Beauchamp's Career -- Volume 6

some very commanding language-kept his mind in order. Subsequently he drove to his cousin Baskelett's Club, where he left a short note to say the house was engag

word could he recover of what she had spoken before Rosamund's intervention. He fancied she must have related details of her journey. Especially there must have been mention, he thought, of her drive to the station from Tourdestelle; and this flashed on him the scene of his ride to the chateau, and the meeting her on the road, and the white light on the branching river, and all that was Renee in the spirit of the place she had abandoned for him, believing

d him to accuse her of a want of passionate warmth, in her not having supplicated and upbraided him-not behaving theatrically, in fine, as the ranting pen has made us expect of emergent ladies that they will naturally do

up a semblance of a conscience and much reason to assure him that he had done foolishly as well as unkindly, most unkindly: that he was even the ghastly spectacle of a creature attem

devotedly amended! his pupil, he might say, of whom he had foretold that she must come to such a pass, at the same time prefixing his fidelity. And he was handing her over kn

ing world outside, nature's pitiless antagonist, has hung one of its balances about him, and his actions are directed by the state of the scales, wherein duty weighs deep and desireability swings like a pendant doll: so he throws on his harness, astounded, till his blood quickens with work, at the round of sacrifices demanded of nature: which is indeed curious considering what we are taught here and there as to the infallibility of our august mother. Well, the world of humanity had done thi

l training rather imposed the idea that he was a figure to be derided. The approval of him by the prudent was a disgust, and by the pious tasteless. He had not any consolation in reverting to Dr. Shrapnel's heavy Puritanism. On the contrary, such a general proposition as t

raised by Captain Baskelett in the night, to obtain admission; and of an interview she had with him in the early morning, when he subjected her to great insolence. Beauchamp's attention was drawn to her r

eard that the captain had breakfasted and had just departed for Romfrey Castle. He fol

hted chamber, where the unhappy lady had been lying for hou

s indisposed with heada

uch

ogy appeased him, though

sked if Renee

t a headache is,'

do not care to eat

if she lo

lights in the roo

Renee in an image of the death wi

with him for speaking o

ked very

ctors are n

e menti

t o

-chain, ma'am?' cried Beauch

insisted on his privilege of going up-stairs-accompanied by her, of course; and t

her: what message would you

l contended; no fitting me

at is for women!-and want to be doin

od in tears-a thing to see to believe of Nevil Beauchamp; and plainly he did not know it, or else he would have taken her advice to him to leave the house at an ho

ay to England. Rosamund tempered her report of Renee by sayi

istent fog. 'Dull, cold, no sky, a horrible air to breath

N

dead s

s, if I spe

champ, 'that we are the colde

him, and drew forth a torrent of self-vituperation, after which he sank into the speechless misery he had been evading; until soph

Nevil, by the way, that

amu

n the evening,' said Beauchamp. 'Get her to eat, ma'am;

yourself, Nevil,

ll him the earl now, or Colonel Halkett, or any one of the army of rich men, hear of an increase of the income-tax, or some poor wretch hints at a sliding scale of taxation, they yell as if they were thumb-screwed: but five shillings in the pound goes to the kitchen as a matter of course-to puff those pompous idiots! and the parsons, who should be preaching against this shee

to nibble

d Steynham pie, of her own invention, such as no dou

have the parso

days except to kill bears and birds, I say they're stifled by wealth: and he at least would have made an Admiral of mark, or a General: not of much value, but useful in case of need. But he, like a pretty woman, was under no obligation to contribute more than an ornamental person to the common good. As to that, we count him by tens of thousands now, and his footmen and maids by hundreds of thousands. The rich love the nation through their possessions; otherwise they have no country. If they loved the country they would care for the people. Their hearts are eaten up by property. I am bidden to hold my tongue because I have no knowledge. W

hardly think that France would please you,

r, sighing as he munched bread in vast portions, evidently conceiving that to eat unbuttered bread was to abstain from luxury. He praised passingly the quality of the bread. It came from Steynham, and so did the, milk and cream, the butter, chicken and eggs. He was good enough not to object to the expenditure upon the transmission of the accustomed dainties. Altogether the gradual act of nibbling had conduced to his eating remarkably well-royally. Rosam

