Page images
PDF
EPUB

I have hardly heart to recount the events which followed upon poor Kate's adventure; but they form a striking exemplification of the mysterious manner in which Providence, for its own awful and wise purposes, frequently sees fit to late troubles and sorrows upon the

virtuous.

His

and in a feeble voice whispered-" My will!-my will!"

[Oh, hasten! delay not an instant, Mr Parkinson! If you did but know what depends on your movements! Could you at this moment-oh me!catch a glimpse of the scene passing in Vivian Street!-Give her the pen, Mr Parkinson!-give her the pen!Guide her hand!—Place it upon the paper!]

and with sighs and tears, they besought | that evening reached Lady Stratton's the pitiful mercy of their unseen Hea- residence, carrying with him her will, venly Father-that He would either ready prepared for execution. relieve them, or give them patience, chief clerk also accompanied him, lest, and resignation to His will. by any possibility, a witness should be wanting. The countenances of the domestics warned him that there was not one moment to be lost; and he hastened at once into Lady Stratton's bed-chamber. There she lay, venerable old lady, propped up by pillows accumu--her long white hair partially visible from under her cap. A hasty whisper from Dr Goddart apprised him of her Old Lady Stratton had been for critical situation; and writing matesome months in feeble health, and the rials stood ready prepared in the room receipt of Kate's letter occasioned her against his arrival. She recognised infinite distress. It will be remem-him on his passing the foot of the bed, bered that she had long before effected a policy of insurance upon her life for £15,000, always intending to bequeath it, as a little portion, to poor Kate. She had many months-in fact, nearly a year and a half before-given the necessary instructions to her solicitor, Mr Parkinson of Grilston, for making her will, so as to carry into effect her kind intentions towards Kate; bequeathing also legacies of £500 a-piece to each of Mr Aubrey's little children. How it came to pass, however, I scarcely know -except by referring it to that sad superstitious weakness which makes people often procrastinate the execution of so all-important an instrument as a will; but at the time when Kate's letter arrived, that intended will had not been executed, still lying at Mr Parkinson's office. Feeling greatly indisposed, however, shortly after she had received Miss Aubrey's letter, she sent off a messenger for Mr Parkinson to come to her, with her will; and within an hour afterwards, her attendants found it necessary to despatch another messenger for her physician, Dr Goddart. Before drawing a cheque for the sum of £700, or £800, intended to be placed forthwith at Mr Aubrey's disposal, she awaited Mr Parkinson's return, that he, who managed all her affairs, might inform her of the exact balance then at her banker's. He was absent from Grilston when the messenger arrived, but was followed; and about seven o'clock

But it was too late. Before the pen could be placed within her fingersand while she was muttering something about "only a few words"-those fingers had become incapable of holding a pen: for Lady Stratton at that moment experienced the paralytic seizure which Dr Goddart had been dreading for three or four hours before. Alas, alas! 'twas all useless: pen, ink, and paper were removed. She lingered speechless, and indeed insensible, till about nine o'clock the next morning, when death released the venerable sufferer. She had thus died intestate; and her next of kin became entitled to her property-which consisted of personalty only. this event happened but two years before, Mr Aubrey and Kate would have been Lady Stratton's only next of kin: but now-alas!-Mr Titmouse was also one of her next of kin, and entitled, as such, to a THIRD of all that which had been destined to the Aubreys alone!-In what a position were the Aubreys now placed? Titmouse

Had

suspended breath testified-alas! poor Aubrey's BOND for £2000, with interest at five per cent!-an instrument which poor Lady Stratton, having always intended to destroy, latterly imagined that she had actually done so. It had, however, got accidentally mingled with other papers, which had found their way, in the ordinary course, to Mr Parkinson, and who was himself ignorant of its existence, since it lay folded in a letter addressed to Lady Stratton, till it came to light while he was sorting the papers, in obedience to the requisition of Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. He turned pale and red by turns, as he held the accursed document in his fingers; probably, thought he, no one on earth but himself knew of its existence; and-and-he knew what the deceased would have done-but his sense of duty prevailed! Of course the party entitled to sue for the principal money secured by it, together with all arrears of interest which might be due upon it, was now Mr TITTLEBAT TITMOUSE!

would directly insist on his right to which occasioned him not a little exadminister, in preference to Aubrey-citement, as his flushed cheek and and would succeed in establishing his right; for was he not equally near of kin, and moreover the creditor, to a large extent, of Mr Aubrey-who was, besides, utterly insolvent? What, then, would be the consequences of this move on the part of Titmouse? He would get into his possession all the property of Lady Stratton-and though not entitled to withhold pay. ment to Mr Aubrey and his sister of the shares due to them, he might interpose many obstacles in the way of their recovering, and make their insisting upon their rights, a pretext for his insisting on his own against Mr Aubrey, even to the uttermost extremity-All these, and many other similar considerations, passed quickly in review before the troubled mind of Mr Parkinson. His fears were soon realised by events. Before the venerable deceased had been laid in Yatton churchyard, not far from her beloved friend, Mrs Aubrey, Mr Parkinson received a letter from Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, as the solicitors of Mr Titmouse, giving him formal notice of the title of their client, and requesting Mr Parkinson to lose no time in making an inventory of the effects of her ladyship, to whom Mr Titmouse intended to administer immediately. Mr Gammon himself went down, and arrived the day after the funeral. Guess his delighted astonishment on discovering the windfall which had come to his client, Mr Titmouse, in the policy of £15,000, the existence of which they had, of course, never dreamed of!

