public understood that this merchant prince of India had joined ‘* Bubble-and-Squeak,”’ with the apocryphal addition that he had opened Bubble-and-Squeak houses in the country where no frying-pans are required for the cooking of it. And the way the affectionate wife received this jeu d’esprit was this— ‘“‘ What does your father mean by sending such stuff and nonsense as this? frightening JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 121 me out of my senses with his stupid telegrams. I thought something had happened to him. It’s like one of Fred’s pranks! (sotto voce). One may easily see whom he takes after. I ‘shall tell him to send me a telegram about the money he promised me!” And the shares rose surprisingly in grati- tude to Mr. Reynolds for his unwearied ex- ertions in their behalf, and he then urged Freemantle, as a friend, to go in for them before they reached the fabulous height; Freemantle did as he was bid, and Mr. Rey- nold sold his shares under the name of ‘* Walker,” to his future son-in-law, and netted a round sum of £5,000, seeing that he had never paid one sixpence for them, they haying been allotted to him as his por- tion, for assisting to bring into existence this most popular, disinterested, philan- thropic, and immaculate Joint Stock Com- pany. In the meantime, while all this was taking place, Mrs. Reynolds, from her Dover station, cast many a longing eye at the shores of the great Empire opposite, looming now clear, now indistinct, but always perceptible to her VOL. I. G 122 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. mind’s eye, if not to her actual vision in the distance. She wrote frequently to her husband to reproach him with his want of good faith m sending them to Dover on pretence; for, re- calling his manner, she did not believe he ever intended them to go to Switzerland at all. ‘Could not Tom take them?’ Mr. Reynolds, in answer, said—** Decidedly not;” and Tom said—‘ Decidedly not,” too, as he was bound for a walking tour with some college friends. Freemantle, denied access to his betrothed by the plausible pretexts of Mr. Reynolds, sought to recompense himself by taking to his pen and writing to his Augusta. In the rapture of receiving her first love- letter, one of the brightest eras in a woman’s life, she forgot her trials, and, in compliance with his request, wrote in return, sending lively, tender little epistles all about herself and her occupations, as he wished. This correspondence Augusta considered as a part of her engagement, and without exactly making a secret of it, yet she acted on the principle of that most elegant of all conun- JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 123 drums, ‘“‘In what perfume should a girl preserve her love-letters?” and kept hers ** In violet.” The discovering of them was due to the prying, artful Gertrude, and Mrs. Reynolds’ horror at Augusta’s conduct was expressed in her usual forcible language, accompanied by ‘a strict prohibition of any further cor- ‘respondence, and threats of vigorous measures in the event of disobedience. 124 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER XI. ‘“‘ THE FALL OF PHAETON.” Waat has become of Mrs. Whynn and her remarkable boy? who, like Sir Thomas More’s son, was destined to be a boy all the days of his life? We left that lady on her way home from Mr. Freemantle’s, the night of the party, crying for joy at the happy prospects of her beloved daughter, revealed to her in a vision as she descended the stairs of that gentle- man’s house; which vision so “ dazzled her eyes and bewildered her brain’ that, till she arrived at her own door, she never perceived that the millstone she had hung round her own neck, was not to be found either inside or outside the carriage. She was too well used to the freaks that marked the evolutions of this phenomenon to JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 125 be much surprised at any course it took, but was certainly not prepared for the alarming announcement which greeted her arrival. “If you please, mum, Mister Frederick come home a good bit ago, and if you please, mum, he’s been and broked his arm, and cut hisself all to pieces !”’ It was quite true. The incensed Chinamen who paid fealty to Mrs. Freemantle had not suffered their ruthless assailant to escape with whole bones, any more than themselves. Not only was he sorely bruised and cut, but his arm was broken; notwithstanding, the mischief was not to the extent such a leap in the dark portended. He bore the effects of his campaign like the hero he was, assuring his terrified ‘* maternal ” that ‘ it—was—all—wight, as—it—wasn’t —his—wight—arm ! And—he—hadn’t—a— scwatch—on his face !”’ Narcissus-like, he rather admired his face. Mrs. Whynn made the one step from the sub- lime to the ridiculous, she came down from the clouds to the kitchen. In the former she had beheld Freemantle and Augusta, like two enchanted figures, gazing at each other. It 126 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. was a reality, nevertheless ; but Fred dashing through the skylight like a shell on to the kitchen. table, dealing death and destruction to the peaceable Chinamen thereon, was a picture she tried to realise, but could not. “ You may congratulate yourself that it is no worse,’ she said, consolingly, and she sat down with the comfortable conviction of a long trial to suffering humanity, as gaoler to Fred, and a long pull on her purse in the shape of a doctor’s bill. But the light from those same clouds was reflected around her, and her self-imposed burthen rested the lighter on her shoulders. If Mrs. Whynn had been astonished at Fred’s vagaries, not less a little later was Mr. Reynolds on coming to the knowledge of those of his wife. She waited many days at Dover in the ex- pectation of her husband’s joining them in fulfilment of his promise. He did not appear, and if he did she knew very well he would bring “that man” with him. Augusta was in correspondence with him, and not a word would she have heard of it, but for Gertrude, who so worried her unfortunate mother, that JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 127 she was more than half-tempted at times to give up her opposition, and make a present to “that man” of the apple of discord he was so desperate to obtain. With all her faults Mrs. Reynolds had a strong love for her children, but true to the maternal instinct, if there was one to whom her heart turned more than the others, it was Fred, the one least gifted by nature—the one whom she had abandoned to the care of another. Her fears for his future were all aroused by Mrs. Whynn’s declaration of revealing “the secret’? which had lain hidden and un- suspected upwards of twenty years, while the disposition she had made of her estate would leave this hopeless young man totally un- provided for. The more Mrs. Reynolds reflected on it, the more furiously angry she became with her opponent, the more resolved that she should not gain the victory over her. In her wrath, she never thought of—nor would perhaps her pride have allowed Hor proposing a compromise. “Tf I consent to Augusta’s marrying Free- mantle, will you be contented ?” 128 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Had she done so, we think it very likely that Mrs. Whynn, in consideration of the happiness of her daughter, would have yielded, and allowed events to take their course. But she did not, and her temper, a some- what stormy one, was doomed to be tried still further. Augusta’s heart revolted at the tyranny exercised as regarded her letters. She dared not rebel, for Mrs. Reynolds threatened, on disobedience to her commands, to write to Freemantle, and give him her opinion of his conduct, which would not have been ex- pressed in flattermmg terms. That was too terrible. Yet how was she to act? she had better write and beg him not to send her any more letters. But what reason could she assign for such a request? Could she tell him of her mother’s hatred to him, her reso- lution to break off their engagement, sever them from each other? Impossible! She had, too, another great dread, that he might come down—he talked of doing so in his last letter. She shivered at the thought. Thomas was JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 129 away, who was her friend; should she write and tell him of her dilemma, and ask his advice ?P She was hesitating, from the certainty she felt that whatever she did Mrs. Reynolds would discover it, and turn it to her disad- vantage, when accident, which does some- times deign to take note of circumstances, befriended her. Mrs. Reynolds was standing one afternoon at the window of the hotel, lost in thought, when a person passed as if just arriving from the train. She started. At the first glance she took him to be her Nemesis, but a second look convinced her she was mistaken. ** Not so distinguished looking,” she silently confessed. “We shall have him coming next!” said she, speaking out her thoughts. “That I won't stand !”’ Augusta was in the room, her heart told her to whom the mysterious pronoun referred. But from that moment Mrs. Reynolds’s mind was made up; she would not stay there any longer. ‘Tom had deserted them, driven fairly away by the incessant wrangling and GO 180 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. scolding, ‘‘ perpetual hot water’’ he called it. She would do without his assistance. She would cross over to Calais, and leave her husband to find out whither they had gone. And like the heroic lady she was, finding all were arrayed against her, she buckled on her armour and went forth, resolving not to suffer defeat; and Augusta, that night, the last of their stay in Hngland, while Gertrude was doing the sentimental with the moon, wrote © off a little billet:to her lover, expressive of her changeless affection, her happiness at receiving so many touching proofs of his love for her, and beseeching him not to write again till he heard from her, as they were going to cross over to Calais next morning. Mrs. Reynolds did as Augusta had said, she took the packet to Calais, and then the chemin-de-fer to Boulogne. She feared her means would not permit of her going further, or assuredly she would not have come to a halt there. Her husband was not informed of this *‘ bold stroke for a wife’ for some days, and then it was through Freemantle, who, how- ever, did not mention his informant, and the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. I31 two laughed heartily, and Mr. Reynolds said it was his own fault for not having clipped his wife’s wings sufficiently ; but in his heart he was equally surprised and displeased, and told himself he did not care what she did, or where she went, she might stay at Boulogne as long as she liked. He was sure to hear when she wanted money, unless she turned to and begged, or else raised the wind by drawing a bill on Bubble-and-Squeak in his name. 132 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER XII. “BOULOGNE HARBOUR. —CLARKSON STANFIELD. Mr. Reynoips’s expectations as to the know- ledge of his wife’s whereabouts, when she would require his services, were fully realized ; it came sooner than he anticipated, for at the end of a week, she beheld the end of her resources, and though excessively angry, she was reduced to the necessity of applying to him for fresh supplies. Poverty makes one eat humble-pie, and so apprehensive was the lady of the quantity she might have to partake before riches were her own again, that she brought her poverty to hope ‘‘ that he did not mind her having made this little trip across the water, just to please the girls, who were literally dying to see something of a foreign country: and moreover, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 133 if he wished them to return, she was willing to do so.” Mr. Reynolds was a fortunate man in some things ; he was clever at expedients, and had a happy knack of seizing the bull by the horns, to use a trite saying: he did so in this instance, and instead of reproaching her with the thousand and one proofs of her utter dis- regard of his feelings and wishes, he deter- mined to strike while the iron was hot; and turn his wife’s penitence to good account by inducing her to return to her home and do- mestic duties—the last thing she had intended doing, at any rate, for some time. He wrote, therefore, a most loving letter to her, telling her he did not doubt she thought to act for the best, though it was im- prudent to go so far without first reckoning up the cost. He was rejoiced to find she thought of returning; he admired her wisdom and good sense; for the more he reflected on it the more convinced he became of the impractica~ bility of a journey to Switzerland this year. He could not leave town, and it was much too late for such a trip. ‘‘ Had she not seen in the papers accounts of the unsatisfactory 134 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. state of everything connected with travelling there this season? He had received a letter from the So-and-So’s, old friends of his, filled with grumblings and discontent — Hnglish fashion, of course—but after what he had heard he could not believe their complaints to be entirely without foundation. 7 How glad he would be to have them all safe home again; he would forward the money for that purpose, and if she would consent to go to Beaulieu and wait a little while till he could travel with her, he would promise she should not be disappointed ; for he would go with her to Brighton, or Paris even, for a few weeks ; as they did on the happy day that made them one. He did not propose town, as, thanks to Mr. G——, he had let the house for a couple of months to a merchant prince of Manchester, who could pay his thirty guineas a day as easily as thirty guineas a week, and be glad of the opportunity of relieving his pockets of a superabundant cargo of gold. Hapvy man! - ‘How he envied him !” It is odd that Mrs. Reynolds, not wanting in judgment, and sharp-sighted and suspicious to a degree, who loved contradiction for con- JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 135 tradiction’s sake, and prided herself on being master of her husband, never perceived that he was the dominant power, and without force or violence generally obtained his ends when he cared to achieve a purpose. And he did achieve it this time. His wife, pleased with his letter and promises, was more tractable, and consented to return. She had also another reason for returning to Beaulieu so quietly. She wished to make one other effort for the furtherance of her favourite scheme respecting Fred and Augusta. At Beaulieu she would have the former more under her control than in Town, and she could better keep Freemantle at bay. The girls were in raptures at the thought of returning to England. Gertrude, girl like, desired anything in the shape of a change. “She hated France. What quizes the people all are! Did you ever see such guys ?” addressing her sister. “T am sorry to say,” returned Augusta, ‘that those guys, as you call them, are dear, honest English people, as thoroughly English as is the word guy. More than half the people in Boulogne are English.” 136 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “I don’t believe it,” said Gerty, ‘ and if true, it is all because they try to be like the French that they look such vulgar frights.” “‘That’s quite true. It is because they try to be like the French and cannot succeed, that they make caricatures of themselves. They want the graceful air of the French and their gift of adaptation to circumstances.” “T am sure I don’t want to be like the French. I hate them. ‘With all their bows and politeness they mean nothing all the time.” “They mean quite as much as the English do with less courteous manners. The French are an amiable people, always ready to help you. If all are like those we see here, no wonder they are so much beloved. I like the French excessively.” “ That’s because you are a hypocrite, like them,’ remarked Gertrude, with honest Eng- lish sincerity. «Am Ia hypocrite?’ asked the dear girl, reflectively. ‘* Many English girls are dread- fully insincere. I have seen young ladies kiss each other, call one another dears and darlings, and make great demonstrations of friendship; JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 187 yet scarcely were they out of sight when they would mimic their dears and darlings, and make such fun of them that I could not help laughing, though I hated myself for do- Ing so.” * What fun!” exclaimed Gertrude. “How I do like to take people off.” Augusta and Gertrude looked at the modi- cum of France, of which they had experience, from different points of view, each according to her character. To Augusta it brought associations of love and kindness, even in her hour of gloom, when her heart was torn by fear and anxiety, longing, dreading to hear from her lover, uncertain of his movements, uncertain how he might take her last communication, its prohibition to write to her. Now, however, she was to return, she would inhabit the same blissful region, no longer separated by that stern power, forceful and resistless, rolling its huge bulk between them, saying, ‘* From henceforth be divided !” Quitting Gertrude, with bounding heart, she flew away like a bird. Away! to the east! Away from the pier, its laughing, , 138 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. chattering throng. Away to her quiet haunt, lonely and dear, where she was wont to watch the blue waves roll in, advance to meet them, stoop to greet them, mayhap they came laden with the breath of ‘“‘ Araby the blest,” her own dear native land. Here she sat, radiant in expectancy on the shingly beach, the fresh breezes playing round her, the enamoured wavelets kissing her feet ; she whispered them her tale of love, and bade them bear it on their crested wings back to him who watched and waited her return. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 139 CHAPTER XIII. ‘“‘ THE LETTER WRITER, SEVILLE.”—JOHN PHILLIP. THe morrow came. Augusta, restless and expectant, rose early, and, while Gertrude performed her toilet, she bethought her of the books they had belonging to the Library, and went out to return them, as they were to start by the early boat. On re-entering the sitting-room, she saw some letters on the breakfast table; delivered in during her absence. She glanced at them with a care- less eye, which the next instant flashed trium- phant. There was one for herself, traced in the characters of the beloved hand. She caught it up, gazed at it with delight, and then pressed it to her lips. | The next moment her joy vanished, she remembered her mother! She did not hesitate 140 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. a moment, but, taking up the letters, went direct to Mrs. Reynolds’ room. ‘ Mamma,” said she, “ here are letters for you, and one for me from Colonel Free- mantle.” “Then give it to me,” said Mrs. Reynolds. ‘I thought I had forbidden you to corres- pond.” Augusta held her letter firm. ‘This is the first I have received since you did so,” she answered, gently. *‘But you must have written to him, or how could he know our direction >” “Papa must have told him; I have only written once, and that was to tell him not to write again.” *‘ And what reason did you give him? That you were so cruelly ill-treated by your mother, who threatened you with prison and prison fare, like the cruel witches in fairy tales P”’ ‘‘T should not have told him that, if it had been so. I wrote to tell him we were going abroad, and our stay in any place so uncer- tain, it was better not to write till he heard from me again, and I have not written since.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 141 Mrs. Reynolds never doubted her. ** Mind you do not write,” was all she said. Augusta understood she was to keep her letter. She kissed her mother affectionately, and then hurried away with her treasure. As the sitting-room was empty, she went back to it in order to con over her precious document without witnesses. “My Dartine!” began the enamoured writer, ‘‘why have you been so long silent? Am I forbidden to hear from you as well as see you P” Tears rushed into the sympathetic little reader’s eyes. She heard a movement out- side the door, and fearful of being seen, she went to the open window, intending to finish her billet-dowx on the balcony of the hotel. The letter was still in her hand, and as she looked down in stepping out, it was suddenly snatched from her, by some one on the balcony, who, crushing it up into a ball, flung it into the street below. | This was the work of the amiable Gerty, who had been peeping at. the unconscious 142 . JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. performer during her little pantomime of delight, and now veiled her spite under the mask of “ fun,’’ and then laughed with playful malice at Augusta’s discomfiture. She (Augusta) stood stupefied for a moment, doubting the truth of what she saw, and then with sudden energy ran down to try to re- cover her lost property. In vain! She could see nothing of it; whether the wind, which was fresh, blew it away, or whether a man in the distance had picked it up, she could not tell ; he appeared to be looking at something in his hand. She ran after him, but he turned a corner, and when she reached it, he was nowhere to be seen. The poor girl felt as if she could die. The light had gone out of her heart. Words he had written, words never intended for other eyes than her own, were to be betrayed, ° looked at, commented on, perhaps laughed at, by the idle, the thoughtless, or the ignorant. During the journey home she felt like a guilty creature, trying to collect her courage to meet Freemantle at the London Bridge Sta- tion, where she felt certain of seeing him JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 143 with “loss of his dear letter’? written on her brow. But there he was not, and a cold chill came over her. What could be the reason? Had he heard of the disaster, and bid her adieu for . ever ?P | And this was London, delighting, as it too often does, to welcome back travellers, by putting on its most forbidding aspect. What a dreary place it was! Wet, cold, dirty, smoky, sooty, foggy, cheerless, racketty Lon- don! Surely it was not the same place she had started from! But then, he was there, looking at her, watching her departure with tender and regretful eyes ; now he was not, and that made all the difference in the world. Mr. Reynolds came to meet his family, and to look to the comforts and well-being of those he loved. His little pocket-piece, Bessie, shrieked with delight at the sight of papa. Gerty tried the effect of her French-polish on her fellow-travellers, and did not meet with success, and so disgusted was she that she declared the English stupid, vulgar, wretches. She hated them. The French were worth 144 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. millions of them; she loved the French, and wished the English were all dead ! Thanks to the good management of pater- familias, they reached Beaulieu without misad- venture; he seemed .cheerful and glad to have them home again. It was not till dinner time that Augusta could obtain the opportunity of speaking to him, and then she asked timidly if he had seen Colonel Freemantle lately. ‘Only three or four days ago, when I gave him your address,” was the answer. ‘“ Has he not written to you P”’ She answered that he had done so, but she was prevented reading the letter, as Gertrude had snatched it from her hand. At this moment that young lady entered the room, when her father said to her, kindly— “‘Gerty, my dear, you must give Augusta back her letter. A woman’s love-letters are inviolate, and should never be made fool’s play of.” “T have not got her letter,” said Gertrude, sulkily. “No!” said Augusta, sadly; “but you took it from my hand as I was reading it.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 140 © T did not!” “Oh! Gertrude; did you not snatch it away, and throw it over the balcony ?” ‘You said just now you were reading it,’ said precise Gerty. “* Leave off this,” says papa. “ Gerty, give your sister her letter; you would not like it yourself if you had one.” “ T have not got it.” “ But you know where it 1s P” “Who told you so, papa ?”’ “T tell you so; and if you do not cease this prevarication, and give up the letter, I will take means to make you.” “ Mamma, mamma!” said she, addressing her mother, as she entered, “‘ here’s Augusta tellmg papa that I have got a letter she received from that stupid fellow Freemantle this morning.” Augusta’s colour rose to indignation point at such insufferable impertinence. ** T did not say you had the letter, Gertrude,” said she, with spirit. “ She’s angry because I called him stupid,” said Gertrude, laughing spitefully. * And so am J,” said her father; “ and if VOL, Il. H 146 JOHN FORTHESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. you do not produce the letter I will not allow you to come to the table.” Augusta essayed to tell the fate of this brand cast among them, but was silenced by Mrs. Reynolds. This is owing to your duplicity in cor- responding with ‘that man,’ and my folly in allowing you to keep the letter; but I will not bear with you any longer; you are the cause of all the strife in the house; if it was not for you we should be as happy and quiet as possible.” Augusta made no answer. She did indeed look a dangerous character ; her glowing cheeks, her kindling eyes, her matchless features might have caused another siege of Troy. Mr. Reynolds felt proud of the beauty of his daughter. “Come, Poppy” (his pet name for his wife), ‘do not be too hard on poor Augusta. Many a letter did I send you in spite of father and mother. Have you forgotten our little bet of making good old mother the bearer of one in the furbelow of her hat, and how I won P” Mrs. Reynolds did not approve of her JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 147 youthful frolics being held up for the example of her family. “ What stuff you talk,” said she. ‘“ Idon’t recollect anything of the kind, and beg you will not put such ideas into the children’s heads. I know what is best for them, as my mother did for me. If I had followed her wishes, I should not be the unhappy woman I am now.” ** You did not think so then.” “‘ Because I was young and foolish.”’ ** Make the same excuse for your children.” “JT daresay. You will ask me next to make — the same excuse for you, who are always teaching them to disobey their mother.” ‘Do not repeat that,” exclaimed Mr. Rey- nolds ; “‘and.do you” (addressing Gertrude) “ give up that letter instantly.” *‘ Shall I give it to you, papa? It has something about you in it.” “Have you the letter, then?’ exclaimed Augusta, with surprise. « Sha’n’t answer you,” retorted Gerty. «* But you shall answer me,” said her father. ‘‘ Have you that letter ?” « No, I have not.” H 2 148 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. *¢ What have you done with it ?” **T have not done anything with it.” «Then what has become of it P” * T don’t know.” “‘ Have you lost it ?” **T did not lose it; it was not mine.’ “Then Augusta lost it ?” Ben O8.: “© How P” “‘ Over the balcony at the hotel.” ‘“¢ How came she to do that ?” *“‘ Because she was stupid !” “Oh, Gertrude!” cried Augusta, with a look of agony, “you tore it from my hand, and threw it away.” * Served you right !”’ she answered, with a laugh. “You read it before you threw it away ?”’ questioned her father. ‘No, I did not; I had not time.” “ You found it afterwards ?”’ “No, I did not.” “What was it he said about me in it, my dear P”’ Here his wife interposed. ‘“‘ What does it matter about the trumpery JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 149 letter? As if anyone cared a straw about such trash! I wonder when we are to have dinner.”’ The dinner is a-gettin’ cold entering on the instant. ** Listening,” thinks sharp Gerty. Mr. Reynolds, the astute, keen cross- examiner, whom at the bar of justice there was no deceiving, who would have the truth and the whole truth out, however hidden, was fairly blindfolded by his own daughter ! Tired and hungry, he put the whole affair aside as a mistake, arising from Augusta’s natural disappointment at the loss of her letter. Gertrude could have no reason for keeping it. It was gone, and there was an end of it. Not so Augusta. She had seen the words ‘your father,” as she opened her billet, but had not divined their meaning when the fracas took place. Gertrude must have seen them likewise ; but the whole transaction had been the work of a moment. She had rushed down stairs immediately, leaving Gertrude laughing on the balcony. It was impossible she could have read the letter, and must have }?? said Brown, 150 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, FSQ. spoken at a venture about the words. These thoughts occupied her all dinner, and she sat silent and dispirited, longing for the peace and quiet only to be obtained in her own room. On entering it, Augusta found the windows still unclosed, and the rays of a brilliant full- moon streaming in. Shading her light, she sat down by the casement, and as her eyes wandered over the lovely landscape, she sank into reverie. Since last she sat there what changes had been wrought. Love, the enchanter, had waved his wand; a new world, a new exist- ence had opened to her, and she exulted in the delightful certainty of a new life. Was not that sufficient for happiness? It ought to be, and yet it was not. The pressure from without was too strong. True, it was all from without; but human nature cannot divest itself of outward in- fluence, nor view unmoved the thunderbolt launched at the devoted head. While pondering thus, dark shadows stole over the landscape, and in sympathy with the changes of physical nature, her thoughts became clouded likewise. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 151 Her mother’s fixed resolve to break off her engagement with Freemantle; his absence at this trying moment ; her fears lest the sinister influence might prevail; Gertrude’s un- sisterly conduct ; the treatment she was sub- jected to in her own home; the language addressed to herself; the invectives against him, who was dearest on earth to her, out- raging all laws of good breeding; and then her letter, which would have told her, no doubt, the reason of his not coming to meet her—all these thoughts came thronging upon her with so much of painful foreshadowing, that she shivered with the prescience of com- ing evil. She rose up to close the window, to shut out the darkness; thick banks of clouds tra- velling up had veiled the moon in huge eclipse. As she did so she was struck by the contrast between the two evenings, yester- day’s and the present, the visions of the one and the reality of the other. Last night she stood on a pinnacle, nearer to heaven, nothing of earth but the spot on which the soles of her feet rested. It was all a dream, and vanished with the night. In the morning she awoke to see herself as she really was, mocked 152 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. and ill-used, her vision destroyed, her letter torn from her hand and cast to the mercy of any rudejester passing along the highway. She was roused by a violent wrenching of the handle of her door, and an imperious demand for admittance. “ Not to-night, Gertrude, please,” said Augusta. ‘ Iam not well, and am going to bed immediately.” ‘‘ Let me come in,’ was the answer, “ or I will burst the door open.” As the speaker seemed about to put her threat into execution, Augusta opened it. “* What is it, Gerty P”’ said she. “ You are a mean thief!’’ cried Gertrude, forcing herself into the room, “ and I'll tell Colonel Freemantle of your going and pick- ing my pocket.” “‘ Hxplain yourself,” said Augusta, “ and do not make false accusations !”’ *‘ It’s not false! You know you have been into my room and rummaged my pockets.” ** Have you lost your purse, then ?” **As if I should mind losing that, when there’s nothing in it! You are a deceitful creature, as mamma says.” “‘ If there is one spot on earth, Gertrude, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 158 that I can call my own, it is this room. Go, and leave me in peace.”’ I sha’n’t stir till you return it.” “I have nothing of yours.” ** Yes you have. It’s mamma’s, and that’s all the same.” ** | have nothing of mamma’s either, but what she has given me,” said Augusta. ** You are telling falsehoods, and I'll write and tell Colonel Freemantle that you area story teller, and he will not write you any more letters.”’ ** Have you lost his letter, then?’ ex- claimed Augusta, as it flashed on her that Gertrude spoke of her lost treasure. ** How could you have guessed that if you had not stolen it?’ asked the girl, not yet awake to the inspiration of love’s politics, nor ever likely to be. | “ T know nothing about it, and will never forgive your unkindness ; and to lose it a second time.” “ T have not lost it. It was in the pocket of my dress when I changed it for dinner, and now it is gone.” | “Oh! Gerty. Howcould you? I have HO 154 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. not deserved this treatment. Have I not always been a kind sister to you?” «That you have not!” Augusta was silent, trying to imagine into whose hands her letter had again fallen, though none could be worse than those through which it had already passed. “ You have gotit all the time!” said Gerty, with her usual persistence. “ And if you do not tell me where it is, I will go down to mamma, and let her know what you have done.” | “ Do you know what you have done, Ger- trude? Letters are sacred, and you have tampered with one that did not belong to you, and which you had no right to interfere with.” “IT dare say! and I was to let you go on with your sly tricks.” ‘“‘ Be more polite, at any rate.” “Tam not going to mind you. Who are you to order me, I should like to know? Just tell me that!” ‘“‘ There is no occasion to answer such a childish question,” returns Augusta, wearied out. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 155 ** Because you can’t.” ‘Be it so—only leave me. I have a head- ache, and shall be glad to go to bed.” “Indeed! Then I sha’n’t, because you tell me. Iam not going to be the slave of such a thing as you!” ** Remember, Gertrude, I am still your sister.” ** That you are not, and that’s why I hate you !” ** Then who am I?” ** You are nobody.” “You are talking nonsense !”” “Tamnot. I have told you before, you are a beggar, and will die in the streets |” ** How can you use such language, Ger- trude? If you do not leave the room, you will compel me to go down to papa.” | * Let me catch you telling tales to papa again! He’s my papa, and not yours; - and she’s my mamma, and not yours.” * And who am I, then?” asked Augusta, with a face of ashy whiteness. . “ A beggar, I tell you, and none of ours! Now you believe me!” and Gertrude left the room. 156 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER XIV. ‘¢ RHADING THE NEWS. —-D. WILKIE. Aveusta did believe; believed, when she would have given worlds for the resolute un- belief of a few months ago, when Gertrude first suggested the idea to her mind. On Gertrude’s leaving her she remained for a time, trying to make all clear. All her hopes, all her love, all its enchantments, passed as in areview before her, and then vanished into darkness. Who was she? ” returned Fred, in Polly’s voice. ‘“ Why—I’m—a—baboon,—Polly,— —a-—fwee-born—baboon ! Bwitons—turned —into—baboons!”’ Sings— 7 “For Baboons—never—will—be—slaves !”” “Tsn’t — that —dwoll,—Polly P Come,— say — You’re—a— baboon! You're —a— baboon! Say—so,— Polly. You’re—a— baboon !”” | “You're a booby !”’ says Polly. “ 'You’re—a—booby !”’ echoes Fred. ‘* By —Jove |—if—she—didn’t—call—me—that— too! You —must—be—the— Venewable— herself! No,—Polly ! It’s baboon! Baboon —is—the— word! You're —a— baboon ! What—would—Bell—say P ‘Bell,— will— you — marwy — a— baboon ?’”’ walks about practising, ready for performance, sings— ** Bell, will you marwy me, your own baboon ?” Poll gets excited, and bobs up and down, till he nearly falls off the perch. ‘* Pot o’ beer!’ says he, confidentially. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 191 ** Pot—o’— beer !”” echos Fred. ‘ Wich —that! You’re—coming—out—stwong,— Poll!” “Draw it mild !’’ says Poll, facetiously. “ Dwaw—it—mild! Ah! ha!ha! You're —a—public—chawacter, Poll !—a—wegular —bwick !” Poll nods furiously in confirmation, and exhibits his accomplishments. “ Bet you twenty guineas!” says. Poll. “ Twenty—guineas! That’s—jolly—lot ! Hard—up ! Maternal—shall—pay !—Done !”’ * Do so,” says Poll, and diving into his sop, drags out a piece, and eats from his claw delicately. * Stand — upon—one—leg —and—eat — with—the—other,—it— means!” says Fred. *¢ Pwecious—hard—work—that! Twy-—with —your—sop ?”’ (Places a piece on the toe of his boot, and makes the essay.) ‘‘ Widicu- lous!” says Fred, failing to accomplish the sop-feat. ‘Done!’ he exclaims cheating. “Come! fork out!” * You’re a muff!’”’ says Poll. “ M—uff—is—it ?” returns Fred. “‘ You’re —a—pwecious—hand—at—calling—names.”’ 192 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Poll wound up— ‘Turn about, wheel about, jump Jim Crow !”’ capering fantastically. ** Can —do —that,” says Fred. “ Turn about, wheel about, jump—Jim—Cwow!” ' capers fantastically. : ** Ah! ha! ha! You’re a baboon!” says sapient Poll. “ Ah! ha! ha! You’re a baboon! Well —done—old—boy! It’s—out—at—last. You—make—me—woar—with—laughter.”’ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 193 CHAPTER XVIII. ** HAROLD AND GURTH BEFORE THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS.’’——-D. MACLISE. We will leave our interesting friend Fred, roaring with laughter, to look up our other great card, Colonel Freemantle, the second in our pack. He was at Rochester, looking after his interests there. The election was settled to take place in a fortnight. It had been delayed, owing to the unwillingness of the constituency to part with one who for more than forty years had been its representa- tive. The fatigue of the session over, it was hoped Sir George Goodwin might so benefit by change and rest, as to be enabled to stand out, at least till the dissolution of Parliament —almost certain to take place in the next Ole Il; | K 194 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. spring, and thus the borough be saved the expense of a contest now. But Sir George had not benefited as his friends desired. He had returned to his beloved constituency, trusting only that strength might be permitted him to fulfil the wish of his heart, that of assisting the man whom, like the good Antoninus Pius, he had selected, in preference to all others, as most worthy of the sceptre he himself could no longer wield. Our young Marcus Aurelius— Readers, pray do not laugh, nor accuse us of turning great men into little ones. The virtues have not retrograded. Human nature remains the same as it was in the golden age; it may adopt new forms, new habits, but it is the same under every mask—the same as when it stood confessed and unadorned, in the majesty of truth and virtue. The Antonines, and all that we most admire and reverence in them, still exist in our own day; but times are changed, not mankind, and the former foster not the dis- play of exalted virtues, or heroic patriotism. Colonel Freemantle could not have started JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 195 under better auspices. The electors were quite willing to accept him on the recom- mendation of their revered representative. He accepted the invitation of Sir George to make headquarters of his residence during the forthcoming nomination, for it promised to be nothing more. 210 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. son-in-law, yet backed by her weak-minded husband, whose infatuation was a proof of the disorder of his intellects, Freemantle had managed to make his way, and in spite of every means to prevent him, had actually carried his point so far as to propose. But it turned out to have been worse than useless ; Augusta and he were separated now, this last affront Freemantle could not possibly pass over. Gertrude’s anticipations, natural to youth, exceeded father’s and mother’s combined ; she climbed to the top of the tree at once. ‘“‘ Papa is going to be made a member of Parliament,” said she, in her gossipping com- munications to Brown, that usually took place in her rides, having no one else to chatter to. “I don’t know what itis, but something very grand, and I shall then be able to sit in the House of Lords, all among the duchesses and countesses, and papa will be made a lord, and mamma will be a lady, and I shall be ‘ Lady Gertrude!’ Won’t that be fine? And I shall see Her Majesty open Parliament, the grandest sight you ever saw; and mamma is going to ask one of the \ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 211 grand duchesses to present me at Court, and I shall have one of the most beautiful dresses you ever set eyes on; and Isidore will dress my hair, and mamma will hire some magni- cent pearls for me to wear (pearls are what young ladies wear at their first drawing- room), and I shall coax ‘ma’ to let Ristori come and paint my face; and then, Brown, I mean to ask papa to let you and coachman wear wigs, and no one will know but that you belong to Her Majesty’s carriage.” Upon which Brown sulkily answered, “ As he only wished as he did; he was clean a throwin’ hisself away; for what with his genteel figeer and his amenableness, and his having beened and goned to furrin parts so much, he would be a most walarable acker- sition to a gent as knowed nothink, and was in wants of a nuncommon nice young man as knowed everything, to take him about to them furrin Lertells, with their nice quizzin dishes, and show him the grand sights, which was a deal grander than any Nouse of Lords in England.” Then Gertrude informed Brown that he was getting as cross as that speteful old thing, 212 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. nurse, who was always saying (mimicking her) ‘Weis as we is, and it’s ’andsome is as ’andsome does, and it’s a spiling of the complexion, miss, to use them pigmies and painties as you does. You'll be as yalleras a orange by the time as you're twenty.’ I don’t believe it. Do you?” “ Can’t say, miss; I ain’t gived no heed to them sort of comportments: they isn’t in my line. Nurse has had some experence, I should say, for she’s as yaller as a norange herself, may be from a usin’ on them. I adwises Restory to try it on her.” This description of conversation usually took place when Gertrnde rode, and people who chanced to see her lifted up their eyes, and said, “It was too bad! What could parents mean by sending out a girl to ride with no one but a servant. They must be low people,” &e. &c. Those who made such remarks must have been antediluvians, more reflective than agreeable, far too slow-coached to keep pace with the galloping times we live in; and therefore they and their notions of propriety are “ Bosh!” to use the favourite term of JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 218 our friend Fred: and a very comprehensive one it is, carrying a weight of words with it, and saving no end of time and breath; all wasted in the prosy utterances of useless forms of speech. As Lord Chester and Freemantle an- ticipated, Augusta was the one to suffer the most. It had not been without a struggle that she brought herself to write the letter she did to Freemantle; the answer she received through the hands of nurse, whose skin might be wrinkled and yellow, hike that of the Arabian poet, but who pos- sessed a heart, human and frail, it is true, yet genuine in its sympathy with suffering of all kinds, in its honesty, its sound judgment, and good sense. This gem in the rough felt excessive pity for the ‘* motherless girl,’ whose ‘“ wicked ma’ had condemned her to sorrow and wretchedness ; she knew, too, that Augusta was cognizant of the secret of her birth. Nurse would have guessed that, even if Ger- trude had not told her, about the eventful letter, ‘“‘ how she missed it from her pocket; how the mean thing must have taken it out; 214 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, BSQ. and how she (Gerty) gave her ‘ a good set down’ for it, and told her something she did not like. Did not Nurse see what an ugly white thing she looked ?” Nurse kept her own counsel, nor thought fit to enlighten the young lady to the fact, that she herself, acting on Gerty’s own infor- mation, was the guilty abstractor of that letter, from the pocket of the dress, which on changing for dinner the young lady left lying on the floor for (nurse) to put away. Augusta was grateful for the kindness and sympathy shewn to her. Not that she would | have breathed a word on the subject which rent her heart in twain; she sought neither for consolation nor information, she kept the unfeeling Gertrude at a distance. “If I am not your sister,” she would say, ‘‘ you have no right to interfere with me, and you must not.”’ Nature gave way to a paroxysm of grief on reading her lover’s letter; it was balm in Gilead to find that he loved her so dearly ; and for her sake would seek a reconciliation with Mr. Reynolds. ‘But would he love me if he knew all, if he knew who I am?P JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 215 Who am I? How was it? Why this mystery? What could be the reason of it?” These thoughts recurring incessantly were sure to arrive at truth sooner or later. She hardly knew at what time the idea of Fred’s being the son of Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds first dawned upon her; but come it did, and once entertained, it was not to be thrown off; and this conclusion Augusta thought would account for everything, but her feelings revolted at the supposition. It was too humiliating! Cast off and abandoned at her birth by her natural pro- tectors. A being unclaimed, uncared for, a waif on the stream, left to the mercy of the driving current. She was in this state of mind, when Fred, in pursuance of the invitation which he decided it would be best to accept, came down to Beaulieu to pay a short visit. * Could—not—stop—long,”’ were his first words, ‘* for—he—had—pwomised —F wee- mantle—to—go—and—pwopose—him—at— the—Hlection, and—he—was— going —to— make—a—gwand—s—s—speech !—and—he —had—only—got—to—‘ ladies —and— gen- ] 216 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. tlemen’ yet. It—was— pwecious—hard—- work.” Mr. Reynolds returned the same day from his canvass of the electors of Rochester, and so pleased was he with the success of his first essay, that though looking pale and haggard, _he was in first-rate spirits, laughing and talk- ing with the sparkle and animation natural to his excitable temperament. He forbore to say one word as to where he had been, and with the exception of his wife, not one of his family were aware that he had set up in opposition to Freemantle. Both host and hostess were earnest 1n their attentions to their interesting guest, so earnest indeed, that it might easily have been sup- posed that both had designs upon him. “* Upon—my—word !” thought the graceful recipient of their hospitality. ‘‘ They—tweat me—as—if—I—was—their— prodigal— son, weturned—from— sowing — no—end— of — wild—oats. Gweat—mind—to—ask—old— Gwiper—for—more—money ! Gussie—looks —pale! KFweemantle—been—blowing—her —up. Bell—blows—me—up, there’s—the— diffewence,—like—Bell—hbest.”’ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 217. Their extreme politeness to the “ prodigal ” struck Augusta forcibly this evening; she roused up from her dreams about Freemantle, his unconsciousness of her position, the bar that for ever separated them. She sat silent and erect, her glorious blue- eyes looking out from the depths of their black lashes, her short upper lip, still more curved and compressed, in the suppression of all outward sign of the conflict within her. Frederick, as we have so often said, had always been her stumbling block. If she was Mrs. Whynn’s daughter, he could not be her son. *“Whose was he then?’ was the eternal prompting of the inquisitive spirit. Why should the Reynolds care so much for him, the least interesting person to be met with between John o’Groats and the Land’s End? Why should “mamma” make it such a point that she should marry him, when in doing so unhappiness must be her portion ? Why was her mother so partial to him? in- viting him to come, petting him, providing for his comfort, when all communication, per- VOL. Il. L 218 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. sonally or otherwise, had ceased between her and Mrs. Whynn? “Papa!” says Miss Gertrude. ‘Do you think you will be a member of Parliament ?”’ “How can I tell? ‘There’s many a slip *twixt the cup and lip.’ ” | ** When will the election be ?” “ When you grow wiser!’’ answered her papa. ‘* There, there, say no more; that will do.” Gertrude scorned obedience; it was a sign of slavery. Turning to Fred as the ignor- amus of the circle— “Do you know papa is going to be so erand. He is going to be a Member of Parliament.” * By Jove!” says Fred; ‘‘ and—so—is— my—fwiend—Fweemantle !” Augusta starts; a sudden glow suffuses her face. Allis not dead within her, though she had been hitherto still as a statue. And — I—m— going —to—Wochester !” continued the man of business, ‘‘to—pwopose —him—next— week.” Augusta’s eyes opened * wider and wider. Her father surveyed her furtively. “ I—m— going—to—make—a— a JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. . 2]9 gwand—s-s-speech! How he saved my —lte—two—days—wunning !” “And be sure you tell them all about the bonfire you made in honour of your aquatic performance,” remarked Mr. Reynolds; “ the electors will enjoy that immensely.” ** Ware — fun !|—and I’ll — wepeat — it— when—I—pwopose—you,”’ says this genius, who was both sides in politics. Mr. Reynolds was tickled at the idea. * Do!” said he, “that speech will carry the day.”’ © And — I[’ll—wite — it— out—too! hate —witing (crowing convulsively). And— it —will—do—when—1—pwopose—myself !” Mr. Reynolds roared with laughter. ‘Then I advise you to go down to Rochester next week; it will do for all three of us,” said Mr. Reynolds, off his guard. ** Rochester!’ exclaimed Fred, ‘“ are—you —going —against—Fweemantle !”’ “Are you going to be Member of Parlia- ment for Rochester, papa?’ asked Gertrude. “As bad as Frederick,” thinks Mrs. Rey- | nolds. ‘‘ Anyone may see whose son he is.” | L 2 220 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Augusta lost not a word. Mr. Reynolds was master of the occasion. ‘* Rochester sends two members,” said he ; “two members always put up, and if my friend Whynn here comes down with his grand speech they will send three.” This piece of sophistry sufficed for his hearers, all save one. Augusta doubted Mr. Reynolds; he was not her father, so she be- gan to judge him. Hitherto she had accepted his every word with the unhesitating confi- dence of filial faith. Freemantle, in his letter, had spoken of an opponent to him. It was not a general election, Sir George Goodwin had retired from ill health. She had it all by heart. If Mr. Reynolds was in tip-top spirits, not less so was Fred, who, amid a series of crows and chuckles, related some startling adven- tures, almost as marvellous in their way as those of the renowned Baron Munchausen. Certain points of resemblance between the two (Mr. Reynolds and Fred) existed beyond a doubt; scarcely to be defined, yet patent to those who possessed the key to the relationship, the claim to good looks was not JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 221 in favour of Fred. The likeness came with the force of conviction on Augusta this even- ing. Fred was telling a story of a “ Do.” It was an election “ Do,’’ which the incom- parable narrator considered so applicable to his entertainer’s position, that he gave it aloud for his especial benefit, together with his own advice in full. This ** Do” which so delighted Fred was the sending of a messenger the night before an election to inform one of the candidates, that his house was on fire. The terrified gentleman rushed off to look after his pro- perty, and in his hurry he took a wrong train. This was run into by another, and he was so seriously hurt as to be unable to rectify his mistake by returning, while his adversaries finished the “‘fun’’ by giving out his with- drawal from the contest on the’ score of * arrested for debt.” * [t—was—only—a~—stack,”’ went on Fred, ** which — some — one — had — set—fire—to ! Couldn’t — find — out—who — did—it,—nor— who—sent—telegwam! Wich !—wasn’t it ?” Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds laughed excessively, e 222 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. the latter at the queer story-teller, the former at the story itself. He said— “The fire engine was admirable; it was just the thing for Fred, who had better go and do Chillingham over again.” Augusta, whose nerves were terribly un- strung, writhed at the whole scene, the laughter seemed to her unworthy and discordant. She was struck by the similarity of the laughs of Mr. Reynolds and Fred; they seemed echoes of eachother. She looked up. Fred sat opposite to her, on the left of Mr. Reynolds, she on his right. The general contour of the faces, the black eyes and hair of both flashed upon her. ‘The Admiral and Mrs. Whynn were Saxons. She felt as if she had received a blow. ** How wicked the world is! ’’ thought she. ** No, I will never marry.