rs to the floor in disorderly shee

sked. 'I hold to a good appetit

ng the fog at the windo

has a particularly cl

then

naturally hasten to recover to

r gladness that he shou

s not an eater of m

getar

rapnel," he observed. The doctor does not exclude wine, but he does not drink it. Poor Tuckham went away entirely opposed to a Radical he could not even meet as a boon-fellow. I begged him not to mention the circ

poor gir

Talk to her as you women can talk. Keep the blinds down in her room; light a dozen wax-candles. Tell her I have no thought but of her. It's a lie: of no woman but of her: that you may say. But that you can't say. You can say I am devoted-ha, what stuff! I've only to open my

watch, and settled his hat as he was accustomed to wear it, all very methodically, and talking rapidly, but except for certain precise directions, which were not needed by so careful a housekeeper and nurse as Rosamund was known to be, she could not catch a word

he was trying to

self to have to wear the Sovereign's uniform in professing Republican opinions? Rosamund winced for her darling during her first perusal of the article. It was of the sarcastically caressing kind, masterly in ease of style, as the flourish of the executioner well may be with poor Bare-back hung up to a leisurely administration of the scourge. An allusion to 'Jack on shore' almost persuaded her that his uncle Everard had inspired the writer of the article. Beaucha

feminine sentiment regarding his political career, when personal feeling on his behalf had subsided, was, that the writer of the article must have received an intimation to deal both smartly and forbearingly with the offender: and from whom but her lord? Her n

he was bidden to have the house cle

ld that

of Romfrey that he was excluded from h

ain Baskelett, and sat down, supporti

bearing the name of Madame

ideas of discretion, which were, that he would not take shelter behind a single subterfuge; that he would try this question nakedly, though he should stand alone; that he would stake his position on it, and establish his right to speak his opinions: and as for unseasonable times, he protested it was the cry of a gorged middle-class, frightened of f

d the assumption of truth a necessity. Beauchamp hugged his politics like some who show their love of the pleasures of life by taking to them angrily. It was all he had: he had given up all for it. He forced Lydiard to lay down his pen and walk back to the square with him, and went on arguing, interjecting, sneering, thumping the old country, raising and overset

rd of late,' he said, shaking L

canism and capsizing everything in a country like Old England. It's the cat-o'-nine-tails you want, and the bosen to lay on; and I'd do it myself. And mind me, when next I catch sight of you in blue and gold lace, I'll compel you to show cause why you wear it, and prove your case, or else I'll make a Cupid of you, and

ly 'yah!' worthy of canniba

m. 'What class does a fe

Lydiard. 'He has been reading the a

y at Lydiard, but he did not stimulate the generous offer to o

ect of those art

by unseasonable tim

ike a tradesman,'

that. It's better to cla

' Beauchamp sta

and ale; for the titles he is accustomed to read

fellow, if I h

of the emptiest, with a rather

ydiard's hand, sa

no woman

hy not? I think I put on

rly! Be

d you may have t

you go down

ike the cottage, and the old man, and the dear good girl- the best of girls! if y

given her

is fatalistic, and an argument between us ends in her submitting, as if she

s your in

an "unseasonable time." I argue with her: I don't get hold of her

heart, Lydiard co

er of them aware of the o

amp perceived his old comrad

' he c

round. 'How do y

e you off

I'm rather in a hurry;

stop just

I can't. G

implest heart alive, retreated without a touc

have been generally read,' Beauch

n's minds, but gave tongue to it: you may take i

t man and me to have b

more! Don't

go: he was engaged to read Italian f

means,' Beaucha

in a London square during a space of a quarter of an hour, what of the sentiments of universal England? Lady Barbara's elopement with Lord Alfred

insensibly harden to the habit of distilling sour thoughts from their misc

fect victory, on pain otherwise of proving it a stage performance; and the victory over the world, as over nature, is over self: and thi

, his native pugnacity had been stimulated; but here, within the walls where Renee lay silently breathing, barely breathing, it might be dying, he was overcome,

ppointed of seeing my sister. She would rashly try your climate at its worst period. Believe me, I do not join in decrying it, except on her account: I could have forewarned her of an English Winter and e

dy played the dupe that he forgot there was a part for him to play. Ev

s been sitting for a

t,' said

of Roland

determined to surprise us: then you will have a gathering of

s will do it tha

ndon,' Madame d'Auff

ed by one who could not rejoi