Part 15 (1/2)
”O my lord, my lord,” says she, ”have you heard this fatal story?”
”Dearest Matilda, what? For heaven's sake, you alarm me!
What--yes--no--is it--no, it can't be! Speak!” says my lord, seizing me by the choler of my coat. ”What has happened to my boy?”
”Please you, my lord,” says I, ”he's at this moment in prisn, no wuss,--having been inca.r.s.erated about two hours ago.”
”In prison! Algernon in prison! 'tis impossible! Imprisoned, for what sum? Mention it, and I will pay to the utmost farthing in my power.”
”I'm sure your lords.h.i.+p is very kind,” says I (recklecting the sean betwixgst him and master, whom he wanted to diddil out of a thowsand lb.); ”and you'll be happy to hear he's only in for a trifle. Five thousand pound is, I think, pretty near the mark.”
”Five thousand pounds!--confusion!” says my lord, clasping his hands, and looking up to heaven, ”and I have not five hundred! Dearest Matilda, how shall we help him?”
”Alas, my lord, I have but three guineas, and you know how Lady Griffin has the--”
”Yes, my sweet child, I know what you would say; but be of good cheer--Algernon, you know, has ample funds of his own.”
Thinking my lord meant Dawkins's five thousand, of which, to be sure, a good lump was left, I held my tung; but I cooden help wondering at Lord Crabs's igstream compashn for his son, and Miss, with her 10,000L. a year, having only 3 guineas is her pockit.
I took home (bless us, what a home!) a long and very inflamble letter from Miss, in which she dixscribed her own sorror at the disappointment; swoar she lov'd him only the moar for his misfortns; made light of them; as a pusson for a paltry sum of five thousand pound ought never to be cast down, 'specially as he had a certain independence in view; and vowed that nothing, nothing, should ever injuice her to part from him, etsettler, etsettler.
I told master of the conversation which had past betwigst me and my lord, and of his handsome offers, and his horrow at hearing of his son's being taken; and likewise mentioned how strange it was that Miss should only have 3 guineas, and with such a fortn: bless us, I should have thot that she would always have carried a hundred thowsnd lb. in her pockit!
At this master only said Pshaw! But the rest of the story about his father seemed to dixquiet him a good deal, and he made me repeat it over agin.
He walked up and down the room agytated, and it seam'd as if a new lite was breaking in upon him.
”Chawls,” says he, ”did you observe--did Miss--did my father seem PARTICULARLY INTIMATE with Miss Griffin?”
”How do you mean, sir?” says I.
”Did Lord Crabs appear very fond of Miss Griffin?”
”He was suttnly very kind to her.”
”Come, sir, speak at once: did Miss Griffin seem very fond of his lords.h.i.+p?”
”Why, to tell the truth, sir, I must say she seemed VERY fond of him.”
”What did he call her?”
”He called her his dearest gal.”
”Did he take her hand?”
”Yes, and he--”
”And he what?”