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 223 CHAPTER XxX. ‘© THE MAID OF SARAGOZA. —SIR D. WILKIE. Tux next morning Mr. Reynolds left his family for the purpose of returning to Rochester till the election was over; he made rapid progress in the good graces of the worthy townspeople, as he could scarce fail of doing, when he brought the persuasion of his tongue to bear upon his cause. In his absence, his two envoys extraordinary, Messrs. Gammon and Humbug, had madegood use of the “‘available resources,’ submitted to their protection by a too confiding public. These talents they did not lay by in a napkin, but invested them in no end of promises and purchases, of no use whatever to the share- holders of the ‘* Bubble-and-Squeak’’? Com- pany, whose money it was. 224, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Their choice of a committee-room was a master-stroke of policy. They chose the “ Wheatsheaf Inn,” kept — by one Gabriel Lyons. It was not so imposing looking, nor yet of such standing as the “ Angel Inn,” because further removed from the bustle and turmoil of the town, but at a time like the present, it possessed an importance no other house of such resort could aspire to. Mr. Lyons was of the Jewish persuasion, and from his respectability, his probity, and his energetic disposition, possessed much influence, not only with his own people, but in the local business of the town, and the Messrs. Gammon and Humbug, from long experience in the art of manceuvering, knew, that in making his hostelry their head quarters, they secured the favour of the Jewish electors of the city of Rochester, to whom, of course, both candidates were strangers; and except for the words, ‘‘Liberal’ and ‘ Liberal Conservative,” either would have stood equal chances of winning their good graces. Mr. Lyons professed Liberal views himself, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 225 and till the present time had always acted in accordance with them; and let it not be held against him that he refused not the offer so advantageous to the worldly wisdom of making hay while the sun shines. Where is the Christian that would have rejected it? Christians are prone to say that such and such a thing is Jewish. This is a reproach only to him who utters it, and worthy of the soul that entertains it, unchristian, un- charitable, oblivious of his own shortcomings, seeing not that this creed, ‘‘ Do everybody ! and do not let yourself be done!” is te uni- versal one of mankind. Love of Mammon is not by any means especial to the Jewish people; but if it were so, who are we to judge them by this one alloy, and not by the multitude of their adorable virtues? The Freemantle party were much dis- concerted at this unlucky contretemps, and in their active canvass of the town, laid par- ticular stress on this same Mr. Lyons and his people. The gentleman himself they found “as hard as a rock. “What! take them in, and then betray LO > 226 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. them ?” was his answer. “It was not the part of Gabriel Lyons to enact the role of traitor. He could not refuse his house when applied for; he did not seek them, they sought him ; he was a man with a large family, and must look to his calling for support.” All he would promise was, that he would not vote for either candidate, or influence his people one way or the other. A reasonable answer, but it did not satisfy Lord Chester, who set his heart on foiling the Messrs. Gammon and Humbug with their own weapons, and converting their artifices with this man into an engine for their own defeat. Finding Gabriel impenetrable to the argu- ment that he should sacrifice all personal interest for the good cause, Lord Chester undertook the conversion of him through the medium of his wife and family, or rather daughter, the only one of his children grown up. : This was by no means an unpleasant task, the pretty Rachel with the lustrous eyes, and magnificent ebon locks, peculiar to her race, being quite a belle. Sooth to say she was a perfect adept in the art of coquetry, and knew JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 227 how to wield her black orbs with consummate effect. She had not the smallest objection to try their power on the handsome man, who pleaded the cause of hig friend with such earnestness, detailing his deeds, his virtues, the injuries he was receiving at the hands of the unscrupulous Mr. Reynolds, who was not actuated in his opposition by sincere and honest motives, but by the unworthy desire of revenging himself on one who had un- wittingly offended him. The two women were moved to tears at the recital, and promised to try their utmost to brine about the subjugation of that impor- tant personage of their household, the pro- prietor of the ‘* Wheatsheaf.” The wily canvasser completed his subjuga- tion of the beauteous Rachel by the gift of his friend’s portrait, and she forthwith set out and commenced an active canvass on his behalf among her people. 228 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER XXII. ‘VENUS AND CUPID.’’—CORREGGIO. Te lord and master of Beaulieu having de- parted, the unlucky Fred remained sole guardian of the ladies, and so onerous on him were his duties as such, that the fair mistress of the house decided there was no time to lose: he might make his bow to her, and set off on his travels again, before she had put into execution the plan for which she had invited him. Her first act was to send him off to fish, then she despatched Gertrude dn an errand into the village, Sophy and Nurse to keep her company, with the little Bessie trundling along in her - go-cart—perambulator is more refined. Augusta was deep in her favourite employ- ment of transferring her view of nature— rather sombre just now—to canvas. The coast clear, Mrs. Reynolds betook her- JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 229 self to the garden, the river her destination. Arrived there she skimmed its banks with her eye, and through the arch of that rustic bridge on which the rapt Freemantle first beheld his fate, as he pursued his course up stream, she beheld hers. in the person of Fred down stream, casting in his line in search of booty ; so she turned into the little path that skirted the river, till she came within ear- shot of his lair, when she coughed to give token of her presence. What’s—-the—wow ?” Fred’s usual figure of speech for surprise, curiosity, &c. “ Beg —pardon,—Mrs. Weynolds ; didn’t—know— it—was—you.”’ “Who did you think it was?’ asks his hostess. ‘‘ Your—lady-love ?” She—isn’t—here,” was the honest answer, “Then you are provided?” in an altered tone. “ P—_whaps—I—am.” ote Nigga “Ts it only perhaps? You are not certain about it?’ And she seated herself beside him on the heap of stones which formed his ‘settee. “May I ask who the happy fair one is, that has gained the heart of my friend, Mr. Whynn ?” 230 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “ ?m—up—to—your—game,—old girl !” thought Fred. ‘“ Somebody—you—wouldn’t —care—to—know,” said he, aloud. “ But, indeed, I should; I have known you from an infant, met take great interest in all that concerns you.” “ That’s—vewy— good — of — eens Weynolds.” “‘T have more reasons than one for caring to know.” Fred did not vouchsafe a reply. “Commend me to an idiot for trying one’s temper,” thought the discomfited lady. “Does your— Does Mrs. Whynn know of your attachment P”’ It went against her to apply so dignified a term to Fred’s petites affaires de coeur. ** Does — your—mother—know— you’re— out? it—means. I—wather—think—she— does,” answers this refined specimen of our progressive age. ** And what is her opinion ?” ** Don’t—ask—her.” “Does not care what becomes of you, (aside) and no wonder.” ** Yes ; but—she—does,’”? answered Fred, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 231 with dignity. ‘* She’s—been—pwecious— fond—of—me—lately.” ‘IT see her art,’ thought Mrs. Reynolds, * but I'll defeat her yet.” ‘Indeed !”” said she. ‘‘ She wants to get rid of you; any excuse to throw you over- board.” “ M—others — are—not —so—fond—of— thwowing — only — sons — overboard,” re- turned Fred, with excessive importance. ** They re—pwecious—pw—oud—ot—their— heirs.” (Aside) “* You are enough to make anyone throw you overboard in good earnest !”’ (Aloud), “ You are thoroughly mistaken in what you say. I have good reasons for knowing that she is only waiting till you commit yourself by some foolish imprudent marriage to cast you off.”’ | * Can’t—believe—it,” says Fred. ‘“ Where —would— she—find —another— son—like— me |” Mrs. Reynolds was fairly confounded. “ Well, of all the conceited puppies I ever heard of,’’ said she, “‘ you are the greatest !”’ ** Hallo ! P—p—p—uppies—is—it P The 232 JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. bwutes and the b—aboons—are—coming— next. The—ba—boons—are—coming! Oh! ho! oh, ho!” sang Fred. ** Was there ever such a dolt?” cried the poor lady in despair: “ Will nothing bring him to reason? Do you know that Mrs. Whynn has already disinherited you, left her estate, the only thing of consequence, to another person: that she told me herself.” “By Jove!” exclaims Fred, dropping his fishing-rod. ‘ That’s a pwetty go!” “It’s a fact, I assure you; and, moreover, I know to whom she has willed it!” *¢ There’ ll—be—a—ware—blow—up—some —day !” *“You may well say that; and as sure as you are born, you will be the one to suffer !” Fred shook his head like Polly. “No? Then who will, pray ?” “© Not—I |” “Not you? You are mad! You not suffer’ Lose such a fine property as that, and not suffer ?”’ * Sold—my—wig ht—long—ago !” Mrs. Reynolds sprang to her feet with the alacrity of childhood. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, HSQ. 233 ‘‘ And what have you done with the money?” « Mrs. — W—eynolds,” returned Fred, you—’ ve—no—w— ight—to—ask—such— wude—dquestions.” *T have a right, a greater right than your thick skull dreams of.” * My — th — ick — skull !’ echoed Fred. ** P — uppies, — bw — utes, — b—aboons,— d—olts,—th—ick—skulls ! A—pw—ecious —cargo! Mrs. W—eynolds, I—tweat—you —lke—a—lady ; you—don’t—tweat—me— lhke—a—gentleman !”’ “A gentleman! Youagentleman! You'll be a beggar all the days of your life !”’ «¢ Then—I—beg—you’ll—not—-ask—me— to—come—here—again ; for—I—won’t,—and that’s—flat! Tm —off !” ‘Stay!’ exclaimed Mrs. Reynolds, in a peremptory voice. “‘Can’t, by Jove! You’re—driving—too— fast,—Mrs.—W—eynolds. Have—my—neck —bwoke!”’ ‘But [insist upon your stopping to hear what I have to say.” ** l’m—bless’ed—if—I—do !”’ was the polite answer, and Fred began to run. 234: JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “Turn instantly !’ she exclaimed, “ or tremble at the consequences !”’ There was that in her voice which arrested him, wilful and headstrong as he was. He stopped and turned, and then stood fascinated. Mrs. Reynolds walked towards him with an imperious air, her eyes flashing fire. “ You dare to tell me that I have no right to interfere with you!” said she, with a vehemence that stupefied her amazed listener. ‘You dare to treat me with insolence and disobedience! Do you know who I am ?” ** Mrs.—Weynolds — gone — cwazy!”’ said Fred, speaking his thoughts. “‘ Mrs. Reynolds, and your mother !”’ “My mother!” exclaims Fred. ‘ Come, that’s—no—go !” “Ttisa go!” said she, adopting his own style to make it more comprehensive. ** Mrs. — Weynolds, you’ve — come—out— of— the — mad-house — over—yonder, and— better—go—back—again !” She sprang forwards, Fred thought to strike him, but seizing him by the two shoulders, she held him in a grip of iron. **'You—pinch !”’ cried he. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 230 *‘T’ll pinch you still harder, before I have done with you !” “Help! Murder ! P—olice!”’ shouted Fred. ** Be quiet, you fool! [Pm not going to kill you, though you are enough to make one do anything. It’s true what I tell you, Iam your mother !”” ** Not—possible !” “It is possible! That woman Whynn and I changed children, and you are my son and Augusta is her daughter !”’ Fred’s mouth flew wide open, and so did his round black eyes. His mother could scarce refrain from laughing at the ludicrous picture of stupid surprise he exhibited. ‘That is why I have been so anxious you should marry Augusta; it is to her that she has left Sherwood, so go and marry her.” “Tl be hanged if Ido!” says the newly- awakened gon. ‘I'll marwy Bell!” *¢ And who is Bell P”’ *¢ A—young—lady,” answered Fred. “« A young lady !”’ repeated Mrs. Reynolds, mechanically. “ Yes,’ said Fred, “a young—lady—you wouldn’t—appwove—of !”” 236 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. *« And you refuse to obey your mother ?” ** Engaged—to—Bell! She’s been—at—me ——a—pwecious— long — time —to—marwy— her ;—but—public-house—stuck—in—my— thwoat! Did—n’t do—for—only—-son !”’ Mrs. Reynolds nearly fainted. © Public-house!”’ she gasped out. “VY es,—a—vewy—pwetty — one — it —is — too!” returned Fred, ‘and she’s—a—vewy—_ pwetty—girl, and—calls—names—just like— you.” Mrs. Reynolds recovered the use of her tongue. “ Get out of my sight,” said she; “a wicked,.undutiful son. Augusta, whom I have ill-used and injured on your account, has behaved like an angel.to me, and I am glad she will have the estate.” | “So—am—I,”’ said Fred; ‘* she—ought— to — if—it’s—her — wight. And —the—old —bwick has — behaved — like— a—mother— to — me, — when — she — wasn’t!” and he turned to depart. ** [—say,” said he, righting about face, “ is —old—W—eynolds—my—father—too !”’ “ How dare you ask such a question ?”’ says the indignant wife. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 287 ** No—harm,” answers Fred, aggrieved ; ** only—wanted—to—know.” ** Begone !”’ said she furiously, “ and let me have no more of your insolence.” ** All—I—can say is,—you’ve—made—a— pwetty—mess! Weynolds—has —bought— the—estate |” ** Bought the estate? Reynolds bought the estate?’ shricked Mrs. Reynolds. | * Aye! And—got—no—end—of—I—O— U’s—and—post—obits. Pw—ecious—shindy —when—it—all—comes—out. Cut—and— “SS, wun. Mrs. Reynolds was dumbfounded; she looked the picture of bewilderment. *There’s one thing I command you,” said she at last; “and that is, you say nothing about what has passed. Do you hear ?”’ **[—-hear,” he answered; ‘‘won’t—pwomise. Pwomises—and—pie—cwusts — made—to— be—bwoken. Never — could —keep—a— secwet—in—my—life.”” So.saying he returned to the house, sing- ing, or rather crowing— “ The—bab— oons—are—coming—Oh, oh! Oh, oh! The—bab—oons—are—coming—Oh, oh! Ob, oh!” 238 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER XXII. “ran FIELD OF THE OLOTH OF GOLD.’— HOLBEIN. Tus day of nomination at length arrived, and with it the first meeting of Mr. Reynolds and Freemantle. Thrown together in the melée of assembling their forces, it was not possible to avoid a formal recognition, to which the latter in- tended to confine himself; not so his un- scrupulous opponent. At this time Mr. Reynolds was certainly not rational; the desertion of Freemantle had involved him in serious difficulty with the Bubble-and-Squeak. His mterest in it was now so slender that he was not entitled to the honour of a seat in its cabinet, and unless he brought fresh grist to the mill, in the shape of emolument or dignity, he stood at the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 239 tender mercy of those Minoses, the Board, to call on him for a restitution of the large sums which they had so generously lent him out of other people’s pockets. So blind was he in his wrath that he never once considered his own conduct as wrong and utterly opposed to everything that con- stitutes the law of honour among men; he only saw himself as an injured party, deceived by the man whom he had selected for an ally, and positively brought himself to believe that Freemantle would be the cause of his ruin. * You are no doubt surprised to find me your opponent, Colonel Freemantle,” said he ; ‘but all is fair for the good of one’s country. I did not know till now that you ranked _ yourself among the demagogues, and mob- orators of these fire-and-fury days; I own I am surprised.” ‘Surprises do not belong to your profes- sion, Mr. Reynolds,’ returned Freemantle, with manly scorn; “‘ you should leave them _ to people who, like myself, mistake enemies for friends.” “Whoever is the enemy of my country I hold to be mine,”’ said Mr. Reynolds, with his 240 JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. usual fluency. ‘It is my duty to rescue her from the hands of blood-thirsty men.” “It is the duty of every honest man to rescue her from the still worse hands of blood-suckers, who prey on her vitals, cripple her resources, and degrade her in the eyes of the world,” said Freemantle turning away. This did not promise well for the begin- ning; the crowd below the hustings took their cue, one might fancy, from the senti- ments animating the two candidates, for more riotous or disorderly an assemblage could scarce have been found, even at an election. | The rival candidates took their stand in the pens provided for their accommodation in front of the town hall ; the Freemantle party right, the Reynolds left. Hach candidate was accompanied by a large body of friends and supporters. With Free- mantle came likewise his father and brother-in- law, Mr. Adamson, Sir George Goodwin, the late member, his proposer, and Lord Chester, his seconder; these stood beside him, and what augured well, several gentlemen of the Jewish persuasion. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 241 The fair Rachel Lyons had worked to some purpose ; she had no objection to reckon the handsome Lord Chester among her admirers, but true to her sex, her woman’s sympathies were all on the side of the injured and perse- cuted Freemantle, the one to whom she could be of real service, whom she could work for, plead for, and move heaven and earth to help _ In his need. For this purpose she entered into his cause _ with the energy and devotion of her sex, made over the care of her department in her father’s house to the keeping of her mother, solicited the votes of her friends and neighbours, worked her fingers to the bone in the manu- facture of her hero’s colours, hung on his words, deeming them inspired, and finally lost her heart to him. Below the hustings was a heterogeneous mass of human beings, bearing a close re- semblance to the rosary by which the “‘ sweet sixteens,” or still more youthful innocents, prophesy their future, to wit, ‘‘ Tinker, tailor, Soldier, sailor, gentleman, highwayman, ploughboy, thief.” Some electors certainly attended, but they VOL. IL. M 242 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. were the units: the hundreds having no in- terest in the matter resolved to have a voice and a hand likewise. Among these was a body politic, called the ‘‘ the Larks,” incor- porated by the Messrs. Gammon and Hum- bug. They carried banners bearing the praiseworthy inscriptions of “ Reynolds and no dishonesty,” ‘‘ Reynolds and no deception,” ‘Reynolds and no bribery,’’ which would have been singularly appropriate had they only left out the negative. The opposition banners were scarcely be- hind in interest and significance : “Freemantle and no gammon,” “ Freemantle and no hum- bug,” ‘Freemantle and no pigs,’ ‘“ Free- mantle and no squeaks,” no doubt in allusion to the Bubble-and-Squeak, which they had got hold of by the tail. The Mayor of Rochester opened proceed- ings with an eloquence suitable to so stirring an occasion; he begged to introduce to the consideration of the influential gentlemen assembled the two candidates who presented themselves as competitors for the honour of representing the great city of Rochester in Parliament, one of the most important cities in the world! (hear, hear). He, therefore, 4 - JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 243 implored the said influential gentlemen of Rochester, on whose decision the weight of empires might be said to rest, to give to each a patient hearing in order to enable them to decide which of the two candidates was best adapted to make known the wants and wishes of the said influential gentlemen in that first assembly of gentlemen in the world, the House of Commons. ** We be gentlemen now,” says a wag. **Where’s the difference?” returns. a bumpkin. ‘‘ They eats and drinks the same as we does.” Sir George Goodwin then came forward to propose Freemantle as his successor. He looked lke the lofty pillar of some ruined temple, rugged and seamed by the de- facing hand of time, yet venerable and dear, the record of a glorious past. At sight of him the uproariousness of the influential gentlemen, induced by the gaiety of the “ Larks,”’ wound up into one long re- verberating cheer, proving that the “ influen- tial gentlemen”’ possessed lungs and _ hearts, two very necessary ingredients in the manu- facture of human nature. mM 2 244, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Sir George was not a man of many words; his were deeds, and he took his stand on them and won. He rarely spoke in the “ House,” and by the wits of the “ first assembly of gentlemen in the world,” he had been designated as the “Silent Member; and on _ extraordinary occasions bets were well known to have been laid as to the number of words to be com- prised in his reasons for his ‘*‘ Aye”’ or “ No,” twelve being the maximum. But whether his words were many or not, his party were sure of him, and all sides acknowledged him to be a thorough English gentleman. On this last act of his public life, however, speech was given to him, eloquent of grief and regret at parting from those with whom he had gone hand-in-hand nearly half a cen- tury. “In that long period of time,” he said, “scarce once has harmony been disturbed, nor is the tie broken now. The happiness and prosperity of those whom I have so long represented is the first and dearest wish of my soul; like Mary of England, when she JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 245 lost Calais, ‘ Rochester’ will be found graven on my heart after death. Nor is it by words only I desire to prove to you my affection. For this have I nerved myself to meet you at this trying hour, for this have I braced up my arm, in order to bring forward one whose worth I feel so thoroughly assured of, that I feel not the slightest hesitation in proposing Colonel Maximilian Freemantle as a fit and proper representative for the ancient and im- portant city of Rochester.” The respectful silence which had attended the delivery of the speech thus far, the homage of even the rude and ignorant to assured worth, here received its first inter- ruption. ** We won’t have none on him!” “We won’t have no soldiers !”’ ‘We won't have no Popery!” were cries answered by counter-cries of, ‘‘ No humbug!” *No squeaks!” more significant than graceful. «You must not say so!” said Sir George. Do you. not believe in me? Have I, with the resignation of my seat, lost all influence with you, all claim to your confidence and 246 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. esteem? Have you not given me the highest proof of both by sending me free and untram- melled to the proudest seat a subject can oc- cupy? What higher than to be chosen head by the united voice of a people ? “We, your representatives, feel it so. Hach province, each borough, is a state in itself; it may be a small one, but still it is a state, and collected they form a great empire. Hach head of these divisions has a great trust reposed in him. Have I[ ever betrayed yours? Have I falsified your interests in one in- stance? (‘No, no.’) No! Then why a change? What have I done to forfeit your good opinion? Has old age dimmed my patriotism, or blasted my reason, that you no longer believe in me—no longer trust me? (‘We do! We do!’) Prove it then. Elect this man (bringing Freemantle forward) ! Choose him for your representative! I, your chief, your tried friend of more than forty years, demand this of you, as the price of my long services—as the meed due to patriotism, that withstood the proffered temp- tations of wealth and power, to remain true to the principles for which you chose me. I JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 247 claim your suffrages for this man as a test of | your gratitude to myself. By-and-bye you will give them to him for his own sake. Be true to yourselves, be worthy of your privilege, of a voice through him in the council chamber of your country! Degrade not yourselves by proclaiming in your choice of a leader, that. you are destitute of reason and common sense —less intelligent, less worthy of sympathy and protection than the cattle that graze on the outskirts of your city. In choosing ~ Colonel Freemantle, you will reflect credit on your good sense and discernment. Has he not won for himself the esteem and admira- tion of his country? Whynot yours? Was he not solicited to come forward? Did he come unsought ? Was not the post assured to him? Why should you withdraw from the compact at the bidding of another man, who at the eleventh hour starts up, a stranger un- thought of, unknown to you; for the mere purpose of certifying the fact that while the rest of mankind -are rising in the scale of civilization, you men of Rochester are retro- grading : too debased, too ignorant for the exercise of the power deputed to you as free 248 JOHN FORTESCUEH REYNOLDS, HSQ. and enlightened citizens? You have before you the address of each candidate: Colonel Freemantle avows himself the advocate of those principles by which men advance in the moral and intellectual world, and promises to further them by every legitimate means in his power. Mr. Reynolds professes the same views, but abjures the only means by which they can be attained. ‘“‘ Beware of the sophist! Be not deluded by the false colouring, though depicted in the © most glowing rhetoric of the day! Remem- ber, though he stands forth the champion of guilt or innocence, his eloquence availeth nought in the decision: that is left to the plain good sense of common men called a jury. Be you the jury! I will not doubt your verdict ; I will not believe that the end of my long career is to find you.less enlightened than at the commencement. ** Let me beseech your confidence in this last momentous question of my life. If I have deserved aught of you, repay it now! I have grown grey in your service; I came to you in the vigour of youth and manhood, I leave you only when the threescore years and JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 249 ten of man’s existence warn me to retire. The sands of life are running out; let us part in peace, dear friends; let me go to my rest with the blessed thought that I die in your service—that in securing for you the services of such a man as Colonel Freemantle, which one day you will glory in, I have done my duty, and to the best of my ability secured the happiness and prosperity of my beloved townspeople of Rochester !” A perfect storm of applause ensued in answer to the speech of their former in- estimable representative. He was much touched, and came forward again and again to thank them. Lord Chester appeared to second the nomi- nation. He rattled off a lively speech amidst an indescribable confusion and uproar. “The . Larks,’’ who seemed to have been imbibing too freely of the morning, or rather moun- tain dew, conducted themselves as larks never did before, while “‘ the blackbirds,” an opposi- tion faction, defiantly answered charge with charge, among which ‘“‘No Popery!” and ** No Piggery !” strove for mastery. It was difficult to make anything out of M O 250 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. such materials, but Lord Chester did. Find- ing that the unconscious Pope had been em- panelled for bugbear, he finished off with that potentate as his theme. “‘He earnestly assured the mobocracy that Colonel Freemantle was not the Pope, neither in nor out of disguise; he could answer for that, as he had lately returned from Rome, where he was introduced to, and held converse with his Holiness, who never once asked him to become a Catholic, nor even offered to make him a cardinal. But he would do him the justice to say, that he seemed a sensible honest, and benevolent gentleman, in all of which points Colonel Freemantle resembled him, but he was not the Pope for all that. The sovereign Pontiff was a very handsome man, but then he was advanced in life, as all popes ought to be; his friend Colonel Freemantle was a very handsome man too, but then he was a young one. Was that a fault in him? If so, he (Lord Chester), his life-long friend, could tell them that it was his only fault, and one of which time was certain to cure him. So _ there the likeness ceased, and the candidate whose cause was so warmly espoused by their JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 201 amiable and respected member Sir George, was not the Pope; but since they appeared to think so much of his Holiness, he was happy to tell them that there was a chance of his coming over to Hngland, if things turned out as expected. And should he then take it into his head to set up as member for Rochester, why every man of them would vote for him! (No! no! and much laughter and confusion). What! Not if he set up against Colonel Freemantle ? (No! we wouldn’t!) Not if he came as some one said, a man of gold, and his pockets running over with silver? (We won’t have no gold, nor no silver, and we won’t have no Pope!) Well then, if he offered every man a guinea for his vote? (No, and laughter.) Say five ! ten! twenty! Would you for fifty ? a hundred ? (no answer). Shall I answer for you >” continued Lord Chester, with all his own lively manner. ‘“‘ No, you would not! (a tremendous cheer). You are Britons! Not to be bought with silver or gold! (a deafen- ing peal in which all the ‘Larks’ joined). Out with the wretch that would bribe you to betray your country. You would fling it 252 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. back in his face. (The “ Larks” and all go frantic). You are Englishmen, and would scorn to sell your rights and liberties! ‘No!’ you would say, ‘the man who would tempt us is a coward, and will never do his duty by us. He thinks we are slaves; we are not. We will vote like free men for him who takes his stand on freedom and justice. We believe in Colonel Freemantle, we believe him to be in the right. He believes in us; he knows us to be honest and true, and trusts to us to carry him through. We will do so, we will follow the advice of our dear friend Sir George Goodwin, and in gratitude to him who has stood by us, faithful and unswerving for so many years, we will have Colonel Freemantle for our member and none other.” It was a pity that the poll did not take place there and then, for on this appeal to their better feelings, Freemantle would have carried all before him. The benighted ‘ Larks”’ entirely forget the parts set down for them, and thinking it was morning, tuned their pipe to songs of liberty. Colonel Freemantle then came for- ward. He had been so moved by the devo- ' JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 203 tion of his friends to his cause, that he was scarcely up to the mark of a public speech. On his appearance, a terrific hubbub ensued ; the misguided “‘ Larks”’ all at once recollected themselves, and disgraced their very name. “We won't have no soldier,’ says an ignorant cageling, who had never soared on freedom’s wing into the blue sky, ‘“ We likes sailors best, doesn’t we?” to a jack tar. ** Aye, them’s the fellers to tackle the big ship, and clear her o’ the breakers,” says the son of Neptune. The ‘candidate bemg a soldier was not without supporters ; the garrison of the town had turned out to do him honour. They did not enforce order and harmony at the point of the bayonet, they took more effectual means by pouring forth a volley of sweet. sounds from the accompanying band, and by way of heartening up their favourite ‘The girl I left behind me,’ was the appropriate tune. _For the moment associations past and present unmanned him, but with a resolute effort he dashed them aside. 