Beauchamp's Career -- Volume 4

y might know he was not obliged literally to sit in Parliament in order to pay a close attention to their affairs. He had not distinguished himself by a spe

o dine him.' As the dinner would decidedly be du

er Beauchamp's correspondent were read at the Club, under the verandah, and the q

rrived there on one of his rare visits. Mr. Romfrey handed him the pocketbook with the frank declara

erving the coat: but subsequently seeing the advertized reward, they had written to claim it; and, according to

's could do nothing but good to any reflecting human creature: he admitted that as the lost pocket-book was addressed to Mr. Romfrey, it might hav

letter,' Rosamund aff

as untouch

hed by

vil. You look

ave your wo

at his uncle Everard's anachronis

el Halkett for a nuptial alliance between the two houses; and she said: 'Your uncle Everard was completely won by your manly way o

oney. I must have money.' By degrees he seemed to warm to s

es no one who chooses to be antagonistic. All that is over. But d

and no, frowned in pain of mind, and Walked up an

used the hig

n every way i

e sympathize with them, Nevil. And consider how hard it is for a

ded; yes. Well, more

, that fat

ad her letter in this pocket-book. She wishes me to mar

rposely sent a buzz into her ears to shut out

ot believe in the sincerity

ding to the damage do

luding to them. You bring them forward now to justify your charge of "fatal" against her. She has one fault; she wa

ere next week, and the colonel will expect to meet you here

uchamp. 'But Mr. Romfrey has not

t go beyond advising her. His advice might not be exactly favourable to you at present, but if you sued and she accepted-and she would, I am convinced she would; she was here with me, ta

swam before him, gra

whisper; perhaps wishing to save herself and him by the aid of a tie that would bring his honour into play and fix his loyalty. He remembered Dr. Shrapnel's written words: 'Rebellion against society and advocacy of humanity run counter.' They had a stronger effect on him than when he was ignorant of his uncle Everard's plan to match him with Cecilia. He took refuge from them in the imag

d coldly. Let the knot once be tied, it would not be regretted, could no

ould. He envied her the sight of the Alps, he said, and tried to give her an idea of them, from which he broke off to boast of a famous little Jersey bull that he had won from a rival, an American, deeply in love with the bull; cutting him out by telegraph by just five minutes. The latter had examined the bull in the island and had passed on to Paris, not suspecting there would be haste to sell him. Beauchamp, seeing the bull advertized, took him on trust, galloped to the nearest telegraph station forthwith, and so obtained possession of him; and the bull was now shipped on the voyage. But for this precious bull, however, and other business, he would have been able to spend almost the entire month with Dr. Shrapnel, he said regretful

oliticians uttered barely a syllable of politics. The dinner basket was emptied heartily to make way for herb and flower, and at night the expedition homeward was crowned with stars along a road refreshed by mid-day thunder-showers and smelling of the rain in the dust, past meadows keenly scenting, gardens giving out their innermost balm and odour. Late at night they drank tea in Jenny's own gard

sion of possible harm that might come to him during her absence; and so she continued gazing, and at no one but Dr. Shrapnel until the bend of the line cut him from her sight. Beauchamp was a very secondary person on that occasion, an

Beauchamp a case of a Steynham poacher, whom he had thought it his

had never occurred before, and Beauchamp said at once: 'Oh, my uncle Mr. Romfrey would rather see them stand th

old poaching family called the Dicketts, who wanted punishment and was to have it, but Mr. Romfrey's local lawyer had informed him that the man Shrapnel was, as usual, supplying the means of defence. For his own part, Mr. Romfrey said, he had no objection to one rascal's backing another, and Shrapnel might hit his hardest, only perhaps Nevil might somehow get mixed up in it, and Nevil was going on quietly now-he had in fact just done capitally in lassoing with a shot of the telegraph a splendid little Jersey bull that a Yankee was after: and

ould have to go to Nevil at Holdesbury to tell him of circumstances that he would hear of two or three days later at Steynham. There was no sense in it. The only conclusion for him was that the scheming woman Culling had determined to bring down every man concerned in the Bevisham election, and particularly Mr. Romfrey, on his knees before Nevil. Holdesbury ha

to term her, and who could be offended by his calling her so? His fine wit revelled in bestowing

in English hotel champagne, sherry and claret. At seven he was rid of them, but parched and heated, as he deserved to

lub if I hadn't to go about that stupid business to Holdesbury to

old Nevil 's with Shrapnel,' an

. He gives her out as his niece. Whatever she is she's a brimming

m to a chemist's shop for a cooling effervescent draught, and thence through the t

t of Dr. Shrapnel walling in his garden, and perceived him of a giant's height, his eyes fastened on the writer of the abominable letter with an exultation peculiar to men having a devil inside them that kicks to be out. The sun was low, blazing among the thicker branches of

was accosted twice, the

lemen outside t

,' said Capta

id the doctor, walking in

ow, sir, if you

a

ed at the

aid Lord Palmet, very affably and loudly, wit

l flung the

entered, crying loudly, 'A very

tt followed him

's cousin. I am Captain Baskelett,

tor sai

ptain Beauchamp,

e him here s

l have him!'

