Part 107 (2/2)
”I don't like that hum at all,” muttered Spendquick. ”Proud to have made your acquaintance, gentlemen,” said d.i.c.k, bowing.
The gentlemen thus addressed bowed low in return.
”My friend the baron thought this not exactly the time to--” d.i.c.k stopped a moment; you might have knocked down those four young gentlemen, though four finer specimens of humanity no aristocracy in Europe could produce,--you might have knocked them down with a feather!
”But,” renewed Avenel, not finis.h.i.+ng his sentence, ”I have made it a rule in life never to lose securing a good opportunity; in short, to make the most of the present moment. And,” added he, with a smile which froze the blood in Lord Spendquick's veins, ”the rule has made me a very warm man! Therefore, gentlemen, allow me to present you each with one of these”--every hand retreated behind the back of its well-born owner, when, to the inexpressible relief of all, d.i.c.k concluded with,--”a little soiree dansante,” and extended four cards of invitation.
”Most happy!” exclaimed Spendquick. ”I don't dance in general; but to oblige X--I mean, to have a better acquaintance, sir, with you--I would dance on the tight-rope.”
There was a good-humoured, pleasant laugh at Spendquick's enthusiasm, and a general shaking of hands and pocketing of the invitation cards.
”You don't look like a dancing man,” said Avenel, turning to the wit, who was plump and somewhat gouty,--as wits who dine out five days in the week generally are; ”but we shall have supper at one o'clock.”
Infinitely offended and disgusted, the wit replied dryly, ”that every hour of his time was engaged for the rest of the season,” and, with a stiff salutation to the baron, took his departure. The rest, in good spirits, hurried away to their respective cabriolets; and Leslie was following them into the hall, when the baron, catching hold of him, said, ”Stay, I want to talk to you.”
CHAPTER XIV.
The baron turned into his drawing-room, and Leslie followed.
”Pleasant young men, those,” said Levy, with a slight sneer, as he threw himself into an easy-chair and stirred the fire. ”And not at all proud; but, to be sure, they are--under great obligations to me. Yes; they owe me a great deal a propos, I have had a long talk with Frank Hazeldean,--fine young man, remarkable capacities for business. I can arrange his affairs for him. I find, on reference to the Will Office, that you were quite right; the Casino property is entailed on Frank. He will have the fee simple. He can dispose of the reversion entirely. So that there will be no difficulty in our arrangements.”
”But I told you also that Frank had scruples about borrowing on the event of his father's death.”
”Ay, you did so. Filial affection! I never take that into account in matters of business. Such little scruples, though they are highly honourable to human nature, soon vanish before the prospect of the King's Bench. And, too, as you so judiciously remarked, our clever young friend is in love with Madame di Negra.”
”Did he tell you that?”
”No; but Madame di Negra did!”
”You know her?”
”I know most people in good society, who now and then require a friend in the management of their affairs. And having made sure of the fact you stated, as to Hazeldean's contingent property (excuse my prudence), I have accommodated Madame di Negra and bought up her debts.”
”You have--you surprise me!”
”The surprise will vanish on reflection. But you are very new to the world yet, my dear Leslie. By the way, I have had an interview with Peschiera--”
”About his sister's debts?”
”Partly. A man of the nicest honour is Peschiera.” Aware of Levy's habit of praising people for the qualities in which, according to the judgment of less penetrating mortals, they were most deficient, Randal only smiled at this eulogy, and waited for Levy to resume. But the baron sat silent and thoughtful for a minute or two, and then wholly changed the subject.
”I think your father has some property in ----s.h.i.+re, and you probably can give me a little information as to certain estates of a Mr.
Thornhill, estates which, on examination of the t.i.tle-deeds, I find once, indeed, belonged to your family.” The baron glanced at a very elegant memorandum-book.--”The manors of Rood and Dulmansberry, with sundry farms thereon. Mr. Thornhill wants to sell them--an old client of mine, Thornhill. He has applied to me on the matter. Do you think it an improvable property?”
Randal listened with a livid cheek and a throbbing heart. We have seen that, if there was one ambitious scheme in his calculation which, though not absolutely generous and heroic, still might win its way to a certain sympathy in the undebased human mind, it was the hope to restore the fallen fortunes of his ancient house, and repossess himself of the long alienated lands that surrounded the dismal wastes of the mouldering hall. And now to hear that those lands were getting into the inexorable gripe of Levy--tears of bitterness stood in his eyes.
”Thornhill,” continued Levy, who watched the young man's countenance,--”Thornhill tells me that that part of his property--the old Leslie lands--produces L2, 000 a year, and that the rental could be raised. He would take L50,000 for it, L20,000 down, and suffer the remaining L30,000 to lie on mortgage at four per cent. It seems a very good purchase. What do you say?”
”Don't ask me,” said Randal, stung into rare honesty; ”for I had hoped I might live to repossess myself of that property.”
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