254 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ‘‘Hlectors of Rochester,’ said he. ‘“‘ Did I follow the dictates of prudence, I should certainly remain silent, and rest my claims to your support and esteem on the testimony of my kind friends, and powerful advocates, Sir George Goodwin and my Lord Chester. “Tt is acommon saying, ‘Shew me a man’s. friends, and I will tell what character he bears.’ I dare not ask you to apply this entirely to my own case, knowing my many imperfections; I dare not ask you to accept literally what mine, in their partiality for me, their zeal for your interests, have urged on my behalf. But this I will say, that even the belief in a man’s virtues is sufficient to en- noble him, to create them in him, and make him bend every purpose of his soul to prove himself worthy of the priceless esteem of his fellow men. “On my first coming among you as a candidate for the honour of representing this important Borough in Parliament, in com- pliance with the wishes of some of the most influential of the electors, headed by your esteemed member, Sir George Goodwin, the path before me appeared not more flattering JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 258 and agreeable than smooth and easy. But, as in the physical, so in the moral world, the storm ariseth, and no man knoweth whence it cometh ; the relations between us, promising perfect peace and unity, have all at once been rudely assailed, disunion has arisen, opinions divided, and parties ranged under separate banners; differences only to be settled by an appeal, not to arms, as in disputes between nations, but to the bloodless, yet glorious decision of a Polling Booth. ** You see before you two men, each solicit- ing the honour of representing you in Parlia- ment; the one says, ‘ Forward!’ The other says, ‘Stop! Which ofthem isin the right? I say, ‘ Stop,’ you cannot; all is action, all is progression in these days ; if you stop it is at your peril. You will, in all probability, be thrown down and trampled under foot by the hurrying masses in your rear. I say you have not gone far enough ; my opponent says, you have gone too far, at least that is the argument on which he takes his stand against me. He says that you are not yet sufficiently advanced to be entrusted with the small por- tion of liberty placed in your hands ; it ought only to be in those of educated men. ThenI 256 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. say, give education likewise. It is that alone which can make men of men. What accords to your two candidates the right of soliciting your favour as electors? Is it not education decreed to us by the mere accident of birth? ‘ Butif you educate the people,’ they ask, ‘ Who is to do the hard work of the country ? Why they will, and better than they ever did it before. Is a man a worse workman, a worse subject, a worse member of society for being trained and educated, for having a stake of some kind or other in his country? for holding a posi- tion, albeit, small and humble, in the affairs of his town or country? Who is it fills our prisons, our hulks, our convict-ships, but the ignorant, the barbarous, and the savage— barbarous and savage because ignorant? If we, who now address you, feel the blessings of education, its enlarged and elevating in- fluence, why should we deny it to others? Is it the part of education to make men selfish and covetous? Does it not enforce to the full the doctrine of Christian charity, and the participation of our abundance to those who stand in need of it ? ** Let us labour then to improve the social JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 257 condition of our fellow-creatures ; no fear that, in so teeming a population as ours, labour will fail. Wherever there is a demand there will always be a supply, and in improving the mind, you will promote the development of the moral qualities also. In his leisure, the poor man will find other resources than in intoxication, the betting club, and prize-ring. «And what if all your schemes for the regeneration of mankind fail ? they ask again. That they will scarce do, if we set about them earnestly and steadily, a great work on our hands, a great purpose in our hearts; and if we should not succeed, still it is something to feel that we have endeavoured to do our duty honestly, and that it is not our faultif we do not leave things better than when we found them. ** And now let me impress on your minds that in the trial of strength which takes place to-morrow, it 1s not a contest as to which man shall represent you in Parliament. Itis the principles which he advocates, your honour and dignity abroad, your present good and future welfare are all involved in the votes you will give. 258 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ** Let these sacred causes weigh well with you. Let it be a fair stand up fight, man to man, becoming bold Britons. No rancour ! No strife! Nocoercion! Nobribery! Let each man vote according as his conscience shall dictate, ‘ God and the right’ his rally- ing cry, and ‘ Truth to win!’” | We have forborne to break the thread of our hero’s discourse by the introduction of those ingredients from without which helped to season his pie, a lark-pie no doubt, since when it was opened, the birds began to sing most discordantly, whilst the resolute efforts of the opposition blackbirds and red coats to drown them in a chorus of their own, sent harmony shrieking into space. It was now Mr. Gammon’s turn to appear as the proposer of the opposing candidate, Mr. Reynolds. He was a soft-spoken individual, with a sweet smile on his smooth face; he minced his words, and interlarded them with innumerable small laughs and coughs. He began by assuring them “that he was so overpowered (a laugh) by the honour (a cough) done him, a humble individual (a sweet smile), whose only merit (ahem) was JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 209 the proud position (looking very grand) of belonging to that (ahem) most incomparable body (so long a smiling pause that his own side set it down that he was too much amused to say more, and gave signs of impatience). Well then! body of Liberal Conservatives, the Bubble-and-Squeak Company (a long fit of coughing, interspersed with smiles and httle laughs, and most unfeeling laughter from the Freemantleites). They might laugh (ahem), but before another day closed over their heads, their laughter would be turned into crying (a roar of laughter from all sides, renewed on Mr. Gammon’s taking out his handkerchief and applying it to his eyes. Mr. Reynolds looked black as night. He supposed they were laughing (a small laugh) at him; he did not mind it (look- ing very heroic), it showed people were sweet tempered (smiling blandly), just like himself; he was very sweet tempered (ahem); nothing ever put him out (ahem, ahem, ahem). So laugh on; he hoped they were laughing at him (a cough). To-morrow they would laugh with him (ha! ha! ha!). He felt himself in the position of the mouse (a 260 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. laugh) in the fable—the mouse that set free the great lion. Yes. He was going to set free the great lion among them (great roaring from the opposition in imitation). He was the mouse (smiling) that was going to intro- duce to their notice and support the great lion of the day, Mr. Reynolds. (Mr. Rey- nolds at this moment looked very much like a caged lion that was longing to get at the mouse). Yes, to him, a mouse (smiling humbly), had been given the high honour (ahem) of proposing a noble lion (a cough) to represent a noble city (a broad smile) in Parliament (ah! ah!). He would not detain them any longer (bowing and smiling right and left). He trusted he had explained every- thing (ahem) to their satisfaction (smiling killingly;) and in conclusion (a cough) he would wish them many happy returns of the day (ah! ah! ah!). “Well,” remarked one of the roughs, “ if that there Gammon isn’t one of the biggest humbugs I ever heard tell of! Why, he hasn’t said nothink at all!’’ “ He shan’t sweep none of my chimbleys,” returns a sweep, the leader of the Blackbirds, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 261 who, mounted on an empty barrel, made him- self especially conspicuous among the ‘“in- fluential gentlemen” below the hustings. “ Here comes old Humbug hisself,’”’ says another ; ‘‘ he’s bigger nor any humbug as ever I set eyes on.” * Aye, he looks as if he had eaten the Gammon for his breakfastis, and could swear to anythink,” was the answer. These remarks were not altogether without foundation, for Mr. Humbug’s appearance was a striking example of the nutrifying effects of bubble-and-squeak; therefore he was very proper person to represent its virtues. He seconded the nomination of Mr. Rey- nolds by stating “‘it as one of the most remark- able instances of spontaneous combustion of affection, his being deputed to second the nomination of the most extraordinary man who ever lived ; and he could assure them, without the smallest particle of vanity, that had they searched the world, candle in hand, they could not have found a person so fitted for the post of seconder, so lkely to inspire love and confidence, and win the hearts and suffrages of the electors as himself. His ‘262 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. adversaries were pleased to laugh; he could afford to let them do so, for no one could deny that he was the most popular man of the day, and ought to be in Parliament, where a deal of humbugging was always going on. Yes, that was his name; he was proud of it. What would people do without their Humbug? His was a household word, to be found in everyones mouth; it was the sceptre with which every man ruled his little world. From henceforth these two names, Reynolds and Humbug, would be associated together (great laughter). He rejoiced to find them so good- humoured and sensible; he took it as a com- pliment; they still loved and believed in their dear Humbug.” _ * We’s often heerd tell of Mr. Humbug,” says Mr. Sootikin from his rostrum, the beer barrel, ‘“‘ and now we sees him.” Mr. Humbug scorned to take note of the interruption. ‘“‘He would prove the truth of his words that both he and Mr. Reynolds were of world- wide fame, and first of all he would ask “ If there lived a man so mean, so abject, so des- picable, as not to read the ‘ Times ?” ” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 263 A voice—* Weallon us reads the ‘ Times;’ we isn’t so despisable as that comes to.” “ Mr. Humbug was glad to hear it, for what he was going to say was, if there did exist so guilty a creature, hang him at once! Mr. Sootikin—“‘ Alongside old Humbug!” Mr. Humbug totally ignored the sentence of excommunication passed upon himself, and went on— ** Well, then, since no one was to be found guilty of the crime of not reading the ‘Times,’ they must have seen day after day Mr. Reynolds’ name therein. He did not mean in the Law-court proceedings, though there it always was; many persons passed them over as too dry reading; but everybody read the advertisements, and there among them would be found the name of John Fortescue Reynolds, HEsq., Q.C., Deputy- Chairman of that most wonderful of all insti- tutions, the Bubble and Squeak Company.”’ Here “the swinish multitude” set up a hideous chorus of squeaks, in imitation of their brethren of the pigstye. Mr. Reynolds was in a state of suppressed frenzy. He would have liked to have pitched 264 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Mr. Humbug over the pen, for the porkers below, to make “ bubble and squeak”’ of, and to have joined in the cooking. “Save me from such rascals as these my friends!” was the cry of his soul. “ Say nothing of the Bubble and Squeak!’’ said he to his seconder. “ They don’t understand it |” Mr. Humbug was hurt at being lectured ; he had a great deal more he intended to say about the glorious institution and his own glorious self; now he must leave that out, and let the wretches think they were a joint stock pig company. “He trusted that he had proved to their satisfaction that the gentleman now offering himself for their representative in opposition to Colonel Freemantle was of world-wide fame, known everywhere through the medium of the ‘Times.’ He went journeying along with it to the north, to the south, and to the east, and the west. The ‘Times’ visited every part of the globe, and consequently Mr. Reynolds also”’ (uproarious cheers from the “larks”’). Mr. Humbug was gratified ; he became quite elevated. ‘* Could they look JOHN FORTESCUR REYNOLDS, ESQ. 265 through the solid substance of the ground on which they were standing, right through into—’” Mr. Humbug stopped short, and put him- self into a thinking attitude. His geography was all abroad; for the life of him he could only remember “ South Sea House,” hard by ** Bubble and Squeak.” . ** Now we have it!” said he presently. ** It’s the Scilly Islands! those far-off cannibal lands, where the people eat one another up, and walk about without their heads. I say, if you could look through all this rubbish and dirt we are standing on—I say, you would see at this moment every man of them with a ‘Times’ in his hand, reading about — Mr. Reynolds !” ‘Good lawk-a-day !”” exclaims Molly, in the crowd, “to think of them ignorum savages a readin’ of the ‘ Times!’ ” “It’s wondersome!”’ returns Patty, her gossip. ‘ Why, theyll be knowin’ of what you and me is sayin’ on next !”’ *¢ And got no heads neither !’’ says Susy, of the trio. “It’s a strangeness how they reads |” VOL. II. N 266 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Ain’t you got no drorin’ of it ?’’ demands Mr. Sootikin. “Show us the fortygruff as was tooked when you was at them Sillies !’’ Mr. Humbug disdained to comply. He told them instead “that he quite differed from the opinion expressed by the noble lord, who had seconded the nomination of the other candidate, as to the absurdity of the two members being different sides in politics. They might just as well have only one mem- ber; all these years, indeed, they had only had one member! Rochester, the greatest city in the world—he must and would say it —with only one member, and yet they were saying that it sent two. It was a perfect Hum? He suddenly recollected himself, and stopped. : ‘“‘ Humbug !’”’ shouts a voice. “ Well, so it was! a downright humbug ! He had forgotten it was his own name. Just fancy, it was like sending a man and his wife to Parliament! One of the most barefaced things he ever heard of! A place like Rochester, with only one member, yet saying she had two! Both represent the same side of the question ; the other, by far the largest, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 267 the most important, the most influential, were utterly without a voice in anything that con- cerned them or their interests! It was time such an injustice as that should be reformed. Yes, Reform was their motto—reform of all such abuses as that—and it would be reformed he was as certain as that he was speaking. The first reform would take place at Roches- ter! They would send Mr. Reynolds with an overwhelming majority to represent them in Parliament. His friend Mr. Gammon had called him a lion, and so he was, a regular British lion, and they would send this lion to that den of lions!—Ah! ha!—the House of Commons! in spite of all the machinations and ridiculous threats of the Freemantle party; and he would tell them a little secret too, they would find him a true prophet, very shortly they wonld see their lion sitting on the woolsack !’’ “ A woolsack !’? exclaims a woolly-headed individual. ‘*‘ What may that be ?” “ A bag of wool as they cuts off the sheep to be sure |!” answers a Solon. “ And what may be the use of his a sittin’ on that ?” N 2 268 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ~ © ?’Cog as how he’s tired a killin’ so many sheep “Talwers thought as it was a thing they lords wore a top o their heads!’ says another, equally enlightened. | }?? “So they does,” answers a wag; “ when they wants to look like lions, they puts their manes on!” Fancy!’ says Mr. Humbug, getting up- roarious. ‘* You have heard of the British lion standing beside the throne, now you will see him sitting on the woolsack! Won’t you be proud of him then? He would say no more. They would now have the pleasure of hearing Mr. Reynolds—(‘ No!’).—Yes, they should—(‘ No, the lion !’)—well, the lion speak (‘ No, roar!’)—hear the lion roar (imita- tion roaring), and when they did, why, they would all roar too—ah ! ah! (great uproar)— and go roaring like lions to the poll to vote for him! Ah! ha!” This told immensely, and the roaring and shouting and laughing continued for several minutes. | | It was now Mr. Reynolds’ turn to appear. He was feeling very like a lion—fierce, savage, JOHN FORTESCUB REYNOLDS, ESQ. 269 and cruel,—under the infliction of the Messrs. Gammon and Humbug, whom he despised with his whole soul; yet he was forced to endure them and their odious patronage. “My friends,” said he, “ from the flourish of trumpets heralding my approach you would not be unreasonable did you expect His Royal Highness the lion of England himself to ap- pear; but fame is a liar, trust her not, she is a deceiver—false to the heart’s core! Does she know the inner life of that man, whom, tricked out in the tawdry trappings of her adulation, she has the hardihood to hold up tohuman worship. Her historian is a babbler and an egotist! Can he fathom motives, or weigh actions? Her patriot isaknave and a cheat ! It’s a throne for himself, and a dungeon for the people! Her warrior, her hero, is a thief and a murderer, as much as he who, arraigned for his one paltry crime, swings in air for it! I thank my stars fame hath not me in her toils; unknown to her, un- assisted by her, I owe her nothing, and scorn her! No, I am not a lion, nor yet a unicorn, though as right loyal a supporter of the throne as either of them. I am a man, plain and unadorned as yourselves; have sprung from 270 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. your ranks, tugged at the same oar with you, therefore know you, know your needs, feel for you, sympathise with you, as he cannot, who, born in the purple (sneeringly) assumes the hero, and comes with a lion and a unicorn of his own, to sound his trumpet, and proclaim his deeds of arms !” Mr. Reynolds was interrupted by a furious outburst, as well as a fierce passage of arms, between the rival factions, in which the valiant Sootikin was deposed ; his throne, the empty beer-barrel, became lke other vacant thrones, the object of dispute to so many lawless aspirants, that, too weak to support itself, 1ts understanding gave way, involving Larks and Blackbirds in one common melée, proving itself a veritable barrel of gunpowder, explosive and violent. Freemantle frantically waved peace to the incensed partisans of his cause. Mr. Reynolds was in his element, the energy of his nature was concentrated in his tongue, it was his gift. In the inspiration of his genius, meaner passions were forgotten, as was the man himself by those who lay under the spell of his harmonious tongue. Will you be dictated to?’ he was at JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 271 length heard to say. “Are you serfs and bondsmen, to be at the bidding of one man, harnessed to his chariot, and driven to the poll, there to vote as he only shall direct ? Is this your progressive state P Is this your vaunted civilization P This exercising the power placed in your hands as freemen? As well build your ships, and say they are for orna- ment; as well give the brief to the counsel, and tell him he must not speak from it; as well place the pickaxe and spade in the hands of the labouring man, and forbid him to make use of them. ‘‘ The visionary, the sophist, I give him back the word, says ‘ Educate the people. Knowledge is power; knowledge is happi- ness.’ He who preaches this doctrine is either a fool or an impostor. Are you happier than were your forefathers, who, born on the soil, tilled the soil, knew nought beyond that soil, content with their lot, arose jocund as the morn, and laid them down to their rest, even as the sungoeth down. Wherefore the lament of those good old times, if you in your generation be so much wiser and happier? Knowledge is happiness! — Knowledge is 272. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. misery ; knowledge is destruction. To him who has nought else it is the tree of the for- bidden fruit—sin in the plucking, death in the tasting. Who that hath knowledge is con- tent? Who hath not felt its thirst ?—its penal judgment? ‘To die ere we can com- prehend—or comprehending but in part, too vast the encumbrance for the finite brain, Reason lies prostrate, or the hard earth claims as a usurer back the loan she gave. ‘Away then!” continued Mr. Reynolds, with increasing vehemence, “ away with the cant that education is the goal. Say! will your demagogues giveit you! Willthey give it you any more than they willthat reform, which they raise as a bubble cry, (haughtily) to amuse . and divert the gaping multitude (I use their own words) from weightier matters. Yet are there things deeper, less harmless than bubbles. ‘There are snares and pitfalls to entrap you unthinking and misguided men, into the commission of crimes for which your leaders, not you, should suffer the penalty. Is it your happiness they seek? It is their own! Is it your aggrandisement they desire? It is their own! Do they strive that you shall be JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 273 rich and enlightened (mockingly) as them- selves? It’s false! Raised by your shouts to the ephemera of heroes, their poimt is gained. Theirs is fame, yours is infamy ! “Tt is to combat the sophist (with em- phasis) and the revolutionary that I take this as my vantage ground, to fight him with his own weapons. *‘ It is to counteract his pernicious doc- trines, by laws which he shall not controvert, that I appear here to solicit your suffrages. It is to unmask the hypocrite, the traitor to his Queen and his country” (fixing his eyes upon his opponent). The hot blood fiew into Freemantle’s face ; roused like a lion at the unprovoked attack, he sprang forward; involuntarily he made a movement as if to grasp his sword, which for- tunately belonged not to his uniform of peace. ‘* Whoso asserts,”’ said he in a voice of con- centrated passion, ‘‘ that- | am a traitor to my Queen and my country (turning darkly on Mr. Reynolds), before God he lies! I fling it back im his teeth, and defy him to the proof ;”’ and he flung down his glove, which he held in his hand, as men are wont to do. NO 274 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. For a moment there was a dead silence. Freemantle’s voice sounded like a trumpet, and was heard to the outermost man of the crowd. Mr. Reynolds looked as if he was about to spring on him en caractére of lion, we suppose: but Freemantle was pulled back by Lord Chester, who gave the watchword ‘“ Augusta” in his ear, while Mr. Freemantle interposed his athletic proportions between the two vengeful spirits. ‘It is such a scene as this,’ resumed Mr. Reynolds, with his usual tact, taking advan- tage of circumstances, “‘ that proves the truth of one’s arguments. But now your two im- maculate candidates, peacefully demonstrating their superlative claims to your especial ad- miration, the most perfect harmony—nay, love—subsisting between them— “© Alas ! how light a cause may move Dissension between hearts that love. * * * * * * A something light as air—a look, A word unkind or wrongly taken,’ And lo, the sword leaps from the scabbard, the random shot tells so keenly, it can only JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 275 be repelled by appeals to heaven; only be atoned for by the blood of the unwitting marksman. ‘* See what a gash the furious Hotspw made.” Freemantle’s breast heaved, the blood started from his lips in the suppression of his fury at the insulting parody. - The passions of men,” said Mr. Reynolds, ‘are as the powder stored away in the magazines of your neighbour, Chatham. A spark misapplied, and what becomes of your towns, your fortresses, your magnificent arsenals P shaken to their foundations, blown to atoms ; ruin more vast and desolating than the fiercest hurricane. It is the work of man, not of nature; centuries shall not recover the one ill-fated hour of war and rebellion. * Let us beware, then, that in our well- meaning desire for the improvement of our less favoured fellow-creatures, we waken not into life the slumbering fires of such terrific agencies as these. Restrained, directed, pro- perly appropriated, they are at once the pride and boast of mankind, the glory of the world. 