Part 3 (1/2)
Launcelot ht have been convicted of murder
”On these considerations, before a warrant could be served upon hier entreaties, accompanied with marks of horror and despair, prevailed upon his son to withdraw hidom until such tiaged, he would have chose to travel, but at this period, when his whole soul was engrossed, and so violently agitated by his passion for Aurelia, nothing but the fear of seeing the old gentleman run distracted would have induced hi lady, far less quit the kingdoemmen, he repaired to Harwich, where he embarked for Holland, from whence he proceeded to Brussels, where he procured a passport fro, by virtue of which he travelled to Marseilles, and there took a tartan for Genoa The first letter Sir Everhard received fronostic was not altogether verified Mr Darnel did not die i time, as it were in the arms of death, and even partly recovered, yet, in all probability, he will never be wholly restored to the enjoyed every suan to heal, his hatred to Mr Greaves seemented violence, and he is now, if possible, ainst all reconciliation
”Mr Launcelot, after having endeavoured to aination with a succession of curious objects, in a tour of Italy, took up his residence at a town called Pisa, and there fell into a deepcould rouse hientleman, God rest his soul, never held up his head after the departure of his darling Launcelot, and the dangerous condition of Darnel kept up his apprehension This was reinforced by the obstinate silence of the youth, and certain accounts of his disordered mind, which he had received fro disagreeable tidings A co with a severe fit of the gout and gravel, produced a fever, which, in a few days, brought Sir Everhard to his long home, after he had settled his affairs with heaven and earth, and eretted by all his neighbours except Anthony, and ht be said to be embalmed by the tears of the poor, to whom he was always a bounteous benefactor
”When the son, now Sir Launcelot, care, wan, and hollow-eyed, that the servants hardly knew their young master His first care was to take possession of his fortune, and settle accounts with the steho had succeededdiscussed, he spared no pains to get intelligence concerning Miss Darnel; and soon learnedlady than he desired to know; for it was becoreed upon between her and young Squire Sycas were probably confirmed under her own hand, in a letter which she wrote to Sir Launcelot The contents were never exactly known but to the parties themselves; nevertheless, the effects were too visible, for, fro creature for the space of three days; but was seen sometimes to shed a flood of tears, and so
At last he broke silence, and seemed to wake from his disorder He becaan to aain with acts of benevolence
”One instance of his generosity and justice deserves to be recorded in brass or emmen, the rector of the parish was lately dead, and Sir Everhard had proy one Sunday to ride through a lane, perceived a horse saddled and bridled, feeding on the side of a fence; and, casting his eyes around, beheld on the other side of the hedge an object lying extended on the ground, which he took to be the body of ainto the field, descried a ony Approaching nearer, he found it was a clergyown and cassock When he inquired into the case, and offered his assistance, the stranger rose up, thanked him for his courtesy, and declared that he was now very well The knight who thought there was so mysterious in this incident, expressed a desire to know the cause of his rolling in the grass in that y his curiosity 'You must know, sir,' said he, 'I serve the curacy of your own parish, for which the late incu scarce sufficient to reed to read prayers in the afternoon at another church, about four miles from hence; and for this additional duty I receive ten pounds reeable exercise rather than a toil; but of late years I have been afflicted with a rupture, for which I consulted the dom; but I have no cause to rejoice in the effects of their advice, though one of them assured me I was completely cured The malady is now more troublesome than ever, and often comes upon me so violently while I aht, and lie down upon the ground, until the cause of the disorder can for the time be reduced'
”Sir Launcelot not only condoled with him upon his misfortune, but desired him to throw up the second cure, and he would pay hienerosity confounds ht not to be surprised at any instance of benevolence in Sir Launcelot Greaves; but I will check the fulness of ood intention towards entleiven me notice to quit the premises, as he hath provided a friend of his own for the curacy' 'What!' cried the knight, 'does heany other reason?' 'Surely, sir,' replied the ecclesiastic, 'I know of no other reason I hope my morals are irreproachable, and that I have done ard; Iwhom I have lived these seventeen years After all, it is natural for every ers As for reat city, and I doubt not but Providence will provide for me and my little ones'
”To this declaration Sir Launcelothome, set on foot a strict inquiry into the character of this man, whose name was Jenkins He found that he was a reputed scholar, equally reood life; that he visited the sick, assisted the needy, cohbours, and spent his time in such a manner as would have done honour to any Christian divine Thus infor had been promised, and accosted him to this effect: 'Mr Tootle, I have a favour to ask of you The person who serves the cure of this parish is a e faed to you if you will continue him in the curacy' The other told hi that he had already promised the curacy to a friend of his own 'No matter,' replied Sir Launcelot, 'since I have not interest with you, I will endeavour to provide for Mr Jenkins in some other way'
