Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 3

trageous blackguardism up at Fairly. It was there believed by the gentlemen, though rather against evidence, that the man was a sturdy ruffian, and an infuriated sot. The first suggestion was to d

ults upon one of his guests, announced his resolve to bring the

vell entirely into his confidence; in doing which, he only filled up the outlines of what she already knew concerning Edward. He was too useful to the lady for her to afford to let him go. No other youth called her "angel" for list

isdemeanours, assuring everybody that so splendid a horseman deserved to be dealt with differently

er bet, and saved the gentlemen from soiling their hands, for which they had conceived a pressing necessity, and they thanked her, and paid their money over to Algernon, whom she constituted her treasurer. She was call

y sword," he s

es would now act in lieu o

d Edward. "They can, apparent

hen we bring the millennium to you, I beli

to the stables was mar

his knees, like a horse when you've tamed hi

r, and her wit and ease were so admirable, that none of those who rode with her thought of sitting in judgement on her conduct. Women can make for themselves new spheres,

ll the day, was wrecked when he tried to carry on the topics where she reigned the lady of the drawing-room. Moreover, not being eccentric from van

amation) drag her to their level; and the female world, with which she was perfectly feminine, and as silkenly insipid every evening of her life as was needed t

iate, is uneasy, however deeply they may be charmed. On the other hand, she maybe guilty of pr

had she given to Algernon, that Lord Suckling should be jealous of him? And what to Lord Suckling, that Algernon should l

n came into his room and said, "I shall fight that fellow Suckling. Hang me if I can stand his impudenc

it lots of times, my dear Algy. Come; this looks lively. I w

g to her? And then she looks over at me, and I swear I'm not going to be defended by a woman. She must fancy I haven't got the pluck of a flea. I kno

said E

take a c

awyer, M

allenge for a friend

is your desire to gain her esteem by fighting with pistols. That will accomplish the purpose you seek. It will pos

his face became bright: "I say, didn't she manage that business beaut

entine and Orson! Did you bet w

enner; but w

tional five to hand ov

's t

it!" Alger

he shadow cheerfully. Pay y

ay that Sedgett-"

pared for them; and the miracle of the power of female persuasion exhibited th

uncing "by jingos" and "by Joves," to ease the sudden rush of ideas within him. "You might have let me int

eneral illuminator. Let the matter drop. Sedgett has

n, and I've done my best to stand in front of you; and as you've settled the fellow

you he had you

emember th

way of quieting him; and you see what a thrashing does for that sort of beast

et behind me, and let me be pelted," he began grumbling. "And ask a fellow for money, who hasn't a farthing! I shan't lit

present?" said Edward, provo

t's to come from! but never mind. 'Pon my soul, I pity the fox I run down here. I

ice of not excusing yourself to the squire when

tremendously b

letting the squire crow over his b

to crowing! he went a

how for you. I was rea

father is. He hasn't the squire

e; but I rather fancy you got clear with Sir Bil

it my folly. Of course (and I don't mind telling you) I used my wits to turn the point of the attack. I may be what they call unscrupulous when I'm surprised. I have to loo

, I merely said

. Just open my writing-desk there, and toss out the cheque-book. I confess I can't see why you should have objected-but let that pass. How much do you want? Fifty? Say forty-five, and five I'll give yo

ow completely upset me. If you were worried by a bull-dog, by Jove, Ned, you'd lose your coolness. He bothered my head off. Ask me now, and I'll do anything on earth for you. My back's broad. Sir Billy can't think worse of me tha

ir. Edward was fath

ly for it; you'd have to draw in advance, by degrees anyhow, look here:-There are lots of young farmers who want to emigrate and want wives and money. I know one. It's no use going into particulars, but it's worth thinking over. Life is made up of mutual help, Ned. Yo

ced from your private experience?" he observed; and Algernon c

the world?" It would be impossible to bring Dahlia to great houses; and he liked great houses and the charm of mixing among delicately-bred women. On the other hand, lawyers have married beneath them-married cooks, housemaids, governesses, and so forth. And what has a lawyer to do with a dainty lady, who wi

for in his recollection he could not divorce them. He pretended to suppose that Dahlia, whose only reproach to him was her suffering, participated in the scheme to worry him. He could even forget her beauty-forget all, save the unholy fetters binding him. She seemed to imprison him in bare walls. He meditated on her character. She had no strength. She was timid, comfort-loving, fond of luxury, credulous, preposterously conventional; that is, desirous more than the ordinary run of women of being hedged

and no less a counsellor than uncorrupted common sense, when they are in such a hobble, will sometimes advise them to be base. But, in admitting the plea which common sense puts forward on their behalf, we may fairly ask them to be masculine in their baseness. Or, in other words, since they must be selfish, let them be so without the poltroonery of selfishness. Edward's wish was to be perfectly just, as far as he could be now-just to himself as well; for how was he to prove of worth and aid to any one depending on him, if he stood crippled? Just, also, to his family; to his possible posterity;

ow on the back of his head. He looked ill when I saw him, and however mad he may be, I'm sorry harm should have come to one who is re

carried news to her, and that she was setting herself to fathom him. "You gave an emin

have ba

of her soft blue eyes, out of which a thousand

, to incite you to

ot pay the

o transparent merit; I do

," sa

, it would be as well to stop incisio

he asked i

ing an

ble? They ar

tely and cruelly the character of the boys who rushed into conflicts. Colour

his head; "if i

er is t

embodiment of gentle

n the billiard room now, an

of terriers that remember a bone. Mrs. Lovell proposed

rs. Lovell threw a jealous intentness of observation upon all the strokes made by Algernon; saying nothing, but just looking

influence at work upon them was manifested in a thaw of their stiff demeanour, and they f

ves for a claim to the chief smile. No perceptible change was displayed. She was Mrs. Lovell still; vivacious and soft; flame-coloured, with the arrowy eyelashes; a pleasant compani

tle evanescent thoughts which sway us by our chance wea

guessing that she might haply suppose him to be deficient in personal bravery. He was astounded by the reflection that she had thus misjudged him. It was distracting; sober-thoughted as he was by nature. He watched the fair simplicity of her new manner with a jealous eye. Her management of the two youths was e

called them! She rallied her partner, not letting him forget that he had the honour of being her partner; while she appeared envious of Alge

I'll have Lord Suckling for my partner any mor

malice?" said Al

one with Lord Suckling, and beat him; mind you

she and Edwa

wonder," she said. "He is soon set up

should be ready to risk

to discuss the subject w

tively the tra

must be because they know th

ing to him, and it was not spoken with peculiar emphasis; on the contrary, she wished to indicate that sh

Adeline, I pre

s me. I have nev

ll be very happy, and it was for him, a little more tha

rse, that struck you as being

point of view. She has money, and you are to have money; and the union of money and money is supposed to be a good thing. And besides, you are variable, and off to-morrow what yo

rd, meaningly, "the co

rly, I commend them to a sea-voyage-Africa, the North-West Passage, the source of the Nile. Men with their vanity wounded may discover

fancy I must try

are my

that he had utt

ave come back friends with me. The variability of opals! Ah! Sir John, you join us in

and with courteous antique grin, responded, "It is a g

nlucky; so you nev

eran in smiles, "if what you d

e drawing-room

. Lovell's ear, "He is

wered in the same key, and sw

uck through his mind, gave him a throb of de