276 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “‘T will now conclude, having pleaded my cause as it behoveth counsel. I leave it to you, the judges, to decide on its merits. If your decision is in my favour, I shall make it my ambition to prove myself worthy of the trust reposed in me, my aim to identify my- self with the good people of Rochester in thought, word, and deed. I know of no place presenting equal claims to our love and veneration: to the historian, the antiquary, it is an epitome of our past history, every stone has its tale. See her now, begirt with the tall masts of her vessels, as a pine-forest! They are the feet of the messengers bringing glad tidings of peace and good-will among men. ‘To be the representative of such a place, her champion, where my zeal could most avail her, is the highest honour I could aspire to, and one I would not exchange—no, not to be the lion of the woolsack !” “‘ Well,” says the ex-king of the beer-barrel. “that’s what I calls perlavy. He hasn’t said nothink about giving us more wotes, and all as I can say is, as a man who knows how to sweep chimbleys, and keeps the sut from a injurin’ his neighboursis, and is a clean, tidy, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 277 conformable person, a knowin’ how to speak tollolable, he had ought to have a wote, which he aint got, and more shame to ’em !” A show of hands being taken, it was de- cided in favour of Mr. Reynolds, he being the last speaker. A poll was, therefore, demanded on behalf of Colonel Freemanile, and the election fixed for the following day. rp 278 JOHN FORTESOCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER XXIII. ‘SAVE OCASAR.’—F. GEROME. Te election morning was ushered in by a carol of the “ larks,”’ expressive of a determi- nation to make the day their own. The * blackbirds,”’ headed by the dethroned Sooti- kin, in his war-chariot, armed with the in- signia of his office, answered in lays as boisterous and defiant, significant of a re- solution to soar higher than the benighted larks, however high their flights. The first person to record his vote was the member 2m esse; he, having interest in his borough, had sped over from travels in Austria, to give his adhesion to the Liberal cause on the first whisper of a contest. From an early hour, the partisans of the rival factions might be seen looking up their forces, and marshalling them to the polling- ‘ . ae JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 279 booth, round which throughout the day were stationed eager groups, as if waiting for the exciting summons, “ Walk in, ladies and gentlemen, and you shall see what you shall see |”’ The town itself was all alive, and Roches- ter, usually too much occupied with business in hand to make note of politics, gave busi- ness a holiday, and threw herself into the heat and turmoil of this, to her, important business, with the spirit indicative of her consanguinity to that boisterous element to which the work of her hands is more especially devoted. Surpassing the “larks” in the fun and frolic to be got out of the hour, were the blue- jackets of the port; to a man they joined the Reynoldite party. It is a strange anomaly in human nature that sailors and sea-faring men are ninety- nine out of a hundred despots at heart. Born to the sea, bred to the sea, imbibing the free spirit of the freest of all created bodies, they love freedom to fanaticism, will respond to her call, defend her to the death while breasting her untrammelled waves ; but strip 280 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. her of her nationality, they stigmatise as treason and rebellion the assertion of her in- dividual independence, her resistance to op- pression, her defence of her rights and liberties. | It may in part be due to the rigid laws (in- separable from the system under which they live,) rendering them, as the inevitable con- sequence, the more severe exactors of submis- sion and obedience in others. | Itis the same with the army, which is con- servative likewise, though certainly much less so than the navy. Freemantle was an exception to the rule, and to him and his affairs we turn our atten- tion. — | Till noon his star at the poll had been in the ascendant, his supporters had polled vigorously, and he was considerably a-head, and whether it was to the irresistible persua- sion of the fair Rachel, or to their own innate sense of right, the Jewish electors had all, save one man, recorded their votes in his favour. Freemantle and Lord Chester had scoured the town, preaching peace to the belligerent multitude, and by dint of argu- JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, BSQ. 281 ment and persuasion brought many wavering souls to the sticking point. At the turn of the day, however, a change took place, Mr. Reynolds having in the one hour given to rest and recruiting, accom- plished fully half the distance between him and his adversary. Freemantle and his friends became aware of this fact on their return from Sir George Goodwin’s, to whom they had gone in the joy of their hearts to communicate the happy prospects of their poll. Sir George gave them a feast of a luncheon, and drove them back into the town. They found it in a state of civil, or rather uncivil war, a pitch-battle going on between blue-jackets and red-jackets, all regular as orderlies, the larks and blackbirds going at one bills and claws as disorderlies, and rais- ing a hue and cry, as though an enemy were a second time sailing into port. “The Angel,’ Freemantle’s head-quarters, no longer held the olive-branch. She was the angel of discord; the polling-booth about as ornamental as the pens doing duty for hust- ings, appeared likely to be carried by assault, 282 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. no difficult task to look at, yet firm as a rock in its moral influence, more secure than the town-hall itself, looking down with disdain on the puerile struggle going on below. | The head-quarters of the strife, however, was the “ Wheatsheaf :” that pastoral ensign belied itself. The Reynoldites, downcast and quarrelsome under adverse gales, be- came demonstrative, and insulting under favourable ones, in which the ‘‘ Barleymow,”’ flowing in one continual stream, and where he who was. thirsty might drink at his pleasure, had no inconsiderable share. The Freemantleites were not behind their opponents in reciprocating the entente non cordiale; when such fierce grinding and pound- ing took place, that in the end justice inter- fered, larks and _ blackbirds were made prisoners, and secured in cages, where “ their native wood-notes wild” created no sensation. Sootikin, the chief of the blackbirds, fared no better than the rest of them; his chariot came to grief, its poles were turned into batteringrams, its wheels became rollingpins to crush him; his sceptre, the broom, after blacking right and left the faces of the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 283 enemy, was wrested from his grasp, and with such right good will applied to his own sable visage, that the red and white of anger and rage became perfectly visible through the black cloud obscuring it. He was pounced upon as a ringleader, suffered imprisonment that day, fines the next, which we are happy to add were paid for him, his old weapons converted into new, and he released from durance vile, resumed his high position as head sweep of Rochester, and live to fight another day. Freemantle was coursing like a whirlwind through the town, exhorting, commanding, beseeching ; his blood was up, he resolved to win this battle, if human means could avail; he knew it to be his by right, but he set his soul on gaining it despite bribery and corruption. Nearly all those promised had polled, it was near three, his competitor was close on his heels, a number sufficient to turn the scale hung back, they could not make up their minds, they were doubtful, they wanted direction, Mr. Reynolds would give it, z.e., if there was any direction left in his strong box. 284 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. While turning a corner into the hich street, Freemantle was run into by some one, who nearly threw him off his balance. “Why, Whynn!” he exclaimed. “Is it you? so you have turned up at last. I thought you were coming down to propose me!” «¢ [—J—-was,”’ returns Fred, “ but-——the— horwible—stowy ! ” “‘ Nothing very bad I hope.”’ “‘Tsn’t—it—though? It’s — fwightful! W here’s—that—-old—gwiper—Weynolds ?” ‘* T do not know, somewhere in the town. At the Wheatsheaf most likely.” “¢ He—can’t—hear—me. [—say—can— you—keep—a—secwet ?” “Tt is not a very formidable one I dare say, I shall forget it the next minute.” « All—wight!” says Fred. “ Do—you— know—that— horwible— old — wogue—is — my—father !”’ It was a formidable secret, it took Free- mantle’s breath away. He looked as amazed as did Fred himself when first made ac- quainted with the astonishing circumstances. “ Tt’s—all—twue!” continued Fred, “‘ the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 285 —venewable—old — parwient — told —me— herself ! ”’ “Your mother told you that?” exclaims again Freemantle, more and more astounded. “* Aye,—and—a—gweat—deal—more. By Jove! Here—comes—old — gwiper—wound —the—corner! Speak—of—old—Harwy— you ll—see—his—horns ! Cut—and—wun !” says the hero. Freemantle found himself by the river, he was standing staring into it, forgetful for the moment where he was. “Tt’s catalepsy!’’ says Lord Chester, rousing him up with a slap on the back. “Tt’s dogalepsy!’’ returns Freemantle. *‘Hvery dog has his day, and I have had mine of surprises.” * You look as if you had lost your elec- tion.” “Tt’?s a greater surprise than that, for I should believe in it. I say, can you keep a secwet P” “JT think I can answer in the affirmative, seeing how many I keep of my own,” returned Lord Chester, jocosely. “All wight,” answered naughty Freemantle. 286 JOHN FORTESOUK REYNOLDS, ESQ. ‘Fred has just volunteered the extraordinary piece of information that our fierce lion of the woolsack is his father !”’ Lord Chester laughed his wickedest: ‘‘ That accounts for his being such a cub,” said he. “Of course such a story as that 1s not to be credited an instant. It’s one of Fred’s ridiculous blunders, characteristic of him.”’ “IT suspect he read it at the bottom of those wine cups, which he has been tossing off to the health of the pretty daughter of the Wheatsheaf,” returned his lordship. ‘‘ I saw him coming out not long ago—that ‘ Boule dogue’ the father, is as obstinate as ever; he has worked himself into a fury; and silenced his women by vowing to vote for Reynolds if they utter another word.” ‘““ If he does not,’’ said Freemantle, “ he is a gallant fellow. We cannot expect him to do otherwise, situated as he is, his house the depot of the oppositionists, who do the thing as we would not, and could not; not having a Bubble-and-Squeak surety for payment of all expenses ; few I fancy would be as patriotic as he, in not voting.” ‘1 shall not be satisfied, unless he carries JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 287 his patriotism a little further, and votes for my friend,” said Lord Chester. ‘‘ That man Reynolds has ruined the honesty of the place with his wholesale bribery,’ he went on, indignantly ; “so corrupt has he made it, that the answer of numbers to my petition for votes is, ‘ How much will you give me » At this moment a group stands outside the Town Hall, declaring they will only vote as a whole, and demanding a hundred each as their price !”’ “ And they will have it,” answers Free- mantle. ‘‘ Reynolds will not let the chance escape, and the game so close. The money is not his own. What cares he, so as he gets inf. “But he shall not get in, now nor ever,” exclaims Lord Chester, with energy. ‘‘ What, connive at dishonour? If he gains, we will have him out, and the Borough disfranchised for its sins.” “ We won’t do that, my dear Chester, for the sake of those patriots who are proof against gold.” Lord Chester’s outburst was fully justified. At the very moment he was speaking, the 288 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. following colloquy was going on at the shop — of a “ well to do” tradesman of the town, a cutler he called himself. Enter Gentleman. Gent.—“‘ Good day, Mr. Cutler!” Mr. Cut.—* Good day, sir.” | Gent.—‘ A fine day.” Mr. Cut.— A fine day itis, sir, a very fine day.” Gent.—‘ You seem very lively ?” Mr. Cut.—* We are lively to-day.” Gent.— Are you always so gay ?” Mr. Cut.—* No, sir! We are not always SO gay.” Gent.—‘ What’s in the wind. There’s an election going on, isn’t there ?” Mr. Cut.—*‘ There is an election, I believe, but I never take heed of those sort of things, they are not in my line.” Gent.—* That is a pity, Mr. Cutler. It is the duty of every man to look after the welfare of his town or country, as the case may be.” Mr. Cut.—* It won’t make a bit of difference to me or mine, whichever of them gets in.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 289 Gent.—“ I suppose you think there’s no difference between them ?” Mr. Cut.—‘“ It’s not that, sir; but I can’t aliord to pay the difference. How goes the poll, sir?” Gent.—‘“‘ Undecided.” Mr. Cut.—‘‘ Colonel Freemantle has been a-head all day, hasn’t he, sir?” Gent.—“ I suspect he is not so now.” Mr. Cut.—‘* They seem both nice sort of — gentlemen ; it’s a pity as they can’t both get athe : Gent.—“ That is your opinion. I was thinking that 1f you threw in your powerful opinion it might turn the fortunes of the day.” Mr. Cut.—‘‘ My mind misgives me as it might not be the right one.”’ Gent.— Toss up, and-decide that way.” Mr. Cut.—* Pray, sir, if] may be so bold, which side may you have voted on ?” Gent.—“I am a stranger, but a friend and well wisher to you and your good town.” Mr. Cut.—‘ That’s very handsome of you, sir. Can I serve you with anything ?” Gent.—To héip Colonel Freemantle along? I cannot say that I need that.” VOL: Il. _ 0 290 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Mr. Cut.—“‘ I don’t say so, sir, either. It’s im’terial to me which of them wins, I’d as lief one as the other.” Gent.—‘‘A sensible, cautious man, I plainly perceive.” Mr. Cut.—‘‘ One can’t be too cautious in business. I hesitate for want of advice.” Gent.—‘‘ Which you expect me to give woud | Mr. Cut.—‘“‘ I’m open to correction if I play wrong.” Gent. (slily).— And open to an offer like- wise, I plainly perceive. What do you ask for this knife ?”’ Mr. Cut.—‘‘ How much will you be pleased to give for it?” ‘Gent.—‘ Oh, you must make the charge, of course.” Mr. Cut.— These things varies in price; T leave it to you to name the terms.” Gent.—“I couldn’t indeed! You must say something. Ihave not the least idea of the value of such articles at times like this.” Mr. Cut.— Well! say fifty guineas!” Gent.— Fifty guineas! That is a price to pay for a vo—” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 291 Mr. Cut.—‘ No occasion to take it, sir; it’s not half what I should have asked if you hadn’t been on our side. I refused a hundred not half an hour ago, because it was on the opposite side.” Gent.—‘ Such a noble eres on your part ought to be chalked upon the walls of your town, Mr. Cutler. I think you had better recall the other side, and tell them you have changed your mind. You will never get such another offer.” Mr. Cut.— That may be, sir; but I never will sell a thing to a man as I don’t set horses with in politics. Id rather sell ata loss to them as I does.” Gent.—* That is the cause of your asking such high prices of your own side, more than T can think of giving. You know it is of no earthly use after to-day, and we shall do very well without it, [ have no doubt.” Mr. Cut.—*‘ No doubt, sir, but everyone is a catch, and goes towards completing your number.”’ Gent.—‘‘ Very true, but there are others in the market, and we may Tigildcd find them more reasonable.” 0 2 292 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Mr. Cut.—“‘I doubt that, sir, at this late hour of the day.” Gent.—‘ We can but try. When it’s all over, we may possibly look in to see if you have made a better .bargain with your fifty guinea pocket knife.” Mr. Cut.—* Stay, sir! It’s you who ie never told me, how far you were inclined to go to.” Gent.—‘‘ Because it would be of no use: we could not think of giving that money for a thing of no real use whatever.” Mr. Cut.—“ I beg your pardon, sir; you would find it the greatest use.” Gent.—‘‘ Indeed! Prove it.” Mr. Cut.—‘ Well, sir. Here’s a blade that Pll be bold to say you would not find its like anywhere. I warrant it to cut both ways, will bend backwards and forwards. It’s as supple, as supple as—” Gent.—‘ As your conscience.” Mr. Cut.— Ah, sir, you are keen, as keen as—’” ) Gent.—‘ Your blade.” Mr. Cut.—* Mr. Reynolds is a lawyer, — isn’t he, sir ?” JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 293 Gent.—< You know him then ?” Mr. Cut.—*‘ Can’t say as I do, but he’s a sharp one I hear.” Gent.—“< But you are a sharper, by the way you do business. How much do you ask for this villain of a blade ?” Mr. Cut.—‘‘ Ten guineas, sir!” Gent.—‘ Ten guineas! Villainy always costs dear. Here’s the money!” Mr. Cut.—‘ Stay, sir; I couldn’t, sir, do such a thing! You haven’t seen half. Why here’s a corkscrew that would give you a vote for every cork you drew.” Gent.—‘‘ Famous! We will draw all the corks in Rochester with it.” | Mr. Cut.—‘‘ Aye, that’s worth another ten ; and here’s a lancet worth fifty guineas of itself, it would make a man bleed at every pore.” Gent.— That’s what I am doing without your fifty guinea lancet, so it’s of no use. Good day !” Mr. Cut.— Don’t go, sir! You shall have the knife, the corkscrew, the lancet, picklock, skeleton-key, and all for twenty guineas. Not one shilling less.” 294, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Gent.—“ Mr. Cutler! If I was not in want of the knife, corkscrew, lancet, picklock, skeleton key for this day’s use, I would give the hundred guineas for the pleasure of seeing you cutting your own throat with the whole of them. Here’s your twenty guineas! Just twenty pounds, nineteen shillings, eleven pence halfpenny, two farthings too much. May I have the pleasure of accompanying you on your way to the poll—part of it at any rateP— my way lies in that direction. We may pos- sibly meet Mr. Reynolds himself on our way, and uf he does not know it already, I shall take care to tell him of your disinterested devotion to his cause.” At three o’clock the real game began. It was said Mr Reynolds headed the poll. “The battle is lost!’ said Freemantle, ‘‘Who can control fate? It is written!” “It is not written that he shall win!” said Lord Chester. ‘‘ There is one half hour yet remaining, and defeat him we will.” ‘A hero to the backbone!” said Free- mantle with emotion, “let me be your sword- bearer |” They repaired to the committee-room at JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 295 the Angel: the members they despatched right and left to look up the laggards. Lord Chester was more than ever bent on the conquest of mine host of the Wheatsheaf. The two Freemantles, father and son, betook themselves to the hustings, where the former addressed the concourse gathered below, awaiting the close of the poll. | ‘¢ Men of Rochester!” said he, “this scene reminds me of some in which it was my fortune to take part some thirty years ago. It was one of those epochs, those tides in the affairs of men, when their minds undergo a change ; to counteract it would be useless, for it is the culmination to which past events have all been tending. A change must take place. Hngland was in the throes of a revo- Intion, on the eve of the very worst of revo- lutions, a civil war, where a nation 1s armed against itself, and feelings more deadly and. savage are called into action than can be found in anygwars between nations. Many of you men standing around will remember it, many will have heard their fathers tell of it. The people asked for reform, it was withheld. The inevitable period had arrived 296 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. for it; it was not an impulse only, it was a want, a principle, a vital necessity, and must be accorded, or fearful the consequences. Men banded together, men good and moral, loving peace, loving order; but this same necessity roused them up, and they swore never to rest till their prayer. was granted. It was not alone for themselves they demanded this reform, it was that you and your children might be freer, wiser, happier than them- selves. Did they think the blessings they obtained for you at a price would render you so base that you would stand in the market- place to cry your vote to the highest bidder P Did they think that the struggle they made for your liberties would make you but slaves more despicable? I see before me men who, as freemen of this beautiful city, are ranked independent, honest, and respectable citizens; yet there they stand, like negroes waiting the slave-master’s coming.” The saleable electors wince. “Yet will they tell us they love liberty, they love their country, but for gold would sell both. If true men, why have they not . voted before? Why stand idly watching JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 297 when their fellows are hurrying to the poll? They love not freedom, or they would long ere now have repaired to her shrine, not be waiting here for her. There was a king who sold his country, and the Dutch came to your ports and burned your ships, and Rochester fled in terror and dismay. Will you sell your liberties P Will you sell your country? Will you open your doors to the invaders of your rights and liberties? Let the dead arise and ery shame on you! Let the mothers who bore you cry shame on you! Let the little ones who cluster round your knees cry shame on you! Let the country which owns you cry shame on you! Let the voice at the judgment pronounce your doom, “ Depart from me, I know you not, workers of iniquity.” The saleable electors, who had been waxing more and more excited, here disappeared into the polling-booth. The clock of the Town Hall approached to four. Expectation and uncertainty had hushed into silence the busy, boisterous, brawling crowd; the polling had ceased, and the finger of time moved steadily to the hour, when the strange stillness was broken by the 0 5 298 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. clang of horse’s hoofs in the distance, speed- ing along as though the animal bore the wild huntsman on his back. It came nearer and nearer; every eye turned in the direction, but no one moved, all seemed spell-bound. “A runaway horse!” were the unspoken words of every heart. But no, the animal dashed through the crowd, and drew up at the polling-booth with a suddenness that threw him on his haunches. The rider flung himself ffo and rushed in. ‘* Too late P”’ he asked, breathless. “One minute to the closing,” was the answer. “Then I, Gabriel Lyons. of the Wheat- sheaf Inn, give my vote in favour of Colonel Freemantle, and God bless him !”’ Hurrah for the staunch Briton, the lion of the Wheatsheaf. That last vote carried the day. Freemantle had won, and by one only. Lord Chester’s rhetoric, his wife’s entreaties, the tears of his daughter as she rushed in, “Oh! father dear, Colonel Freemantle has lost,’ were too much for the honest innkeeper. Without these powerful adjuncts he could not JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 299 have borne to see his favourite lose. Through- out the contest a perfect civil war had raged between his feelings and interests. He stays to see who wins. Who so glad as he? Who so earnest and vociferous as he in acclamation? ’*Twas he who won the day. His beautiful daughter hangs on his arm, her glorious black eyes are humid with feel- ing, as she looks up at Freemantle, the idol of women, and tries with simple earnestness to tell him how glad she 1s he has won. The victor, with her hand in his, tells her that he owes it all to her; it is her zeal and energy that has gained it for him. He can never forget it, he will call and see her before leaving Rochester, and beg of her some little memorial—her portrait, which he will keep in remembrance of the debt he owes to her and her father. Madness seizes the crowd, it is one vibrat- ing peal of shouting welcome. “To Bacche! Evoe Bacche !” in which the traitors who sold themselves, treacherous to the last, join loudest of all. The tumultuous crowd moves on, the band 300 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. strikes up, they approach “‘ The Angel,” the angel soaring aloft, trumpet in hand. They round the corner, and draw up in the open space fronting the victor’s committee-rooms. He is above. He stands at the window, he and his friends, radiant and triumphant, as men who have fought a good fight and won. ** Hurrah for Freemantle !” *“‘ Freemantle for ever !”’ Who can pierce this thronging crowd, this surging mass of human life; traffic stopped, men and things hemmed into one dense phalanx; horses share the excitement, and be- come unmanageable; two greys in a carriage spring up and dance frantically to “Rule, Britannia,’ volleyed forth by band and the people. Charitable hands seize the bits and hold down the heads of the horses; the lady within the vehicle is alarmed, little children therein shriek with delight; one other, mute and wondering, surveys the scene, to be evoked out of the ashes of a buried and forgotten past. The father looks out to see how fared the day, Freemantle sees him, crushes up the poll-list in his hand, and with dexterous aim flings it i - JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 301 into the carriage window.* It falls on the girl’s dress. The gentleman reads, looks out, lifts his hat in salutation, then waving it, cries— ‘¢* Hurrah for Freemantle !’’ * Hurrah for Freemantle!’ deafens the alr. The horses are backing into the band. They give them their heads, the crowd opens, and the animals dash with the speed of racers to their well-known destination. “ Hurrah for Freemantle !’’ *“‘ Freemantle and liberty for ever !”’ ‘*¢ Hurrah for Freemantle and the unbought electors of Rochester !” ** Hurrah for Gabriel Lyons the patriot of Rochester !’ Let the angel soaring aloft voice her trumpet. ** Let her call be heard o’er land and sea. Freedom, all hail! Freedom to all men ! Freedom to all God’s creatures ! Let freedom triumphant govern the earth!” * A fact. 302 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER XXIV. ‘© 4 SHADY LANDSOAPE.’’——-F. R. LEE. We left Mrs. Reynolds standing in the meadow where her son, Fred, had left her on the discovery of his new belongings. Her thoughts were not enviable, and she heartily wished that she had left unsaid the words she had said. But what she had learned from that hopeful subject so surprised her, that she walked up and down in a state of excitement that over- powered her disgust at the utter uselessness of the interview she herself had sought. It was not that she was shocked at the want of principle displayed by her husband, for she really felt he had made a clever negotiation in getting the Sherwood Estate into his own hands. 7 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 303 What enraged her was the secresy he had practised, owing to which she had been working in the dark, and in entire opposition _ to their mutual interests. Had she possessed the least knowledge of the facts now brought under her notice, she would certainly never have made a confidant of that booby, the most dogged, intractable being that ever came within the sphere of her experiences. She really pitied Mrs. Whynn, and felt that had she been in her place, she would have thrown him over-board long ago. She was now convinced that it would have been far better policy to have married Augusta _ to Freemantle, and so have given Mrs. Whynn no excuse for revealing the secret. They could have fought it out about the will, when the time arrived for doing so. At present the life of Mrs. Whynn was good, and a thousand changes might occur before the question arose as to her right to will away her estate from her own son. She (herself) had been very short-sighted indeed. And, after all, what was the use of her efforts to provide for the welfare of that—? 