”That same afternoon he walked over to the curate's house, and told him that he had spoken in his behalf to Dr Tootle, but the curacy was pre-engaged The good ments for the trouble his honour had taken; 'I have not interest sufficient to ive you the living itself, and that you shall have' So saying, he retired, leaving Mr Jenkins incapable of uttering one syllable, so powerfully was he struck with this unexpected turn of good fortune The presentation was immediately made out, and in a few days Mr Jenkins was put in possession of his benefice, to the inexpressible joy of the congregation
”Hitherto everything went right, and every unprejudiced person coenerosity seemed to overleap the bounds of discretion, and even in so's peace For example, he cohter of a cottager, who fellow had debauched Indeed, it seeh it could not be legally ascertained The wench took on dismally, and her parents had recourse to Sir Launcelot, who, sending for the delinquent, expostulated with hi woman, and exhorted hi his proive her three hundred pounds to her portion
Whether the far interested in this uncommon offer, or was a little elevated by the consciousness of his father's wealth, he rejected the proposal with rustic disdain, and said, if so be as how the wench would swear the child to him, he would settle it with the parish; but declared, that no squire in the land should oblige him to buckle with such a cracked pitcher This resolution, however, he could not maintain; for, in less than two hours the rector of the parish had direction to publish the banns, and the cereh we know not precisely the nature of the arguments that were used with the farmer, wefellow could not, for soht acted as the general redresser of grievances If a wo ill-treated by her husband, he first inquired into the foundation of the complaint, and, if he found it just, catechised the defendant If the warning had no effect, and the e took the execution of the law in his own hand, and horsewhipped the party Thus he involved hie sums of money He seemed particularly incensed at the least appearance of oppression; and supported divers poor tenants against the extortion of their landlords Nay, he has been known to travel two hundred miles as a volunteer, to offer his assistance in the cause of a person, who he heard was by chicanery and oppression wronged of a considerable estate He accordingly took her under his protection, relieved her distresses, and was at a vast expense in bringing the suit to a deter unfavourable to his client, he resolved to bring an appeal into the House of Lords, and certainly would have executed his purpose, if the gentlewoman had not died in the interim”
At this period Ferret interrupted the narrator, by observing that the said Greaves was a coht to be prosecuted on the statute of barratry
”No, sir,” resumed Mr Clarke, ”he cannot be convicted of barratry, unless he is always at variance with some person or other, a mover of suits and quarrels, who disturbs the peace under colour of law
Therefore he is in the indictment styled, Communis malefactor, calumniator, et seminator litium”
”Pr'ythee, truce with thy definitions,” cried Ferret, ”and -winded story Thou hast no title to be so tedious, until thou comest to have a coif in the Court of Common Pleas”
Tom smiled contemptuous, and had just opened his mouth to proceed, when the coroans, that seemed to issue from the chamber in which the body of the squire was deposited
The landlady snatched the candle, and ran into the room, followed by the doctor and the rest; and this accident naturally suspended the narration
In like manner we shall conclude the chapter, that the reader est what he has already heard
CHAPTER FIVE
IN WHICH THIS RECAPITULATION DRAWS TO A CLOSE
When the landlady entered the roo proceeded, she found the squire lying on his back, under the dohtroaned and snorted, but the sweat ran down his face in streams The perturbation of his brain, occasioned by this pressure, and the fright he had lately undergone, gave rise to a very terrible dream, in which he fancied hialloas strong upon him, when he was suddenly awaked by a violent shock from the doctor; and the company broke in upon his view, still perverted by fear, and bedimmed by slumber His dream was now realised by a full persuasion that he was surrounded by the constable and his gang The first object that presented itself to his disordered vieas the figure of Ferret, who ainst him, therefore, the first effort of his despair was directed He started upon the floor, and seizing a certain utensil, that shall be nameless, launched it at the misanthrope with such violence, that had he not cautiously slipt his head aside, it is supposed that actual fire would have been produced from the collision of two such hard and solid substances All future ility of Captain Croho, springing upon the assailant, pinioned his ar a-head, I'll soon bring you to your bearings”
The squire, thus restrained, soon recollected hi upon every individual in the apartht, for all the world, they were carrying ate, and that there was Jack Ketch coom to vetch me before uished, eyeing him with a look of the most emphatic malevolence, told hiate; and that he hoped to see the day when his dreaed of all such rogues and vagabonds But it could not be expected that the vulgar would be honest and conscientious, while the great were distinguished by profligacy and corruption The squire was disposed to make a practical reply to this insinuation, when Mr Ferret prudently withdrew hiood woonist to take out his nap, assuring hi of excellent ale, should be forthco thus fortunately adjusted, the guests returned to the kitchen, and Mr Clarke resumed his story to this effect:--