But there was another discovery,

Surely some would have imagined this a dismal and wanton freak of Fortune-as far, at least, as concerned poor Kate Aubrey! But however Lady Cecilia Titmouse might attribute the direction of life's events to FATE, Kate Aubrey knew nothing of the existence, or actions of FORTUNE: the two words serving but as exponents of heathen ignorance, fallen upon, or effected by, those who choose to live WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD.

'Poor Kate! it was far otherwise with thee!

VOL. II.

CHAPTER III.

MR AUBREY DISREGARDS GAMMON'S ADVICE, AND BECOMES THE GUEST

OF MR GRAB.

"FLY! FLY! — For God's-sake, fly! | Mr Aubrey's hands just as the time Lose not one moment of the precious which had been fixed by Messrs respite which, by incredible efforts, I have contrived to secure you-a respite of but a few hours-and wrung from heartlessness and rapacity. In justice, much injured man! to yourself-to all you hold dear upon earth -to the precious interests intrusted to your keeping, and involved in your destruction-again I say Fly! Quit the country, if it be for but never so short a time, till you or your friends shall have succeeded in arranging your disordered affairs. Regard this hasty and perhaps incoherent note, in what light you please-but I tell you it comes, in sacred confidence, from a firm and inalienable friend, whose present desperate exertions in your behalf you will one day perhaps be able to appreciate. Once more I conjure you to fly !-From other and greater dangers than you at present apprehend. I see the rack preparing for you!-Will you stay to be tortured? —and in the presence of the incomparable beings who-but my feelings overpower me! Indeed, Mr Aubrey, if you disregard this intimation through weak fears as to its writer's sincerity, or a far weaker, and a wild notion of Quixotic honour and heroism -remember, in the moment of being overwhelmed, this note and then do justice to its writer. Your faithful, unhappy, distrusted friend,

"O. G.

"P.S.-For Heaven's sake burn, or otherwise destroy, this letter, as soon as you shall have read it."

Such was the letter which reached

Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, for pay-
ment of their bill, was expiring, and
which occasioned him, as may be
easily imagined, dreadful disquietude.
It had found him in a state of the
deepest depression-but yet vigorous-
ly striving to preserve, in the presence
of his wife and sister, a semblance of
composure and cheerfulness. More to
pacify them than to satisfy himself,
he had walked about town during the
two preceding days till nearly dropping
with exhaustion, in fruitless quest of
those who might-as a matter of busi-
ness-be disposed to advance him a
thousand pounds on his own personal
security, and on terms he scarce cared
how exorbitant, to free him, at all
events for a while, from his present
exigency. All had been, however, in
vain-indeed he had had no hopes from
the first. And what was then to be
done? His soul seemed dying away
within him. At times he almost lost
all consciousness of his situation, and
of what was passing around him. It
appeared to be the will of Heaven,
that his misfortunes should press him
down, as it were, by inches, into the
dust, and crush him. Those there
were, he well knew, who needed but
to be apprised of his circumstances, to
step forward and generously relieve
him from his difficulties. And he had
little doubt that the exact object of
Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap,
was to extort the amount of their ex-
orbitant demand from them!
where was all that to end? What
real good could it serve? Awfully

[ocr errors]

But

involved as he was already-one, | tuated by revenge? Or was he, as alone, of his friends being at that represented by Mr Quirk's letter, overmoment under a liability which must powered by his partners, and still be discharged within a few months, of sincere in his wishes to shield Mr Aunearly eleven thousand pounds-was he brey from their rapacity? Or was Mr to place others in a similar situation? Gammon suggesting flight, only as a What earthly prospect had he of ever snare? Was Mr Aubrey to be seduced repaying them? Lamentable as was into an act warranting them in prohis position, his soul recoiled from the ceeding to instant extremities against bare thought. him? What could be the other matters so darkly alluded to in the letter? Were they the two promissory notes of five thousand pounds each, which he had deposited with Mr Gammon, who at length was peremptorily required by Mr Titmouse to surrender them up, and permit them to be put in suit? They were payable on demand-he reflected, and shuddered! Might it be, that Titmouse was desperately in want of money, and had therefore overpowered the scruples of Gammon, and disregarded the sacred pledge under which he assured Titmouse that the notes had been given? Mr Aubrey rejoiced that Mr Gammon's letter had been placed in his hands by the servant, when alone in his study, whither he had gone to write a note to Mr Runnington; and resolved, for the present, not to apprise Mrs Aubrey and Kate of its arrival. The fourth day after the receipt of Messrs Quirk and Snap's letter had now elapsed. Mr Aubrey did not venture to quit the house. All of them were, as may well be imagined, in a state of pitiable distress, agitation, and suspense. Thus also passed the fifth day-still the blow descended not. Was the arm extend. ed to inflict it, held back, still, by Mr Gammon continuing thus the ". incredible efforts" spoken of in his note ?

