Evan Harrington -- Volume 1

reat Mel should be borne to his final resting-place by a troop of creditors. You have seen (since the occasion demands a pompous simile) clouds that all day cling about the sun, and, in s

o him to the dust, fulfilled Mel's triumphan

her, as well as she could, seeing that one hand was entirely engaged by her handkerchief. She had already stumbled, and dropped a glass, which h

see him the last time! I can understand Louisa-and Harriet, too, perhaps? But why could not Caroline? A

to a chair, and su

said Mrs. Mel to Sally, the

mum, J

pped. You are a

of everybody and everyt

ctuary under her apron. Mrs. Mel glan

, 'why didn't you put it off for a

nother two days, he wo

think !' cri

bearin' of his spu

k a lady there, of the name of Mrs. Wishaw, whether she would like to have some

e Sally, seeing that her public exhibition of sorrow and sympathy could be indulged b

to his last bed with his clothes on! . . . If he'd ony've had a comfortable sheet! . . . It makes a woman

ns are very much on the surface. She continued her arrangements quietly, and, having counted the

ho entered the

Mel, flushing slightly, b

I should stay away

ssed he

you wo

passed objects in a single glance. She drew her finger

on't do

ediately to make inquiries about her

him lower

, mo

are dirty, and then come and take

sit here

ou must. You know

their first i

rushed in

how like dear uncle Mel he looks, in the militia, with that moustach

s. Mel's face suddenly darken

lk that nonsense

e looked

ve I don

a parcel of fools,' sa

ve no pl

touch a morsel, after this morning!' Mrs

eat,' said

caped into the kitchen. Mrs. Mel admitted them into the parlour,

erkins, commonly called Lawyer Perkins; Mr. Welbeck, the pier-master of Lymport; Bartholomew Fiske; Mr. Coxwell, a Fallow fi

aid Mrs. Mel. 'Accept my thanks for the respect y

wered several voices,

appendages of crape. An undertaker's man took possession of

black pair this

e. I don't need to buy glov

tton fists,' remarked Welbeck; upon which Kilne nudged Ba

does for my boys on Sunda

r held his length of c

all do w

ep it,' sai

chin. 'Don't like

to the undertake

s ejaculating confidently, 'Perquisites of office, gentlemen; perquisit

amated the two appetites as yet. Thirst was the predominant declaration; and Grossby, after an examinat

port,' sa

Barnes i

of regret at the extension of his intimacy with the p

the arm of a mourner ab

e's

till young Mr. Harrington ta

n. 'The head of the fam

into business to-day?' J

erkins a

gton has led me to anticipate that h

yce. 'I ain't in such a

but half ashamed of it, since the joke missed, fell to as if he

arn him that he must treat them with no supercilious civility, and to tell him partly the reason why. On hearing the potential relations

Mel. 'You may just mention it when they're goin

hom the tidings were beginning to op

, Van. You will ope

mother,-it shall be p

ght and day

e positive tense: 'And

hind a counter. A purpose wedded to plans may easily suffer shipwreck; but an unfettered purpose that moulds circumstances as they arise, masters us, and is terrible. Character melts to it, like metal in the steady furnace. The projector of plots is but a miserable gambler and votary of chances. Of a far higher quality is the will that can subdue itself to wait, and lay no petty traps for opportunity. Poets may fable of

rn to the nest. Hearing a suspicious noise below, she rose, and deliberately loaded a pair of horse-pistols, weapons Mel had worn in his holsters in the heroic days gone; and with these she stepped downstairs straight to the cellar, carrying a lantern at her girdle. She could not only load, but present and fire. Dandy was foremost in stating that she called him forth steadily, three times, before the pistol was discharged. He admitted that he was frightened, and incapable of speech, at the apparition of the tall, terrific woman. After the third time of asking he had the ball lodged in his leg and fell. Mrs. Mel was in the habit of bearing heavier weights than Dandy. She made no ado about lugging him to a

: there's no harm in Dandy'; by which she may have meant that the food won his gratitude, and the physic reduced his humours

s Mrs. Mel's address to Dandy,

t in an altoget

way from my dinner to ask me that. Why,

dinner in your

borrowed Sally's apron.

viency. If Dandy went beyond the limits, she gave him an extra dose. Up to the limits he might talk as

rty pig, and go and wait at table in there'; she pointed to th

returned Dandy. 'It 's your fault this ti

shaw, who was, as she told all who chose to hear, an old flame of Mel's, and was besides, what Mrs. Mel

day, will sit and enjoy it, even upon solemn occasions, and the longer they sit the more they forget the matter that has broug

ng, 'I see how you did the journey -y

miles out of Fallow field, and he gave me a lift to Flatsham. I just reached Lymport in

said M

among those people an hour!-they wanted to ask me about the busine

h!' and, pushing into

room, Van, just

e it seems since I last saw that. There's Sir Hugh Montgomery on horseback-he hasn't moved. Don't you remember my father