304 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Mrs. Whynn, in all the trouble he had caused her, felt not greater irritation against him than did his own mother as she thought — of his total disregard of her wishes and com- mands, and his resolute determination to have his own way in spite of her. Had he not the assurance to tell her that he would not marry Augusta! He would marry Bell! The daughter of a public-house keeper ! not good enough to be Mrs. Whynn’s daughter- in-law, but good enough to be hers! The greatest piece of impudence she ever heard of ! And all through her hushand’s duplicity she had been betrayed into the folly of telling him the secret of their relationship ! for him to go and blab it everywhere. She never would forgive Reynolds, nor yet overlook his wickedness in inducing Fred to give post obits on the lives of his father and mother, who were none other than their own two selves. In all her inward revilings she never once felt a shadow of self-reproach for the treachery she, on her part, had practised in passing off another than their own child on her husband, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 3095 _nor did it seem to strike her that whatever mischief or unhappiness ensued in conse- quence of this act, was due to herself, in conjunction with Mrs. Whynn. When she returned to the house she found Fred packing up his traps, preparatory to departure. Not desiring another contest, she decided to let him go to his “ Bell ;’’ she did not care what became of him. One effect of the eclarrczssement was, she became kinder to Augusta. Too late. Things had reached a point, at which kind- ness or severity made little impression. Anxiety respecting Freemantle and his election had for the time superseded all other subjects: Augusta had come to aclear under- standing as to who was his opponent, and the animosity betokened filled her with grief and ~ indignation. It was more than she could bear. What if she wrote to Freemantle? But then it would seem so strange, so un- natural for a daughter to take part against her father, to wish that her father might not win. 306 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. He was not her father. But Freemantle did not know that, and she could not tell him. The very circumstance, to all appearance, — that presented a loop-hole of escape, was in reality an insuperable barrier. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 307 CHAPTER XXV. SCULPTURE.—‘* THE VEILED VESTAL.”’ No need to tell how fared the day with Mr. Reynolds on his return home, even if it had not been heralded by the great luminary of the age, whose coming had been longed for by our heroine Augusta, as is the day-spring by the benighted denizens of the Pole. Light out of darkness. Freemantle had won ! Mr. Reynolds appeared in the evening of the same day like one bereft, and with cause too, for he had lost his election, and much more than the sum he had made on the sale of his shares of that delicious compound, * Bubble-and-Squeak:’” he had hoped _ to choke Freemantle with his own mess of pottage; it had turned to poison, and he him- self had partaken of the dish his own hands had prepared. The Messrs. Gammon and Humbug—whom he would gladly have seen in the dock of the 308 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Old Bailey, arraigned for high crimes and misdemeanours, he counsel against them— had tortured him to insanity with their disgusting condolence on the untoward ter- mination of the contest, hoping he-did not attribute it to any lack of zeal or energy on their part. They had left no stone unturned to secure the election, not only for his sake, but for the sake of dear ‘‘ Bubble-and-Squeak,”’ whose interests, next their own, lay closest to their hearts. It would have been so much more honourable to have an M.P. for their second, as well as their head-chairman. Mr. Reynolds, while inwardly desiring that the talents and devotion of the Messrs. Gammon and Humbug might meet with their just reward, in those active, enterpris- ing, flourishing joint-stock companies, called penal settlements, expressed nevertheless his perfect conviction that all had been done that could be done, and failure had arisen solely from the unscrupulous and corrupt means made use of by the opposite party. Indeed, so satisfied was he of it that he had no hesitation in acceding to the wishes so flatteringly urged by the whole Board, that he would again resume his place among them, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 309 promising that it should not be his fault if the shares of this most patriotic of all institu- tions did not attain to the fabulous height predicted of them. Mr. Reynolds made up for the restraint imposed upon his feelings abroad, by letting them have full sway in that enchanted region called ‘* Sweet Home !”’ His wife did the very same thing whenever the fit took her, which was very often. We will do her the justice to say, that not only were her explosions more frequent than her husband’s, but they exceeded them in weight and quality ; yet so surprised was she at an equal show of violence in him, that she decided his mind was affected; he was suffering from pressuré on the brain ! | Mrs. Reynolds was right ; her own irration- ality arose from pressure on the temper, , but different causes produce often the same effects. She became not only surprised, but rather ‘subdued. It would not do to irritate him, and’ she forbore to deal so liberally in re- proaches at the loss of those brilliant expec- tations she had indulged in. The “‘ Lady Reynolds” had loomed large and near. 310 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Everything had turned out a Fata-Morgana, all upside down. Gertrude was less reserved in her disap- pointment. “‘ No drawing-room! No royal salutation ! No Isidore ! No Ristori ! No wigs for coach- man and Brown! She wished she was dead !”’ Mr. Reynolds became changed outwardly and visibly. He looked years older; so marked was it, that on his appearance at the hustings the day after the election, to thank those who had not been paid for their support, Freemantle was surprised, his re- sentment vanished, and in the midst of his triumph he felt regret that it should be at the price of suffering Mr. Reynolds’ whole bear- ing but too clearly indicated. Towards Augusta Mr. Reynolds became harsh and cruel. She felt it keenly. Women do feel injustice and ungenerous conduct in men far more deeply than in their own sex. Augusta had borne Mrs. Reynolds’ oppres- sion with the fortitude of a martyr; Ger- trude’s spite and jealousy with the indiffer- ence it deserved; but the change in Mr. Reynolds was a bitter outrage to her feelings, separated as she was from her lover by the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 311 man who, under the name of father, swore at her as the cause of his misfortunes, and threatened if she did not instantly return Freemantle his letters, and break off all com- munication with him, he would turn her into the streets, a beggar ! ** How strange!” thought she. ‘A beggar! To die in the streets! Those are the words Gertrude makes use of. Does he know I am not his daughter ?”’ But what todo? Whither go? “To Mrs. Whynn,” whispers her good angel. “That cannot be!” answered Augusta, battling against nature. ‘‘ Can I bring trouble on her? I cannot make it out; Frederick I do not believe to be her son. He cannot be if I am her daughter, and every pulse tells me I am. Poor darling, what a heritage of misery she bestowed on me when she gave me life! Why did she not tie a millstone round my neck, and drop me into the nearest pool? ‘ Return his letters !’ he says. Has it come to that? Is all at an end, and to end in such darkness? Better never to have loved. Oh, life! life! compound of mockery and delusion! Real only in 312 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. misery! Yet wherefore murmur? Is it not the portion of allP Why should I be ex- empted? WhoamI? Of what consequence in creation? Does the sun shine less bright because £ am wretched? Will he withdraw his beams in huge eclipse because he casts no longer my shadow on this reflected earth? No, still will he burn—still will our globe pursue its ceaseless whirl, though man and his contemporaries be blotted from it as use- less machines. Nature reverses not her stern laws at mortals’ bidding. Hnough ; silence best becomes us. Suffer and be still! He who has apportioned the meed, alone knows the wherefore. ... . . . ‘Send back the letters! ’*Tis death to me to do so. Will He accept the sacrifice of my life, and save her from further suffering. How ten- derly she loved me! How anxiously she watched over me! I knew not it was my mother; but now I know. Now I know why 1 loved her with such entire affection. Do love her. Yes, yes, my own dear mother, through all!” END OF VOL. Il. T. C. Newsy, 30, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, London. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, Q.C., OF LINCOLN’S INN; OR “THE BUBBLE AND SQUEAK COMPANY.” A NOVEL. BY C. STORM. ‘* SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND.” VOL. III. Lonpon : | Pete a EY NEWBY, PiU BLISS Baie 30, WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. 1873. [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ] ee A Vag bite Hy &f ; ‘ ; ee eas ¥ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ, OF LINCOLN’S INN. CHAPTER LI. ‘SHOME AFTER VICTORY.’ —-CALDERON. Avausta sent back the letters she had re- ceived from Freemantle, and her engagement was as if it had never existed. She received no answer; not a line in ac- knowledgment. She did not expect it, yet somehow his silence wounded her. It seemed as if he had ceased to care for her, perhaps had never loved her very deeply. It was true he had written those letters to her—letterg so loving and tender that she lost half her being in parting with them. VOL. III. B 2 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Notwithstanding his professions, not once had she seen Freemantle during that long period of her engagement preceding the rup- ture with Mr. Reynolds. The last time she saw him was on the platform of the South- Eastern Terminus, when they undertook that miserable and to her ill-fated journey to Dover. 7 Now that all was at an end, and she could reflect on the past, it did seem very luke- warm behaviour. in one who had appeared before certainly very much in earnest. As she pondered on this, womanly pride mingled with her feelings of abandonment. It gave also an edge to the weapon of playful malice, which the amiable Gertrude wielded with so much dexterity. ‘“* He had been making fine fun of her. She thought herself a beauty, and everybody was in love with her; but they were not, nor Colonel Freemantle either. He never cared for her; he was only making game of her. She (Gertrude) had seen him looking at plenty of other girls, a great deal prettier; not near so fat! Twenty-two inches round the waist! She would not have such a waist as 2" JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 3) that for all the world; she was determined her waist should never be more inches than she was years old. Sometimes she could hardly breathe, she was laced so tight, and ‘that nasty old thing,’ nurse, was always say- ing ‘as how (mimicking her), Miss Gerter, your shoulders is shoved right up to your ears, all along o’ your cutting yourself a-two, lacing so tight; just like a wasp!’ She did not believe nurse, and she did not care either. Gentlemen liked small waists they could span, like this (making a circle with her finger and thumb). Colonel Freemantle did, she knew, for he as good as said so, when she asked him if he liked Miss Mclean’s figure, who’s as thin—as thin as a skeleton, and he said she seemed a very charming young lady. Augusta need not think he admired her so much ; he had got eyes for other girls besides her, and she knew something, she should not tell her what it was. She could have him herself if she chose!” To this hallucination on the part of the inventive Gerty Augusta failed to attach the importance that was expected. But she did, as we say, experience some wounds to B 2 4, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. her love and pride at the seeming neglect of the man to whom she had so rane eae pledged her faith. There were others who would not have treated her thus: others who had haunted her footsteps, who, still constant, would go to the world’s end to prove their devotion; yet to these she had never given her hand but in friendship, nor her heart but in acknowledg- ment of homage, as unsought by her as she believed undeserved. Perhaps he had seen another, and while she was suffering the keenest misery, and holding back in the un- willingness to inflict an equal pang, he had been longing to be released. At the thought of another, the life-blood would rush back to her heart; but she must bear this cross likewise, if He so willed it. So she turned from earth and earthly things. Had she been a Catholic she would have hidden herself and her sorrows in the seductive gloom of a convent, but not being such, the thought did not present itself. Augusta did better, she took refuge in that glorious world where man’s image comes not. She sought nature—nature who opens JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 4) wide her portals to admit her votaries, un- locking for them her secret treasure-caves, and lavishing her exhaustless wealth of know- ledge on those who hold communion with her. Augusta became an enthusiast, her books were her world, her companions by night and by day, in her solitary wanderings by the river side, as in the quiet watch hours of the night. What was poverty? What were the suffer- ings and strifes of this battling world, if her soul was wrapped up in her God and His works ? The two boys, Arthur and Alfred, came home for their holidays, grown prodigiously, and as merry and mischievous as ever. They drove their unfortunate mother wild, but they were dashing, warm-hearted little men, and Augusta’s staunch friends. They tried her sorely with their innocent questions as to what had become of Freemantle. Why did he not come to see them as he used to do? What made papa so angry with him P Mr. Reynolds’ hostility did not subside, his invectives and denunciations were not less ill-advised than causeless, seeing they kept alive the flame Augusta tried so hard to 6 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. smother. She had given Freemantle up, but her love, though driven from the field, was not conquered, and to hear him disparaged or condemned, drove her to the verge of re- bellion. Otherwise, Mr. Reynolds was per- sonally less severe to her, though eternally telling her she was no daughter of his; he washed his hands of her! ; She never could determine whether he spoke from fact or figure, though it seemed improbable that a child, an infant, should be introduced into his family, adopted, and he know nothing of it. Mrs. Reynolds, likewise, abated some of her rigour, and. Gertrude went out for her rides, and paid her visits, and made her little mischiefs, and tried her hand at remodelling the poor, which shoe did after her own fashion ; telling them how grateful they ought to be that she, a young lady who wore fine clothes, and rode in her carriage, and had servants to wait upon her, who never did a thing for her- self, nor knew how to sew a button on, or mend a hole in her gloves, and who kept company only with the highest ladies, should condescend to come and visit such a set of JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 7 dirty, wretched looking objects as they were, and of all the vulgar things she ever heard of, she thought the worst was, having only one room to eat, drink, and sleep in; it made ladies like herself thoroughly disgusted with them and their poverty-struck ways. And the poor, wonderfully apt pupils, mended their manners surprisingly, they dashed at once into ladies’ habits and customs, and gave out—‘‘ As how we ain’t at home when that there preaching Miss . Reynoldses calls,” or else adopted the largesse style, “ We ain’t got nothink at all to give you, miss ; we gave our last farthen for coals this mornin’.” Gertrude’s visitations were not sanctioned by the church; since the election fracas, all intercourse had ceased between the Vicarage and Beaulieu, but the graceful lady of the church had still a kind greeting for Augusta when chance accorded a rencontre. It was on a Sunday, early in the new year, that, turning her eyes when in church in that direction, Augusta beheld in the Vicarage pew a person, the sight of whom so discomposed her that the present became confused, and she was lost in memories of the past. 8 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. On coming out behind the others, still dreaming; as she quitted the porch, someone stepped from the side and confronted her. She looked up, and the largest and wickedest blue eyes ever given to man were gazing into her own. She was face to face with on Chester. Before she knew what she was about, her hand was within his, and he was talking in his own lively, irresistible manner, hoping she had not forgotten her old friend of eighty; it was so long since he had seen her, that he now numbered a hundred. His kind voice, the associations his presence conjured up, affected her painfully ; the richest crimson suffused her face, and tears welled up into her eyes. He saw and felt, but was true as steel to his absent friend. She murmured something inaudible about the Lady Chester. | ‘‘Thanks! my mother is very well; she is staying with the Freemantles, they have been in trouble. You heard of the wreck of the Cyclone off Liverpool last month? Mr. Freemantle’s youngest daughter and her children were in her, returning from the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 9 Cape. My friend, Freemantle,’ he con- tinued, daring the gaze of the loveliest eyes in the world, which had forgotten their bashfulness, and wide open were fixed on his face with an intensity that en- thralled this man of the world; “my friend had gone down to meet her. You know what a brave fellow he is; the Cyclone was firing her minute guns; he helped to man the lifeboat. Perhaps you read how she was upset on her return, by a steamer driven foul of her by the fury of the gale. But he saved his sister; one of the poor little ones was lost though, and he himself has been laid up ever since. No danger, but exposure and cold struck in, for of course he never thought of himself, and there he hes as stiff asatree. He was coming here to pay the good people at the vicarage a visit, but cannot stir; so I have run dow:. with a message to them. I am going back to Chillingham this afternoon; can I be the bearer of any kind wishes or message?» They will rejoice that I have seen you,” looking fixedly at her. Augusta said she ‘‘ was grieved to hear of such misfortune coming to friends, whose BO 10 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. kindness she could never forget. She had not heard of it; she trusted ——- would soon recover.” Who was the mysterious person to recover Lord Chester could not for the life of him hear, though he bent forward to catch her words. Here Mrs. Reynolds advanced majestically. She had made one of the social throng ac- customed to gather without the church gates after morning service, for the interchange of friendly greetings, ere they dispersed in their different directions. Gertrude had been deep in flirtation with a young man she patronised, but whose abstracted manner made her look in the direction.of his eyes, which rested on Lord Chester and Augusta. “© Oh! look at that bold thing!” she ex- claimed; ‘actually trying to hook in that dear Lord Chester. Is he not handsome ?” ‘Tt is not Colonel Freemantle then?” o served the young man. “Oh! you naughty, naughty creature!” answered the fascinating young lady; “ you must not mention that horrid, horrid man! b- Papa would never, never forgive you; never, never let you come to see us again.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 11 * What has he done? Admired your sister like others, I suppose ?”” ** Admired her, indeed |” scornfully. ‘* He never cared for her a pin more than you do.” The young man opened his eyes at this in- formation. ** But, oh! he has behaved so ‘ill to papa; actually went and took away the election from him. He only got it by one though. Tl go and tell Ma.” Mamma had seen, but the lady with whom she was conversing was of some importance in the place, and she did not like to cut short the interesting conversation.. Lord Chester had been enjoying the scowls and glances of anger and indignation she cast on him in the backeround. At first she wondered who he was; but when she remem- bered him as the aider and abettor of Free- mantle, the Mephistopheles who had intruded his presence on her the night of the Freemantle party, and drawn her out of the way, while * that man” and Augusta performed the gar- den scene in Faust at the foot of the stairs— - he was after no good; though it was Sunday, and they had just come out of church, she would— 12 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. But Lord Chester did not wait: telling Augusta that he would not fail to deliver her message, and expressing his pleasure at meet- ing with her, this gallant-hearted Englishman took her hand, and then went his way. Freemantle, since his election, had stepped out of one loss into another. The first was the death of Sir George Goodwin. “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace”’ was the veteran’s pious ejaculation on the issue of the contest : and he had gone to his rest in perfect peace, his friends and relatives standing round him, his hand in Freemantle’s. His wife and only son had preceded him, and in these, his last days, he had turned to our hero as some faint shadow of his last lost treasure. Rochester had but one voice at his decease. Death hath neither creed nor politics. Men think not of the one or the other when they speak of the dead, who are judged only as their | actions bore good or evil fruit. Sir George’s balance was in favour of the former, and those who had most opposed him, lamented not the least that there was one good man less in the world. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 13 From Rochester Freemantle had gone to Liverpool to receive his sister on her return to England in ill-health, leaving her husband at the Cape. It was a winter of storm and wreck; the loss of the Cyclone on sighting Liverpool, with nearly three hundred living souls, filled evey heart with grief and dismay. Freemantle, as Lord Chester said, had taken his part in the rescue of those who survived ; he had secured his sister and her two children, but in the upset of the lifeboat one innocent life had been sacrificed. The infant in arms and its mother he saved; nor her alone ; others owed their lives to his unceasing exertions. The wave that engulphed his little relative gave back its helpless prey: to him it was given to receive it, and to be the protector and consoler of his distressed sister. Ill himself, suffering alike in mind and body, he had brought them to Chillingham, there to find the letters he had written, in the fulness of hope, returned to him, the charm of his life destroyed, the last link that bound him to the girl he adored, broken asunder, and by her own hand. 14 JOHN FORTESOUK REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER II. ‘C7HE ENRAGED MUSICIAN.’ —HOGARTH. Mrs. Reynotps did not allow Augusta’s “un- heard of indelicacy of conduct” to pass un- noticed. ‘‘ Scarcely had she broken with that man than here she was with another; and such an one, too! You could see what he was with half an eye. He marry her! He make her Lady Chester! She laughed at the idea. With all his faults, there was some truth and earnestness about, that man Free- mantle, but as to Lord Chester, if there ever was a person she thoroughly disliked and despised it was he. She would not permit such behaviour. '’o go to church for the mere purpose of carrying on abominable flirtations was something so horrible that she wondered . she (Augusta) was not afraid of being struck dead in the pew, and then to come out, and JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 15 in the face of everybody stand there and pub- licly disgrace herself! She would not suffer it! If she saw him again she would put the creature under lock and key before she should stir out to church or anywhere else!” ‘Mr. Reynolds was duly informed of the whole proceedings, as seen through the nar- rator’s own distorted vision. He was as much surprised as his wife, not that he took the same view ; he put quite another construction on Lord Chester’s appearance; all his ani- mosity against Freemantle was again brought into play, and he vowed deadly vengeance if he knew him to set a foot within a yard of his grounds. Augusta’s faith was sorely put to the test at this time; it needed all her trust to sup- port the anxiety that tortured her. Free- mantle ill, perhaps dying! she had behaved cruelly towards him ; he loved her, and while he was in trouble, battling with the waves, she had been inwardly reproaching him, and had added.to his griefs. She could not forgive herself, her love returned as his character rose in its grandeur before her. Lord Chester came not again, and from 16 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. dreading she turned to longing to see him, as the only means of obtaining intelligence of his friend. Mr. Reynolds’ antagonistic feelings can only be attributed to a mind diseased, Free- mantle was the peg whereon to hang the miseries his own recklessness and mistakes in his past career had entailed upon him. Neither the election at Rochester nor the affairs of the Bubble-and-Squeak had as yet acted to his prejudice in the eyes of the public. He stood higher than ever in its estimation, his practice at the bar increased, briefs poured in, and many a hard working toiler at the law put in a demurrer at fortune’s blind and unjust favouritism, in not making a more equal dis- tribution of her gifts; instead of showering them with such profusion on the head of one favoured individual; proving to the letter that —* T'o him that hath shall be given.” Yet few of those who naturally enough reasoned thus would have cared to change places with ‘the most rising man in the profession.” We see only the surface, not the under- current of black and turgid water. Mr. Rey- JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 17 nolds’ heart was heavy with care, and the more promising his prospects, the more gloomy was the view he took of them. His interest in the Bubble-and-Squeak was really only nominal, yet on the half-yearly meeting in January, when no dividend was declared, he talked as if ruin and disgrace were waiting at his gate. *‘ There was no reason whatever for this failing of dividend but the noble one of secur- ing the future fabulous fortune of the share- holders.” So said the half-yearly report. Its statistics proved the most unexampled prosperity. ‘“‘ The company had passed through a most trying ordeal in the recent panic, but, contrary to all precedent, it had not only escaped the immersion attending so many institutions of the kind, but had actually derived fresh strength and vigour from the terrific pull on its finances.” Such were the beneficial effects of panics, —and it could not be doubted since the report said it, and moreover it was confirmed in every particular on the word and honour of the honourable and worthy chairman, Sir Richard Ruinall, at the general meeting. 