But then came before his anguished eye, his wife-his sister-his children; and he flung himself, in an ecstasy of grief, on his knees, remaining long prostrate-and, for a while, the heaven that was over his head seemed to be brass, and the earth that was under him, iron. His heart might be wrung, however, and his spirit heavy and darkened; but no extent or depth of misery could cause him to forget for an instant those principles of honour and integrity -the very lights of life-by which all his conduct had been regulated. He resolved, therefore, to submit to the stroke apparently impending over him, with calmness, as to ruin inevitable; nor would he hear of any further applications to his friends, which, indeed, he felt would be only encouragement to those who held him in thraldom, to renew their exactions, when they found each succeeding pressure successful. Poor Kate had told him, as soon as her letter had been put into the post, with trembling apprehension as to the consequences, of her application to Lady Stratton; but did she think her fond broken-hearted brother could chide her? He looked at her for a moment, with quivering lip and eyes blinded with tears-and then wrung her hand, simply expressing a hope, that, since the step had been taken, it might be, in some measure at least, successful.

Mr Gammon's letter, as I have already intimated, filled Mr Aubrey with inexpressible alarm. Again and again he read it over with increasing agitation, and perplexity as to its true character and import-the real motive and object of its writer. Was the writer guilty of the duplicity which Mrs Aubrey and Kate had so vehemently imputed to him? Was he ac

[blocks in formation]

ing on which they could, in the ordi- | effects. All this disastrous intellinary course, receive a letter from Lady gence was conveyed in a few hurried Stratton in answer to that of Kate. lines. "Oh, my God!" exclaimed Mr 'Twas now a little past ten. The Aubrey, on having glanced over them. breakfast table had been cleared; and His colour fled, and he pressed his on hearing the agitating though long-hand against his forehead. "She is expected rat-tat of the postman a few doors down the street, Mrs Aubrey and Kate started to the window. Their hearts beat violently when their eye at length caught sight of him, with his arm full of letters, knocking at the door opposite. Oh, had he a letter for them? How long were their neighbours in answering his summons, and in paying the postage! Then he stood for nearly a minute laughing with a servant in the adjoining area-intolerable indeed was all this, to the agitated beings who were thus panting for his arrival! Presently he glanced at the packet in his hand, and taking one of the letters from it, crossed the street, making for their door.

dead!" said he in a low tone, at the same time giving Kate the letter, and hastening to Mrs Aubrey, who seemed nearly fainting. Each had uttered a faint scream on hearing his words. Mrs Aubrey swooned in his armsand Kate sat like a statue, without even glancing at the fatal letter which she held in her hand, but gazing in a sort of stupor at her brother. She was unable to rise to Mrs Aubrey's assistance-of whose state, indeed, she appeared, from her vacant eye, to be hardly aware. At length a slight sigh announced the returning consciousness of Mrs Aubrey; and at the same time Miss Aubrey, with a desperate effort, regained her consciousness, and with a cheek white as the paper at which she was looking, read it over, as well as the trembling hands in which she held it would permit her.

"This is very-very-dreadful— Heaven is forsaking us!" at length she murmured, gazing woefully at her brother and sister.

"Heavens! He has one for us!" cried Miss Aubrey, excitedly- "I sha'n't wait for Fanny !" and, flying to the front door, plucked it open the instant after the postman had knocked. He touched his hat, on seeing, instead of a servant, the beautiful but agitated lady, who stretched forth her hand and took the letter, exclaiming, "Say not so-but rather God's will "Fanny will pay you"-but in an in- be done," faltered Mr Aubrey, his stant her cheek was blanched, and she voice, and countenance, evincing the nearly fell to the floor, at sight of depth of his affliction. "God help us!" the black border, the black seal, and he added, in a tone which at length, the handwriting, which she did not at thrilling through the overcharged the instant recognise. For a moment heart of his sister, caused her to weep or two she seemed to have lost the bitterly; and if ever there was a power of speech or motion; but pre- mournful scene, it was that which ensently her trembling limbs bore her sued, ere this doomed family, slowly into the parlour. "Oh! Charles-recovering from the first stunning Agnes-I feel as if I were going to die -look"-she faltered, sinking into the nearest chair, while Mr Aubrey, having paid the postman, with much agitation, took the ominous-looking letter which she extended towards him. 'Twas from Mr Parkinson; and told the news of Lady Stratton's death, and the lamentable circumstances attending it; that as the reader has heard --she had died intestate-and that Mr Titmouse had, as next of kin, become entitled to administration to her

effects of the shock which they had just received, had become aware of the full extent of their misery. They had ever felt towards Lady Stratton-who, as has been already said, had been poor Kate's god-mother-as towards a parent; and their affection had been doubled after the death of Mrs Aubrey. Now she was gone; she who would assuredly have stood, for a little while at least, between them and ruin, was gone! And by an inscrutable and awful Providence, that which

« PreviousContinue »