fy whom one has to make

son happily di

to me about him. Did he mention me? Did he give me his blessing? I hope he did not suffer. I'd have given anything to

returned Mrs. Mel, 'and his

they?' Evan

to bed. When I talk to you, Van, I want a cool head

uth instinctively snapped

will help

e took off his coat and waistcoat, contemptuously critic

rd from Louis

sters by-and-by. Now, b

boy, whom she was going to fo

or drink made Dandy savage, and a terror to himself. It was her command to him that, when he happened to come across liquor, he should immediately seek his bedroom and bolt the door, and Dandy had got the habit of obeying her. On this occasion he was

e bawled. 'Will

bove her apron-string, noting his sullen lu

andy repeated, and pitched forward on

usive as to be menacing, she, without a shade of anger, and in the most unruffled manner, administered to him the remedy she had res

sit on the ed

extreme edge, and

e what your master

he did,' said Dandy, stupi

ere his

e when drunk, and Mrs. Mel's dose had rather sobered him. By d

, and any man was the worse for it. I'll meet you next week, and I'll bind myself by law. Here's Lawyer Per

lerable steadiness, Dan

rs. Mel. 'I'll send yo

own,

Mrs. Mel permitted rather than encouraged, Evan put his arm round her neck, and kissed her many times. One of the symptoms of heavy sorrow, a longing for

r me, mother?'

ay as well have

ose by her side, 'tell m

ed you would ne

ed up. 'There's not mu

m with a rigorous placidity; all her features seem

ct to tra

at's not what I want to talk to you abo

ld wear his militia sword

ven up hope of th

number of years it required, on a rough calculation, to attain that grade. In reply to hi

d the theme, and cast off the bad impression it produced on him, he rubbe

hey?' Mrs.

ddenly, as if she had lent him her eyes. He put them by, till the gold should recover its n

aid Mrs. Mel.

to sell it. Albuquerque! wha

foreign names, she said: 'And your prosp

t appointment. Mr. Jocelyn likes my work-I think he likes

od hand,' his m

in I was born

d an ink-dish before y

be your in

emarked that he m

hat she had fixed him to some explanation of his pros

e thinks of one's future. In the diplomatic service, as Louisa says, you come to be known to Ministers gradually, I mean. That is, they hear of you; and if you show you have some capacity-Louisa

is right grasp of her character for the moment, because of an undefined suspicion of something she intended, and which sent him himself t

And in the meantime how are you

the ground amid the ruins of the superb edifice; and his mother, upright and rigid, continuing, 'You can live on anyth

mother! what a

r a rogue, and will have a righ

I live!' Ev

with your fist, but you

up and wal

everything. I will bind myself to pay eve

,' said Mrs. Me

st and inconsiderate. I have been working and doin

like L5000

ot alarmed by the sound

ll pa

he had just clapped down th

Portugal, half writte

nt appoi

ised her ey

-in time

e creditors when you meet th

several minutes. Then Evan

you want of

g, Van-I can s

ld you have m

r duty, and don't

to make the money. Where and how can I m

as this was pretty clear speaking,

ered Evan. '

word did not s

ions of leprosy, and Rose shrinking her skirts from

n seven or eight years you may clear your father's name, and live better all the time than many of your bankrupt gentlemen. You have told the creditors you will pay them. Do you think they're gaping fools, to be satisfied by a History of Portugal? If you refuse to take the business at once, they will sell me up, and quite right

of her eyes, and the light in them, that she felt her words. There is that in the aspect of a fine frame breathing hard facts, which, to a you

Mel, 'you shall h

her he cou

' said Mrs. Mel; 'empty sto

want to drive me

he held him by would bear the slight addition

k for his kiss, for she never performed the operation, but kept her mout

tried to think, oppressed by horrible sensations of self

heart won fortune; when the fair stars of earth-sweet women-wakened and warmed the love of squires of low degree. This legacy of the dead man's hand! Evan would have paid it with his blood; but to be in bondage all his days to it; through it to los

andle, which struggled more and more faintly with the morning l

ITOR'S B

ected medicin

y for the obje

nt is worth any crown

ed in the occupation

be paid for

r news; second on

e select who wear ma

nce, put it

ful m

raise in the mout

of an unconge

chs are fou

e salted when it

s the will that can

are single

traight-forwardnes

ineas, she patiently

, as they termed it

as straigh

never played jokes

ore our joyful era o

o be a gentleman if

y traps for

f he had just clappe

in his pocket, and a

ard as their

e Pope's women; the

lments-just to f

bear that cl

f a morni

nizin

se on behalf of what

the man who is thor

rvices from her in t

he would have given

berty to weep

nclined to di

e hauled from the de

d by the world, whic

s. Mel permitted ra

ally blamed, and

was a maxim of Mrs.

tle flowers of

never was known to

of the prince

took among other

as worse to hi

proud h

u can, and you wa

armed by the so