18 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “‘ How comes it that there is no dividend ?”’ asks a thick-headed shareholder, who was so obtuse of intellect that he could not, or would not—the same thing—see that it was all right andjust under such flourishing circumstances not to receive any interest for his money. Sir Richard condescended to answer this unreasonable person, merely from politeness. “Though they had had the good fortune to pass through the crisis,” Sir Richard replied, ‘not only with credit but éclat, yet 1t was not to say that they would always be so fortunate. There might come a time when all the care and skill bestowed might not bring the same success. The storm, he feared, was not blown over, but they had resolved to defy it by providing a reserve fund which should enable them to meet any contingency that might arise, and as the first instalment the Board had resolved to appropriate the profits of the last half-year to that purpose! If the receipts had not been quite so great this time, he would beg to remind the shareholders that it was the winter quarter, when the ap- petites of the poor were rendered more keen by the invigorating effects of sharp winds and frosts: not only did they eat more, but JOHN FORTESCUR REYNOLDS, ESQ. ED, they came in greater numbers. He assured them that it was the wind that did all the mischief ; that cutting, biting wind ate up all their Bubble-and-Squeak, ate up all the profits. This explanation was very satisfactory, and was received with much applause. The rabid shareholder endeavoured to ad- dress the meeting, but so great was the hubbub that though he sawed the air, and flourished and pirouetted asif about to spring on the poor chairman and directors, yet all he said was in dumb show, lost for ever to futurity and these pages. While the amiable chairman magnanimously claimed for this lunatic a patient hearing, he eifectually prevented it by his playful appeal to the common sense of the gentleman in question, whom he considered to be blind to his own interests. The books of the company were open for his inspection ; if they failed to convince him, the remedy was in his hands. What prevented him going and selling out his shares P Upon which themiseuided individual thanked Sir Richard for nothing, as it was what he in- 20 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. tended doing without asking his permission. He had only waited to give him (the chairman) a piece of his mind first, and he quitted the room amid a scene of tremendous uproar and laughter, mingled with shouts of “ Turn him out!” which last was not uncalled for, seeing that in terms not to be recorded, he was stigmatizing the whole concern as a swindle, the chairmen highwaymen, the directors pick- pockets, and the shareholders as thorough a body of dupes as sharpers could desire ! And while the whole room was negativing this charming effusion by a vote of thanks, and confidence in these much-maligned men, this besotted person, resolute to cut off his nose to be revenged on his face, gave direc- tions to sell out his shares without delay: a stupid action, for they were at a fabulous dis- count, and he cut himself off from all chance of sharing in the fabulous fortune to be made, when the shares attained to the fabulous height as prophesied in the good time coming. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 21 CHAPTER III. BRONZE GROUP, “ THE AMAZON.’ —A. KISS. True passed, and affairs went on in the Rey- nolds’ family, to all appearance, exactly the same as they had done for the last dozen years. But with them, as with others, events were imperceptibly drifting to a crisis, as surely as in looking back into past histories, whether of animate or inanimate nature, we see that every movement, every variation, however shoht, had a meaning, a significance, and tended to some end—aye, as much as the silent march of our system through the heavens, is steadily pursuing its course to a determinate point in space. To descend from great to trivial things, Mrs. Whynn’s great trial was approaching its end as well as her husband’s wanderings. 22, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Through the long, dreary months of winter she had been chewing the cud of bitter fancy only, the sweet, the minor portion always, had evaporated long ago, the last flavour with the loss of her hopes respecting the happiness of her daughter. Through her acquaintance with the Freemantles, she became fully aware of the rupture between the lovers, Mr. Rey- nolds’ strange violence, and the consequent unhappiness it caused to her child. In all ways the wrong she had been guilty of was returned upon her. She often felt she could not wait the return of her husband, which some cause or another seemed to lengthen to an undeterminable period; and could she have seen Augusta, she would, on witnessing the effect of her own work, have instantly made reparation by confessing publicly the deed she had done. But Augusta was as much separated from her as though neither blood nor friendship existed between them. Looking to the latter alone, she was inclined to charge the girl with neglect and ingratitude, forgetful of past kindness and anxiety to promote her welfare and happiness. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 23 “She could not treat me worse, did she know the whole story!’’ was her usual con- cluding comment. It would require wiser heads than ours to determine to what point in Fred’s hemisphere his star was tending; self-immolation common- place people would have pronounced it, but it was something more mysterious than that; he was a phenomenon, a comet; erratic, distanc- ing all calculation, appearing when given up for lost; after ages could alone decide his evolutions ; he does not belong to the planets of our system, whose progress can be traced from their rising to their setting. Whatever may be deduced to the contrary, he really had some sense in his composition, for he never said a word to “ the old bwick!’’ as he figuratively denominated Mrs. Whynn, about the ‘“‘ wemarkable stowy”’ told him by the “‘venewable—old—pawient,’ as he figura- tively denominated Mrs. Reynolds, and he fought ‘“‘ pwecious shy of the old wogue,” as he figuratively denominated Mr. Reynolds. Some glimmerings of the disastrous change to his fortunes, ‘ should—the—old—bwick— b— weak — up,— as—the—venewable — old 24 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. pawient —said—he would” did enter his head. “* W ould—it—be — pwudent—to— marwy Bell?” He consulted his grey friend, the sapient Polly on the subject, who pronounced— ** A pot of beer, no go!” Fred was not-satisfied, so he tossed up a penny. It was not so elegant as the decision of the flower, but quite as efficacious, no doubt. It came down tails. “'T'wy again,” says Fred. He tried again, and tails came down again. “ All wight,” says Fred, “ It is no go, twy another time !”’ But, Miss Bell, like the sensible girl she was, at that very time was tossing up in her own mind, as to the prudence of transferring her troth from the phenomenon of blunders, Fred, to a certain honest, active young man, the son of the Windmill, much affected by her father and mother. In spite of his faults, Fred was very warm- hearted where he loved. Perhaps that may have been the reason Bell thought so much JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 25 of him, there is no accounting for tastes, women’s especially. Bell was ambitious, and Fred was a gentleman, but the other would make her a good husband ; her mother wished it, and her father would not be always taunt- ing her, with going out of her “ spere.”’ Her toss went up a very long way, but it finally came down—heads ! The defalcation of the ‘“ Bubble and Squeak” at pay day, acted deterioratingly on Mr. Reynolds’ spirits, but the constant occupation of his mind in the exercise of his profession kept him up to the mark, and he was so little at home, that his excessive irritability had not its full sway there. At Haster, a late one, he gave himself a holiday. Whatever the reason, Freemantle was still his bugbear. Augusta, sensitive on everything concerning her lover, often found Mr. Rey- nolds’ unjust abuse of him too much for her patience, and would quit the room, lest she might be hurried into expressions she might afterwards regret. She knew Freemantle lived, for she had seen his name in divisions vol. II, 0 26 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. in Parliament, but could not ascertain whether Mr. Reynolds had come in contact with him. It was early in the week, that one morn- ing she was surprised by Mr. Reynolds call- ing her into his study, and accusing her of keeping up a correspondence with our hero in spite of his prohibition, his positive com- mands to the contrary. *‘ T do not understand !” returned Augusta. ‘* Don’t play the hypocrite with me !” said he fiercely. ‘* You know well enough what I mean, and mark my words, what I say I will do, I will perform, so help me Heaven! And if after this I know you to exchange words with him, or find that he sets foot in this place, as sure as he lives, I will shoot him.” “Then, Mr. Reynolds,” said Augusta, roused to rebellion, “if you do, it will be at your peril? I myself will denounce you!’ “This to me?’ he exclaimed, ‘“ Your father! You dare to threaten your father P”’ “Tf you had been my father,’ she answered, exculpatorily, ‘‘I should not have done so.” «© And am I not ?” She was silent. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ‘27 “Not your father?’ he reiterated, “the . fool has gone mad! Out of her senses about that fellow ! Another mad Ophelia!’ Her doubts were at an end, he did not know it. * Who is then ?”’ “Tt is all a mistake !” gaid she, and she turned to leave the room, but Mr. Reynolds stopped her. “ You shall not go till you have explained this mistake of yours.” ** I spoke hastily. Forgive me!” “Twill not forgive you! What? A gil threaten her father, then deny heis her father, and finish off by saying it is all a mistake! The strangest mistake I ever heard of.” Augusta was silent ; it was so abhorrent to her to make mischief, that she felt her lhberty would be dearly purchased at the price of the denouement such a discovery would cause between those who she had been brought up to believe were her parents. “‘ Well!’ said he, ‘‘ How do you mean to account for such a mistake ?”’ “People make strange mistakes, some- times |!” said she. C2 28 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. In spite of his wrath, and the names he called her, Mr. Reynolds loved her from the bottom of his heart, as much from apprecia- tion of her high moral qualities, as from her personal charms. ‘¢ This won’t do,” said he, fiercely. ‘* How often have I praised you as the one of my children who never told me an untruth. Do you remember P”” “IT do!” she answered. “And are you going to begin that mean vice, at the age others leave it off P” An indignant protest was her answer. “Then tell me with the truth I have always found in you, why you said | was not your father ?” “You have often told me I was no daughter of yours,” answered she, driven to despera- tion. “You knew I spoke figuratively !’’ said he, violently. “Did you? Pray think no more of it !” “ Likely that! Do you think that 1 am blind to the wiles you are practising to de- ceive me? I have not been all my life search- ing for truth in my fellow men not to know JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 29 when I have found it. Do you refuse to answer me ?”’ *‘T have nothing to answer!” she returned. ° And she ran out of the room, up to her own, though now she considered nothing her own. The time had come! She must go! Leave the home, such as it was, that had sheltered her. Leaving it she would be a lost wretch, a wanderer on the face of the earth, without a rest for the sole of her foot. Anexile! a beggar ! It was true. She had not a sixpence of her own. Mr. Reynolds had, of course, included her in the settlement he madeon hischildren. Butnow she had no right to that. Her small stock of jewellery was all she possessed. It had been given to her in happier times by Mrs. Whynn. She shrank now at the thought of her gifts. A wish, born of the bitterness of the hour, was wrung from her. ‘* Would she could see me now! crushed, broken, run to earth !” She stood for a few minutes lost in thought. “Tt must be so!” said she musingly. “JI 30 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. see no other way. They changed children, and Mrs. Reynolds has held the rod over her and over me ever since. Theirreasons I may not enquire, suffice for me it is so. Poor, despised, forsaken, like him the dear Christ, in this wide world I have no friend. Yet my courage shall not fail me. God will never forsake me if I stand fast.’ Presently with a touch of earth, ‘“‘ he loved me once!’’ She took her lover’s portrait from out its sacred resting place next her heart, and gazed at it long and attentively. The dark eyes, the matchless features, pierced her to the soul. Recollecting herself— “What! tears? Halting at the first step ?P This may not be. (Tenderly to the portrait.) You must not turn me from my purpose. (She lights a taper, and then gazes mourn- fully at her picture.) ‘ Eyes look your last,’ the last, long sad farewell of one, who, lone and lost, beholds the day-god set, and the dark night before her. (Presses the por- trait passionately to her lips, and then holds it in the flame.) My life, my love, my all. (Walks to the window, the light embers are borne away by the breeze.) Oh, that I, too, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 31 could mount! wafted like you into upper air, mingling with the atmosphere, dissolved into the elements. But mine is earth—No more! I go my way—solitary and alone. None but God. No shade between my God and me!” 32 JOHN KORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER IV. ‘© SOORATES AND HIS WIFE XANTIPPE.’’— W. V. HERBERT. Mr. Reynotps, by nature a clear-sighted man, ‘by profession had had this gift matured to perfection. Looking from his own point of view, he, in his dealings with Colonel Freemantle, con- sidered himself an ill-used man, by which con- clusion he proved that no one is ajust judge in his own cause, however much he may be in that of others. What vexed him most was that his perspicacity, to use a hard word, upon which he prided himself, had been at fault in not seeing at once that Freemantle was not one to be trusted—by him. Of all his children, and, truth to say, of pretty well all he knew, he would have placed the firmest reliance on his daughter Augusta, as he with some pride considered her. JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. ai. He knew her to be incapable of falsehood, or of disobedience to his wishes, save in the instance of Freemantle, and, man-like, he thought that natural, and forgave her. He knew her, likewise, to be firm to a fault in what she thought right, and to be capable of sacrificing her life in defence of a trust. That there was some reason for her saying what she did he was convinced. It was so unlike her to put forward so strange a theory, or take his angry figure of speech for fact. He let her go, for she looked thoroughly exhausted, and he felt the utter uselessness of attempting to force anything more from her. But he was not going to let the matter rest while a doubt remained on his mind. He therefore went in search of his wife. *“* Woman!” said he abruptly, “‘ what is this ? Augusta has had the face to tell me I am not her father! Whois? [Ill never stir from this spot till I know!” Mrs. Reynolds stared aghast. ‘‘ How did the creature find that out?’ she exclaimed, completely off her guard. «Then it is true! My God! Who isP © 5 34 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. T’ll know before another hour passes over your head ; off both of you shall pack !” Mrs. Reynolds burst out laughing. “ Do so!’ said she, “ and make a fool of yourself !”’ ** Dare you jest after perpetrating such a crime P”’ ‘¢ A crime, indeed !” ** Who is he ?” “ That you must find out! It is your department to clear up mysteries.” “Is it possible! first wronging your hus- band and then laughing at him! It’s out- rageous !”’ “Who are you to accuse me of such con- duct ?’ returned his wife, her mirth all gone. “Then what do you mean? Who is Augusta’s father ?” “« That you must find out, and her mother too. She is none of mine either !” | ** Do you mean to say that all these years you have hoodwinked me, palmed off some beggar’s brat on your husband? Do you know that it’s a fraud punishable— ? * Qh! it is not the worst case you have had to deal with.” “Itis! I never heard of one like it.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 30 ** Because people are not such fools as to make the fuss about trifles that you do.” “ Trifles! Trifles do you call itP the garding.” His mistress told him that would do. But it did not do for her; she ordered the pony to be put into the chaise again, and the coach- man to attend her. She then ran frantically upstairs into the room the fugitive had occupied. It was all arranged ; the things in their usual places. Her keys hung in the ward- robe ; she opened it. There were her clothes, her dresses still hanging on their hooks. Wherever she turned, there was the belong- ings of the poor girl whom she had ill-treated and driven from her home; everything be- spoke the neatness and sanctity of a maiden’s chamber. Among the pictures and texts on the walls hung two lithographs, of herself and Mr. Rey- nolds. They were placed there when Augusta believed them to be those of her parents; she knew differently now, but, through injustice and cruelty, they kept their places still. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 63: Mrs. Reynolds was touched, and certainly the strongest feeling of her heart at that moment, was the desire that no harm might come to Augusta. On leaving the room she met Gertrude. “This is your doing,” said she. “ If you had not wickedly betrayed your mother this would never have happened. Augusta was a eood daughter to me till then, which is more than you have ever been. Begone!”’ Gertrude declared she was not a slave to be abused for nothing; she hated Augusta, who wasn’t her sister, and she was glad she was gone. As soon as her mother had descended, she forthwith commenced a diligent inspection of Augusta’s property, examining every article, and debating as to how it could be turned to account, if worth appropriating, now the opportunity offered. Every article passed in review; she tried on her bonnets and mantles, her boots and gloves, pinching her feet with the former, and bursting the latter trying to force her hands into them. Atlast she came to a case, which she opened with much empressement. 64, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. It was the one in which Augusta kept her stock of trinkets and valuables. “The nasty, mean creature!’ said she. ‘‘ If she hasn’t emptied it. Not left a thing. Not even the lovely carbuncle locket the old thing gave her on her birthday. I grudged her that !” Searching a little further she came upon the jewellery. ‘* But she has not taken away the locket, though! It has got fis horrid hair in it!” In the meanwhile Mrs. Reynolds was driv- ing with all speed to the station. It was quite dark. She was very thoughtful mdeed, re- proaching herself as the cause of Augusta’s flight, now, when the circumstances of the Sherwood Estate made it of vital importance to keep her with them. Had she been more kind, more tender, she felt, from the know- ledge of Augusta’s affectionate disposition, her long years of obedience, her unflagging duty to herself as her mother, she could have moulded the girl to her will; but she had drawn the cord so tight that it had snapped from excessive tension. Greatly distressed she alighted at thestation. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 65 “Mr. Spinks,’ said she in a low voice to the station-master, “* did Miss Reynolds take the train for London this afternoon ?” Mr. Spinks did not see the young lady ; he called one of the porters. “A young lady in a light dress, black jacket, and brown hat,” said Mrs. Reynolds. «A young lady dressed like that,” the man said, “ went up by the 4 train.” *¢ Was she alone ?” ‘* No one went with her, that he saw.’ Mrs. Reynolds left the station and returned home. “It was she! Fool! fool! To be at the station ; to see her pass, and not stop her! She might have telegraphed to detain her.” It was Augusta Mrs. Reynolds had seen, when, in her afternoon’s drive, she was waiting for the train to proceed. As it cleared the gate, she caught sight of a wan face looking out of one of the carriages, with the far-off gaze of eyes that look beyond the world. It was but a partial view, for the line was raised and the train was moving, but Mrs. Reynolds thought to herself, ‘“* How like Augusta,” and hence her question to Gertrude. 66 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. There was great excitement in the servants’ hall that evening. The flower of the flock, the belle of the place, “ the most proper of young ladies,” as she was termed by the household, had run away from her home, nobody knew where to. Grace Williams, the nurse, was more dis- tressed than anybody, and declared her darl- ing “hadn’t done nothink of the kind; she loved her home a great deal too much to run away from it. It was her belief as how she was all amonged the fishes in that there wabbling river as she was always a looking into, as if it was her looking-glass. Missus had ought to have it draggled.”’ And nurse had been most urgent to have it “‘ draggled”’ the moment her disappearance became certified, and had received a rebuff for her importunity from Mrs. Reynolds, who told her ‘‘not to talk nonsense; Augusta was not there.” ‘“ Ah!” remarked Gardam, the coachman, ‘‘T guessed how it would be, when I see that spark p’rading up and down the lane, morning, noon, and night, from week’s end to week’s end.” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 67 *¢ Why didn’t you tell us?” asked nurse. ‘I wasn’t going to tell the young lady’s secrets |” *¢ May be I would a told her.” * As if she did not know,” returned Gardam; ‘¢ girls likes to keep their sweethearts on the tender-hooks.” ** How sweet!” says Martha, with a lan- guishing look at Mr. Brown, “ to have a young man a comin’ like that.” }?? ** He was a fine hindrance to Joe and me digging that ditch!’ continued Gardam; “Joe had to stop every time in case of throwin’ the mud over him, and I had to turn my horse and cart to ‘low him to pass. “Don’t move!’ says he, speaking most polite. But how could he a gotted by in that narrer lane, as the horse was a grabbing at the hedge opposite? So Joe and me had to stand still and talk till he’d done going his rounds.” ‘ Why don’t he go in? says Joe.. ‘ He’s coming to it presently,’ says I, and so he has, and beened and goned (winking at Brown) and cut off with my young missus.” ‘* He’d never a got her no other way,” said cook. ‘“ Law, bless you, they'd never a 68 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. let her marry. She’s a sweet creetur, she is ; never give one a cross word; the most genteelestest, the most amuablestest, the most becomingestest young lady as ever I come across, and I hopes as how he will make her a good husbind.” “ She ain’t gone off with him !” says nurse. ** Then where may she a beened and goned to then ?” asked Brown. “Into the river; it had ought to be draggled. I’ve a great mind to go and dragele it myself.” “It ain't no fault of mine,’ observed Gardam, “‘ as the ditch has tooked so long a cutting if master comes down upon us about it! There were two of them to-day !’’ *¢ Two ?” “Yes! one come to help the other to be sure !” Mr. Reynolds did not return that night, and Mrs. Reynolds paced her room the greater part of it, ejaculating, “* Fool! fool! To see her going and not telegraph to have her detained !”’ JOHN FORTESCUR REYNOLDS, ESQ. 69 CHAPTER, IX. ‘* OTHELLO RELATING HIS ADVENTURES.’’— D. COWPER. “Tue Cortacs,” the name given to the Whynns’ residence at Kensington, was so very unlike its synonym of the country, so spread, so roomy, so incompatible with the modest position of £300 a-year associated with its name that it was really a shame to call it a cottage. The garden attached to this cottage was an oasis in the desert of our modern Babylon. It boasted its lawn, its mound, its walks, its trees, those glories fast disappearing from once woodland Hnegland. Mrs. Whynn was seated one evening in her pretty sitting-room, alone at work, chewing the cud of bitter fancy as she went on with her employment. 70 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. It was not her custom to mix much in society during her husband’s absence, still less now when she feared she was on the point of disunion with him. She had so many resources in herself, that it was not her present dull life that imprinted its gloom on her countenance. That morning she had received a letter from her husband, written in excellent spirits. Tt stated when she received his letter that he should be on his way home, and he promised himself a good long holiday, and spoke of his projects for the benefit and amusement of his ** dear wife.” His ‘* dear wife’? had the most unbounded affection for him. She wept bitterly over his words of love and tenderness, and at the utter unconsciousness of the home awaiting him. But whatever the consequences, the tale must be told, even if he were to kill her in the first moments of hisrage. It was the right course, and the only reparation she could at, 2 for her folly. ‘‘It was more folly than wicked- ’ ness : but it comes to the same thing,” thought she. ‘‘ What an absurd idea filial love being an instinct. It is nothing of the JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. at kind ; with children, as with animals, it is the hand which feeds them! “There is Augusta giving to Mrs. Reynolds all that parental duty can exact, while to me, her real mother, who have loved her with an intensity that but for these circumstances I should searce have felt, she shews not even common gratitude, has ceased to feel the little regard she once had for me, never writes, makes no sign of her existence, cares not whether I live or die.” This was the usual tenour of Mrs. Whynn’s thoughts respecting Augusta, and such they were at the moment of which we are speaking. They were put to flight by the entrance of her maid, who whispered something myste- riously, as though walls had tongues as well as ears, and might go and tell it. Whatever it was, its effect on Mrs. Whynn was electrical. She jumped up and rushed into the hall, upsetting a table in her progress. _A slight figure in a brown straw hat, light dress, and black silk jacket sprang towards her. It was Augusta. ‘¢ Oh, mamma,” said she, in wrung accents, “© He is—dead !”’ * 12 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Her strength was exhausted, the strung nerves relaxed, and the next moment the poor child lay helpless and unconscious in the arms of her mother. Mrs. Whynn clasped her to her heart. “Father!” said she humbly, “I thank Thee! Thou restorest to me my child!” Augusta neither saw nor heard. She was conveyed senseless into an adjoming room and placed upon a couch. Mrs. Whynn gazed at her with terror ; cold drops stood upon her brow; her face was rigid, her pulse still. Mrs. Whynn thought her dead, and rushed wildly out, calling for help. On her return she found Augusta risen on the couch, looking white and scared as Juliet may have done when she rose from her tomb. ‘* God sent me!’’ was all she said, and fell back. “Yes, God,” returned Mrs. Whynn, with overpowering emotion, ‘‘ the good, the dear, the merciful God !” Augusta’s troubles, however, were not so soon toend. Assistance did not come too soon; the whole of that night she was ina JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 73 delirium, raving of oppression and cruelty, till her stricken hearer was filled with horror. Augusta’s only idea appeared to be a strong belief that Colonel Freemantle was dead— shot through the heart by Mr. Reynolds in the lane that had been her Eden. He must have died a thousand deaths, for every sound to her was a shot charged with his death. This was the beginning only. In spite of the watchful care of her mother, in spite of the skill of the talented physician, Augusta did not improve; each day she became worse, each day did he look more grave, appear more doubtful about the ter- mination of this dire attack, which promised to be a fierce battle between life and death. Mrs. Whynn took up her post beside the sick bed, and tried to decide on the line of conduct to be pursued; half her difficulties she thought were overcome by this voluntary recognition of herself by her daughter. ’ It was before the illness had assumed so alarming a character that a message was brought to Mrs. Whynn that a stranger was below and desired to speak to her. The stranger proved to be Freemantle. VoL. III. E 74 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, BSQ. He advanced to meet Mrs. Whynn with his usual friendliness, and as soon as the cus- tomary salutations were over, apologised for trespassing on her time, and then begged a few moments’ conversation with her. She led the way into an inner room, the door of which he closed. ‘Mrs. Whynn,” said he, ‘ you see before you a man whose fate, for good or ill, seems trembling in the balance, and I come to you for counsel and assistance. “ For years I have loved Miss Reynolds. I saw and loved her before going to India, and I was on the point of gaining an intro- duction to her father; the day was even settled on which a friend was to introduce me, when news of the fearful outbreak in India reached Hngland and my regiment was ordered to embark forthwith. ‘‘ Duty to one’s country in such cases is paramount; short time was given for pre- paration ; but though foiled in my purpose, I still felt Miss Reynolds was my fate. It _ was the hope of her that nerved my arm, and bore me up through the hardships, to which so many gallant fellows succumbed. xy pag JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. (a “IT speak soberly. You know my story: snatched from the jaws of death, I returned to life and my country. I meet her again, to find every promise of her youth more than fulfilled. Fortune favours me. Through you I become acquainted with her family ; the prize I so long coveted is all but in my grasp. ** Dear Mrs. Whynn,”’ he continued, in low vehement tones, “ pity me. Tell me what a man is to do when honour, virtue, reason, all we most prize interpose, and raise an insur- mountable barrier to the fulfilment of the compact he has entered into? *« Pity that man; he loves to distraction ; is bound to her he loves; he is slandered and vilified, and for a time even trembles for his good name. “But, as you know, there is a love that comes but once in our lives; it is the last, for it tinctures our future, as light or dark its renderings ; few feel it in its intensity ; woe to those who do ! «Such was mine for Miss Reynolds. It never died. I have never lost the hope that in the thousand changes of this varying E 2 f . : i i ll a EE 76 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. world, something might occur to extricate her and me. ‘Tt has come, and so suddenly that I feel lost. I hear that, driven by cruelty and op- pression, she has fled from her home. Is my heart a traitor, or does it speak true, that she has sought refuge with you who loved her so tenderly.” *‘ She has done so,” replied Mrs. Whynn, in a low voice. “My heart told me this, the moment I] heard of her flight. Is there any hope? Lend me your assistance, dear Mrs. Whynn. Give her to me. I swear you shall never repent it! I will seek with her a home in another country. Secresy is all that is necessary.” The lady was much affected, and there was a long pause, but she spoke at last with firm- ness and decision. “ Secresy,” said she, “I rejoice to say, will not be necessary. If circumstances have taken you by surprise, not less have they me, and force a confession I intended to make only to one now absent. You have told me a story, I will tell you another: it is rather a long one; can you hear it now ?” JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. rive He made a gesture of assent. ‘I will make it as concise as possible. “There were two girls who had been play- mates in infancy, and afterwards school- fellows; their friendship for each other was more than that of sisters, it also endured longer than girls’ friendships usually do, and was not broken when they married. ‘The one was united to a lawyer; the other to as noble and gallant a man as ever drew his sword in defence of his country: he was in the navy. ** But the girl he married was utterly un- worthy of him, or she could never have com- mitted the sin she did, the consequences of which she did not foresee; sooth to say she was too frivolous to trouble herself about anything beyond the humour of the moment. But this in excuse. She was the only child of parents who idolised her. From the hour of her birth she had never known a grief or a care. She did not exactly disbelieve in such, but certainly she could not realize them, and till she left the fostering roof could truly say she had never shed a tear. * At the period I am about to mention this 78 JOHN FORTESOUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. woman had one little girl, her friend, the wife of the lawyer, two boys. As fate would have it, these two women were one evening thrown. together in the same company: it so hap- pened the conversation turned on a work recently published ; in it reference was made to the well-known story of a duke, who was no duke, if it be true that he was a changeling. “‘ Curiosity was expressed as to how the change was effected, and surprise that the secret should have been kept so long and so well. From thence a discussion arose as to filial affection being an instinct or a senti- ment. As on other subjects, there was much diversity of opinion, the friends of the latter (sentiment) deducing as a proof, the young man’s behaviour on the subsequent marriage of his mother to his reputed father, his aversion to the lady, till, stung by his conduct, she re- vealed the secret of the relationship, when he became ali that could be desired in a son. “The other side were equally strong in favour of instinct, instancing the slight hold on children’s affections made by nurses and dependents, how readily they give these up for their parents; though this may be JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 79 answered by the countersign of their being brought up with the knowledge of relative positions. *“‘ Pardon my prolixity ; 1 am thus diffuse, for the argument proved the foundation of what followed ; it made a great impression on the women mentioned. How it came about one scarce knows, but they afterwards agreed to put the question to the test on the birth of their next children, expected much about. the same time, provided that the child of the officer did not prove a son: which it did not. “The children were both born abroad—at Boulogne—whither the lawyer had taken his wite, as if to further a scheme of which he was in utter ignorance. He went thither on busi- ness connected with his profession, and meet- ing friends, he joined them in an excursion, leaving his wife properly cared for. ‘ Both children, as I said, were born at Boulogne, for the wife of the officer accom- panied her friend. The time favoured their project. On frivolous pretexts they parted with their English servants and engaged French ones for the rest of their stay, and it was on the journey home that the change of 80 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. their children was effected. I, to my shame and disgrace, exchanged my little daughter for Mrs. Reynolds’ son, Frederick !”’ “Augusta is that daughter?” said Free- mantle. “She is! she is! The child, the dear child God gave me, and which I wickedly abandoned and sacrificed !” Freemantle rose and walked to the window ;. he opened it for air; his heart seemed too full for action. | He came back presently, and then entreated Mrs. Whynn to continue, as every word teemed with interest. ‘“‘ My story,” she went on, ‘‘ contains a moral which is not the case with every one. Augusta is my child, and there are those still living among the kindhearted French people who sympathised so warmly with ‘ the poor English ladies,’ deserted at such a time by their husbands and unfeeling domestics, who will prove that Mrs. Whynn’s child was a daughter.” “No proof is required,” said her delighted auditor. ‘“ Augusta is a living witness in her- self. On first becoming acquainted with her JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 81 I was surprised at a likeness, irreconcilable with no relationship.” “She is very like me ; what I was rather, for grief works outwardly as inwardly, and I am not more changed in mind and feeling than in person. My punishment began on the birth of my own son, whom [ had robbed of his birthright, and made over to another : then it was I woke to a sense of the crime I had committed, to the fraud practised on the best of men, my kind and trusting husband. Mrs. Reynolds and I, by way of making amends, entered into an agreement that our two changelings should marry at suitable age. This was to be kept secret on account of the natural perversity of young people. I was goon conyinced of the mistake we had made ; two people more unsuited to each other could not be found, and both equally opposed to the plan when it was made known to them. My daughter in this case has proved herself possessed of a strong will, and that woman has goaded both her and me to madness by her resolution to enforce it. Neither prayers nor entreaties nor any offer of sacri- EO 82 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. - fice on my part have availed to alter her determination. | “Yes, my punishment has been signal. Twenty long years of remorse and suffering! Will they not atone? My children left me, one by one, desolate and bereaved !”’ Freemantle endeavoured to soothe the afflicted lady, whose wounds bled afresh at the recital. “Twenty years has this lain hidden and unsuspected. But ‘there is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed’ is verified as much in the small concerns of life as in the unfold- ing of the mysteries of the universe. And it has been written that, all other means failing, the mothers who worked so successfully in secret shall themselves be the instruments to bring it to light. “Till now I fancied that we had decided that the love of children towards their parents was a sentiment only, like other movements of the mind, depending on first causes, not a principle in itself. But the spring of action that moved my daughter to fly to me in her distress almost decides me in favour of unerring instinct. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 83 “ However that may be, there cannot be a doubt as to the instinct in mothers. To them and their jealous interference in each other’s management of their own children is due the discovery. ** Notwithstanding his eccentricities, Fred- erick has not been the worst sonin the world tome; I know many worse. Had he been my own, I should no doubt have looked with different eyes on him, but my daughter has submitted to tyranny with a patience and gentleness beyond that of most daughters.” * Dear Mrs. Whynn!” said Freemantle, “your daughter is here; she is yours. Our fates are in your hands, unite them, put it out of the power of anyone to separate us. To- morrow let it be! Let me speak to her! One word only |” “You know not what you ask. Her tormentors have brimmed up the measure of their iniquity. She is unconscious, and has been so from themoment of hercoming. Tell me, have you seen her lately ?” | “Yesterday only did churlish fortune favour my prayer ?”’ “ You left her well ?” 84, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “‘ Perfectly ; we parted in doubt as to our future movements. She was to write to me.” “Then your meeting has been discovered, and some new persecution devised.” ** The daughter was there, a witness to our interview.” “That dreadful girl!” ejaculated Mrs. Whynn. ‘She no doubt informed her parents,” con- tinued Freemantle; ‘‘ and some cruelty has been devised, which must be atoned for.”’ “Thanks be to Heaven!” said Mrs. Whynn. ‘‘My dear child has eS them. She believes you dead !”’ “Me dead !” exclaimed Freemantle. “‘ She is haunted with the idea that you have been shot by Mr. Reynolds.” “Permit me to see her. All may be well, and she saved from further suffering.” “Too late! She would not know you: and were it otherwise I fear that I could scarce grant your request. You must be patient. I have told you the story I thought to confess to my husband alone, as the one most injured. My mind has long been made up, but I have waited for his return. He comes homeinaweek JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 85 or two, but till he does and acknowledges his daughter I wish things to remain as they are. Whatever may be his anger towards me, I feel sure he will not extend it to his guiltless child, though he may be forgiven does he doubt the story altogether.” “Tf he does it will make not the slightest difference to me.”’ “I believe you, and for that reason grieve to oppose your wishes. Had it been at an earlier period [ might have listened to you more readily; but with the knowledge of my husband’s speedy return, I think, if love can listen to reason, you will see I could scarce do otherwise than wait till he is made acquainted with the circumstances.” ‘““Hard terms,” said Freemantle, “ but Jacob worked fourteen years to gain his Rachael. I must not be outdone.” *“ Good comes sometimes out of evil,” re- turned Mrs. Whynn, extending herhand. “I think it must be given to you to redeem the past. Could anything justify so unjustifiable a proceeding, it must be that through it my daughter became the object of affection to Colonel Freemantle.” 86 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “ And think what his happiness must be to find that those whose esteem and friendship he most valued, with whom he would, beyond — all others, have desired to be connected, should be the parents of her on whom his affections are unalterably fixed.” The force of language could no further go. He was obliged to prove his sincerity by sub- mitting to Mrs. Whynn’s tyrannical decision. The refractory soldier attempted a revolt, but the lady was inexorable—as inexorable as was Sir. William, the physician, whose fiat was— ‘Silence and darkness! He feared brain fever.”’ Freemantle’s love was doomed to be put to some severe tests; fortunately these hard knocks were not dealt by the hand he loved. She remained intact in her entirety and single- ness of heart, while the exceeding small stock of love-making allotted to them, kept alive the flame which is often extinguished by too much fuel. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 87 CHAPTER X. ‘“mam CHANGELING.’’—SIR NOEL PATON. Wuatever might be Mr. Reynolds’ motives — for the examination of his pistols, the doing so had not the slightest reference to Free- mantle. A crime like murder he was incapable of. His surroundings were dark, but there was light in his soul yet. And furthermore, the law of equity in- stilled into him in the daily practice of his profession, decided him that he had no right to interfere between Freemantle and Augusta; she not belonging to him. He certainly went out with his pistols, but they were in his travelling bag, and to have used them against Freemantle he must have stopped to unpack it, take out the case, and make ready the fateful weapon, all in the face 88 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. of the human target, that was to be, whom we may suppose to stand watching opera- tions with breathless interest. | Mr. Reynolds took the wrong road to ac- complish his intentions, if such they had been, for he went direct to the station, and thence to his den in the Temple, where he took up his abode, brooding and solitary. So Gertrude’s announcement of warlike in- tentions on the part of her papa were drawn from figures, not facts; and the shots that slew our little heroine were intended for some other deer. Mrs. Reynolds, finding that Mr. Reynolds did not return, went up to see him. Beaulieu being too far from town to drive in she took the train, her young daughter, Sophia, accompanying her. Gerty decided to stay at home, for reasons of her own. | They were lane projects. An accidental meeting of the two gentlemen, who would be sure to be found walking there again, waiting for “‘ that thing Augusta.” The sentimental Martha, while dressing her young mistress’s hair that morning, had in- . JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 89 formed her all about “them two bewtiful Ossifers, as Gardam see, a prancin’ up and down this loverly lane, all day, and all night the winter through. One was dark like a Spaniel; the other had loverly blue. eyes and curly hair like a polly (Apollo). Oh, miss! it’s just like one of them sweet things we reades of in the books they callsnoveleys.” The sensible Gertrude decided that Augusta could not have both “the beautiful officers,” and her fertile fancy immediately took wings, and soared, soared away up into the seventh heaven, where it rested on the coronet of the Lady Chester that was to be. At the station her mamma encountered Freemantle and Lord Chester, bent on the same errand as herself, to wit, the search for Augusta. They had heard of the lost Pleiad, before even rumour with her thousand tongues had conveyed it in the usual way. Mr. Brown, on the evening of that event- ful day, took his favourite French leave, and went to the vicarage to ask, “ Ifso be, they’d beened, and goned, and seened anythink of ‘Miss,’ as had beened and gooned and tooked 90 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. a walk and forgotted to come back; and he had beened and goned and nunted for her in his cow-house, and his piggery, and his pot- tin’s-hed, and his pine-pits, and in his narbor, and his medder, and all along of his river, and up and down of his lane, and he had beened and goned and nunted for her under his villers, and his veepery-ash, and his cupper’s- beech, and under all his trees and srubs, as had beened and goned and growed in his gardings, and he hadn’t beened and goned and discerned nothink of her in all his nunt- ings.” “Did I not tell you,” said Lord Chester, on hearing the news, “‘ that I saw her ghost, or an angel in her likeness, since it could not be the other party; and you set it down as an optical delusion on my part.”’ He was at the post-office in the village, through which the Beaulieu folks had to pass to reach the station, he thought it was Augusta whom he saw flit by the window, and went to the door to assure himself. The dress was the same he had seen her in shortly before—the form, the gait belonged only to her. “You are my good genius,’ said Free- = Rea @r | css JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. OT mantle. “She was going towards the sta- tion ?”’ “She was! sailing along as though you were in port there.” Lord Chester was a great yachter. * Would that I had been! The darling.” Freemantle remained quiet in the hope of a letter next morning, but none came, and he set out with his friend to make those en- quiries, where his knowledge of circumstances induced him to believe they would most likely meet with success. It may possibly be asked how he came to his knowledge of circumstances. It may, perhaps, be recollected, that Fred opened the door to a partial discovery on the day of the election: not that Freemantle in any way believed the door worth opening, till the same generous hand giving him a key, bade him open the skeleton cupboard for him- self. Among other far-sighted views of prudence and policy possessed by our friend Fred, he had the sensible one of always siding with the victor when the battle was over. | Therefore, on the declaration of the poll at 92 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. Rochester, where Freemantle won the hard- fought fight, that young gentleman all at once found himself standing in the ranks of his supporters ; occupying at the Angel Inn so prominent a position, that one would have thought he was at least the new M.P. ** 'What—a—wage—the—venewab]e—old— pawient—will—be—in,” said he, to our hero at his side, ‘“‘ when—the—old—wogue—goes —back—without—his—M.P. !” * Why should Mrs. Whynn mind?” en- quired his friend. “Mrs. W—hynn!” returned Fred, opening his round black eyes. ‘‘ She—isn’t—the— venewable,—she’s—the—old—bwick.”’ “Then who is the other titled lady >” asked Freemantle, opening his black eyes too. ** Mrs. W—eynolds,—my—mother.”’ *¢ Your mother ?” exclaimed Freemantle. “Yes !” says Fred. ‘‘ A—p—wetty—kettle —of—fish, isn’t—it ?” Freemantle was bewildered. The Admiral had always spoken of Fred as his son, though certainly not as if he was proud of him. “ Then Admiral Whynn adopted you ?”’ JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 93 “The—Admiwal! Forgot—him! w-ather think —not,— toppled — me—over— long — ago.—A—secwet,—mustn’t—weport !” “Very strange of Mrs. Whynn,’”’ remarked Freemantle. *“* Not—st—wange—at—all.”’ “What could be her reason ?” Fred was much hurt. **'W —was —w— we—markably — pwetty baby.” * But she had: children of her own,’ said Freemantle, who had often heard the Admiral lament his lost children. Fred was offended; he felt himself under- valued. ‘‘ Fair — exchange — no — wob—bewy !” said he; and he moved away to signify his distaste to a further continuance of this most depressing conversation. - That last was the key. Our hero desired no more; he unravelled the tale for himself, though he was sometime doing so. “You remember Augusta?” said he, to his second self Lord Chester, on arriving at what he thought the truth. ‘94, JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “‘ Perfectly |’? was the reply. “ Whom do you think she resembles P” “ Herself, and none other, I should say,” replied his lordship; ‘‘but you have fre- quently remarked on her likeness to Mrs. Whynn; my mother has done so likewise. She was surprised to find they were not mother and daughter.”’ “She is mine! Wish me joy.” “Ido! And willsee you turned off before starting on my American tour.” Mrs. Reynolds, on seeing Freemantle at the railway station, guessed his move by her own: but her power was gone ; she could not prevent it, should the good genius of the pantomime destroy the wicked spell cast over this poor harlequin and columbine, and take them under her especial protection. She was woman still, cast down, but not vanquished, and she frowned defiance at him. On reaching town she went direct to her husband’s chambers in the Temple. He was out, so she drove to Kensington, to ~ Mrs. Whynn’s. ‘Will you have the goodness,” she said to the servant who answered her summons, “ to y] JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 95 tell me if a young lady of the name of Rey- nolds is here ?” “A young lady of that name came here last night, ma’am.” ** Do you think I couldsee her? I wish to speak to her.” ** Nobody can’t see her, ma’am; the doctor has forbid speaking. She’s mortal ill with a lumberin’ in her head.” «A what ?’ asked Mrs. Reynolds. ‘* A lumberin’, as she doesn’t know what she’s a sayin’ of. She talks all of pistols and shots, and even acreak or a crack is a shot goin’ through her poor head or heart.” Mrs. Reynolds stood thinking awhile. The maid knit her brows, and seemed disposed to close the door. ‘Is your mistress disengaged P”’. “No, ma'am; she’s busy speakin’ to a gentleman.” ‘* The doctor, I suppose ?” ‘‘No, ma’am, the doctor has beened; we thinks as he’s a’—-— and she executed some grimacial telegraphy with which to finish her speech, significant of more than was meant for the ear. ‘96 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. “Ts he often here, then?’ says suspicious Mrs. Reynolds. ‘* T never see him before,’ was the answer. “Thank you,” and sighing, Mrs. Reynolds departed. She was afraid after this to go again to her husband’s quarters, for if he should learn of Augusta’s place of refuge, and she could scarce resist his cross-examination when he set about it, he would discover the whole plot, and, in his present mad mood, she feared the consequences. He had better learn it by degrees, it must come out sooner or later. She wrote to him when she returned home, which she reached in far worse spirits than when she ieft it. Then she hoped—against hope it 1s true—but the feeling was)joy, bliss to hat of mortification which she experienced now. To allay doubt, and prevent further inquiry, she explained that in consequence of a quarrel with her father, Miss Reynolds had been so ill-advised as to leave her home and go to stay with Mrs. Whynn,—a step she would never have taken but for the unfortunate influence obtained over her by that lady. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 97 In due time his wife’s letter reached Mr. Reynolds. It ran thus— ‘“ DrarR REYNOLDS, “ Augusta has run away, bolted properly. Have you seen anything of her? She is a good-for-nothing, ungrateful creature, after all the kindness and tenderness with which she has been treated. ‘* Your affectionate wife, ‘* SopHia REYNOLDS.” “Pshaw!’’ said her husband, on reading the note, “does the woman take me for a fool? Glad the girlhas! A rat running away from a falling house. The wisest of the lot!” Two days later the flourishing Bubble-and- Squeak Company, that which derived fresh vigour from panics, and was like * The man, some people thought him mad, For the more he gave away the more he had.”’ Yet in the face of such wondrous necro- mancy, this infant prodigy, with the blind wilfulness and foolhardiness of childhood, actually closed its doors. The bubble had burst, and nothing was heard but the squeaks of its duped and famishing shareholders. VOL. Il. EF 98 JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. CHAPTER XI. ‘“‘THE ORDER OF RELEASE.’—J. G. MILLAIS. , Time sped on; Freemantle called daily to make enquiries at Mrs. Whynn’s respecting Augusta, only to receive answers that in- creased his anxiety. Augusta was either “much the same” or else ‘* not quite so well to-day.” Mrs. Whynn never left her, and saw no one. Our hero’s time was one round of businegs ; he must run down to his borough to attend meetings, and a general election seemed pro- bable, and he must preside at complimentary dinners; he must show himself at the War Office ; Parliament was sitting, he must attend he duties there ; he must be ubiquitous, in fifty places at once, and all the time he was suffer- ing the cruelest anxiety and depression. JOHN FORTESCUE REYNOLDS, ESQ. 99 He was sitting one evening in his place in “‘the House.”