ses!' exclaim

onducting against his uncle is one you have communicated to Captain Beauchamp. I repeat, I am here to inquire if

ture to listen, and his frown of non-intelligence might be interpreted as the coming on of the

aordinary Michael-Scott- the-wizard kind of spell you seem to have cast upon his common sense as a man of the world. You have him, as you say. I do not dispute it. I have no, doubt you have him fast. But here is a case demanding a certain respect for decen

Shrapnel, chagrined by the mystification with

er's joy he prepared to play his man. 'Exactly. I have stated it. And you ask me. But I really must decline to run over the whole ground again for you. I am here to fulfil a duty to my family; a highly disagreeable

mory. 'I think I have a recol

ave a recollection o

y connected with C

Beauchamp. You are not aware

onfidential housekeeper, some one s

hardly expect better treatment at your hands than she met with, but I do positively reque

. Shrapnel did indeed appear to display the agitation of

business concisely, i

e you to summon a member of your household, wife, daughter, housekeeper, any one you

tent,' said

o you,' urged Cec

hed his chin hasti

t I have an answer to m

our que

equest you to listen-you blast his career in the navy; it was considered promising. He was a gallant officer and a smart seaman. Very well. Y

er dashing a hand to straighten his forelock; but C

ly is one that every man of sense would apprehend on the spot; for we, you should know, have, sir, an opinion of Captain Beauchamp's talents and abilities forbidding us to think he

descending from his height

he should be under a lady's influence than under yours. Come, sir! I ask you. You must confess that a gallant officer and great admirer of the sex does not look such a donkey if he is led in silken strings by a beautiful creature. And mark-stop! mark this, Dr. Shrapnel: I say, to the lady we can all excuse a good deal, and at the same time you are to be congratulated on first-rate diplomacy in employing so charming an agent. I wish

a lady's hand,' sighed Palme

much wine, gentlemen

ence aside with a grace

pt to elud

u mention

. A youn

he name of

ady. And I too. What is it? I

have heard

Palmet, rejoiced at the opportunity of trumpetin

ve heard her called Shrapne

he other of his visitors. 'The young lad

th. 'I have heard he

, in manners, accomplishments, and character; and

, my particular desire is to see the young lady, in your presence of course, and endeavour to persuade her, as I have very little doubt I shall do, assuming that you give me fair pla

enham with my sanction e

self to heal the breach between Captain Beauchamp and his family. You stand in the way. You treat me as you treated the lady who c

never married. My dear friend dies, and leaves me his child to protect and rear; and though she bears her father's name, she is most wrongly and foully made to share the blows levelled at her guardian. Ay, have at me, all of you, as much as you will! Hold off from her. Were it true, the cowardice would be not a whit the smaller. Why, casting a stone like that, were it the size of a pebble and the weight of a glance, is to toss the whole cowardly world on an innocen

hers, and you will not grant me an interview with the young lady you call your ward, that I may represent to her, as a person we presume to have a chance of moving you, how easily-I am determined you shall hear me, Dr. Shrapnel!-how easily the position of Captain Beauchamp

lapped his elbows, puffed like a swimmer in the breakers, tried many times to expostulate, and finding the

perplexingly empty senten

hen!' h

e,' retorte

f the stately peacock in its walk, and passed out of the garden. Lord Palmet, deeply disappointed and

gardens; we might have sat down with them and talked, the best friends in the world, and come again t

'Foh! I'm afraid I permitted myself

magical power over woman's virtue, but he disliked hearing verses, and they were ill-suited to Palmet. H

tonight in this unhallowed town, but I needn't be off to Holdesbury in the morning; I've done my busin

embered that the act of composition had been assisted by a cigar in his mouth, and Mr. Romfrey detested the smell

hrapnel said he was expecting him. I write to you to confess I thought myself a cleverer fellow than I am. I talked to Shrapnel and tried hard to reason with him. I hope I can keep my temper under ordinary circumstances. You will understand that it required remarkable restraint when I make you acquainted with the

a head, and loses his temper every two minutes. I could have drawn him out deliciously if he had not rather disturbed mine. By this time my equanimity is restored. The only thing I apprehend is your displeasure with me for having gone to the man. I have done no good, and it prevents me from running over to Holdesbury to see Nevil, for if "shindy letters,"

hours among my Commons, they on me for t

me with the warmest aff

ding the picturesque accessories of his altercation with Dr. Shrapnel, but it vera

he letter n