Stella Fregelius: A Tale of Three Destinies

pent two hours or more in the library. Painfully did he wrestle there w

must be excellent, or somebody would have been down upon us before now. Well, I must talk things over with P

with his son. As he knew well, Morris detested business matters and money calculations. Still, reflected his parent, it w

r bending over the desk and guessed his occupation. Knowing, therefore, what he must expect at lunch, Morris determined to dispense with that meal, and went out, much to the Colonel

place." About half-way between the Abbey and this town stood Mr. Porson's mansion. In fact, it was nothing but a dwelling like those about it, presenting the familiar seaside gabled

yed it affronting sea and sky in all its naked horror. "Show me the house and I will show you the man," he went on to himself; "but,

a black alpaca coat, a straw hat, and a pair of spectacles, wh

e man jumped as though he had trodden on a pin,

ted sufficiently how wide a niche in the temple of his mind

ept for a pair of sandy-coloured mutton-chop whiskers. In expression he was gentle, even timid, and in figure short and stout. At this very moment be

ever yet dared to call his brother-in-law "Monk," and much

idering my years and botherat

little man; "my heart has been troubling

didn't you

to do with a party, but I think the fact is that Mary was

ested the Colonel, with an anxiety which migh

at do you mean?

hy, what should I mean?

is too lazy; she just looks over their heads till they get tired and go away. I am sure it was t

bottle-glass-which always reminds me of a bull's-eye lantern st

offending window th

before, you remember, and I told them to plant the shrubs; but while I was away they let every one of the p

ything of Jenkins he'd only put up something worse. I tell you, John,

urmured Porson; "but won't you come

ot to the drawing-room. If you can spare it, I want half-an-hour

y to the "den," but to himself he added: "It's those mortgages,

omfortable in Mr. Porson's armchair, and Porson himself perched upon th

ur service, Col

look through these figures for me," and he produced and han

mple face became clever and alert. Here he was on his

is some mistake in the addition making a difference of 87 pounds

d estates, which, as things are, seem to be mortgaged to their full value. That's about all, I thin

st, with an air of complete conviction: "I believe in Morris's machine, or, at least, I

That is curious-and encouraging; for, my dear John, wher

ut of it," went on Porson. "One day the world

t, if so, perhaps for present purposes we may lea

hink so; but wha

ble land, and I am glad to think that you have made a very good thing of it. Some years ago, also, you took over the two heaviest mortgages on the Abbey estate, and I am sorry to say that the interest is considerably in arrear. There remain the

Porson, with unwonted energy. "All debts, no assets-the p

y comfort is-that something

er had married the head, was a far more important thing than parting with a certain number of thousands of pounds. For birth and station, in his plebeian humility, John Porson had a reverence which was almost superstitious. Moreover, he had loved his dead sister dearly, and, in his way, he loved h

pment of its possibilities, the land which he bought from the Monk estate had increased enormously in value; so much so, indeed, that, even if he lost all the other sums advanced upon mortgage, he would still be considerably to the good

finite in your mind?"

ve the suggestion of a substantial loan. It seemed too much to risk. He wa

, he is an odd fish, I can see nothing before us except ruin. Indeed, at my age, it does not greatly matter,

n, with a sudden wriggle which caused him to rock

and from the further side of it a slow, ri

orson. "Yes, come in, dea

e, she was tall and full in frame. The face also was somewhat massive, with a rounded chin and large, blue eyes that had a trick of looking half asleep, and above a low, broad forehead grew her waving, golden hair, parted simply in

as she came in, and he was no mean or inexperienced j

I heard you scolding my poor dad about his bow-window. In fact, you woke me up; and, do you know,

feet, and kissing his niece upon the forehead, "what a me

lounge-chair, the same hot day, the same blue-bottle, and the same You scolding the same Daddy about the

g-not even latter day young ladies-but I suggest that a few hours with F

lights which did not seem appropriate. Therefore, as she thought that she had done enough for honour, a

ng him calmly; "and younger than you did last year. H

ty? As for Morris, he is, I believe, much as usual; at least he stood this morning till daybreak staring at the sea. I understand, howeve

Morris, uncle; I'd rather you

ispleases you. But may I ask why

ntering voice. "Because he is one of the few men worth an

his name was not upon the lady's lips. "But would it be impertinent to inqui

lf. Secondly, he thinks a great deal, and very few people do that to any purpose. Thirdly, I never feel inclined to go to sleep when he takes me in to din

pressure of some painful recollection. "If you have fini

see. If I don't come back, you'll know it is there," and Mary passed through the do

stic tyrant his brother-in-law in single combat, and could issue unconquered from the doubtful fray, was indeed worthy to be honoured. Colo

in his generation, waited for Mr. Porson to speak. Many and many a time in the after days did he find reason to congratulate himself upon this superb reticence-for there are occasions when discretion can amount almost to the height of genius. Under their relative

. He remembered that his brother-in-law had done exactly the same thing at the very apex of a long-depar

el," he began, "when Mar

rently, fixing a contemptuous glance upo

orris ma

, so I w

know she does indeed. She never

e?

; and-so-why shoul

ittle more explicit. It's no good your

her? Morris marry Mary? Is that pl

es. Here was salvation indeed, if only it could be b

, nor did a muscle move upon th

d heard them aright. "That is a very strange proposition, my dear John, and sudden, too. Why, they are first

f the asylums seem to show it, and I know my doctor, Sir Henry Andrews, says it's nonsense. You'll admit that he i

inclined to comment on this statement-of cours

hear what your idea is of the advantages of such a union, s

hn Porson, the Quaker sugar merchant, who came from nobody knows where-although honest, is humble, and until my father's day all in the line of retail trade. But then my dear wife came in. She was a governess when I married her, as you may have heard, and of a very good

ly, tapping himself over the heart-"though you don't mention it to Mary-I know better. Oh! yes, I know better. That's about all, except, of course, that I should wish to see her settled before I'm gone. A man dies happier, you understand, if he is certain w

olonel, waving his hand. "They are unpleasant, and le

top, and the players keep dropping over the precipices. But nobody heeds, because there are always ple

e to hear you

ut money the old place can't go on, and without a wife the old race can't go on. Now, Mary will have lots of money, for, to tell the truth, it keeps piling up until I am sick of it. I've been lucky in that way, Colonel, because I don't care much about it, I suppose. I don

ejaculated the Colonel, a

about what will happen to Mary when I am gone. What's the good of this dirty money to a dying man? I'd give it all to have my wife and the boy I lost back for a year or two; yes, I would go into a shop again and sell sugar like my grandfat

the whole, speaking offhand, I don't see why the young people should not make a match. Also you have always been a good r

ancing towards the door

shes of your son, Morris, and my daughter, Mary. If they are agreeable I'd like it well; if not, all the money in the world, nor all the families in the world, wouldn't ma