Lost Sir Massingberd, v. 2/2 A Romance of Real Life By: James Payn (1830-1898)
First Page: LOST SIR MASSINGBERD. A Romance of Real Life. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, SON, AND MARSTON, 14, LUDGATE HILL. 1864. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. OUT OF MIND, OUT OF SIGHT CHAPTER II. HARLEY STREET CHAPTER III. BEFORE THE BLOW CHAPTER IV. LOST CHAPTER V. THE STONE GARDEN CHAPTER VI. THE SEARCH CHAPTER VII. WHAT WAS IN THE COVERED CART CHAPTER VIII. THE PROCESSION CHAPTER IX. AMONG FRIENDS CHAPTER X. A DETECTIVE OF HALF A CENTURY AGO CHAPTER XI. THE BANK NOTES CHAPTER XII. A BENEVOLENT STRANGER CHAPTER XIII. BETTER THAN A BLUNDERBUSS CHAPTER XIV. THE FALSE SCENT CHAPTER XV. "LET IT BE PETER'S GODCHILD" CHAPTER XVI. TAKING THE SEALS OFF CHAPTER XVII. THE FAIRY'S WAND CHAPTER XVIII. FOUND CHAPTER XIX. L'ENVOI LOST SIR MASSINGBERD. CHAPTER I. OUT OF MIND, OUT OF SIGHT. Notwithstanding the baronet's polite invitation, and although Mr. Long did not return, as expected, upon the ensuing morning, I felt no inclination to exchange my solitude for the society of Mr. Gilmore at bowls. I was, indeed, rather curious to see the bowling green, which I had heard from my tutor was one of the very finest in England, fenced in by wondrous walls of yew; but, to arrive there, it was necessary to pass close to the Hall, and, consequently, to run great risk of meeting Sir Massingberd, my repugnance to whom had returned with tenfold strength since the preceding day. My reason, it is true, could suggest no possible harm from my having enclosed his letter to Marmaduke, but still an indefinable dread of what I had done oppressed me. I could not imagine in what manner I could have been outwitted; but a certain malignant exultation in Sir Massingberd's face when he was taking his leave, haunted my memory, and rendered hateful the idea of meeting it again. Moreover, the companionship of Gilmore, the butler, was not attractive. He bore a very bad character with the villagers, among whom he was said to emulate in a humble manner the vices of his lord and master; he had been his companion and confidential servant for a great number of years, and it was not to be wondered at, even supposing that he commenced that servitude as an honest man, that his principles should have been sapped by the communication. Those who had known Richard Gilmore best and longest, however, averred that his nature had not been the least impaired by this companionship, inasmuch as it had been always as bad as bad could be. I never saw his pale secretive face, with the thin lips tightly closed, as if to prevent the escape of one truant word, without reflecting what a repository of dark and wicked deeds that keeper of Sir Massingberd's conscience needs must be. Such men usually hold such masters in their own hands; for they know too much about them, and it is that species of knowledge which, above all others, is power. But it was not so in this case; the antecedents of Gilmore's master were probably as evil as those of any person who has ever kept a valet, but there was this peculiarity about the baronet that he cared little or nothing whether people knew them or not. When a thoroughly unprincipled man has arrived at the stage of being entirely indifferent to what his fellow creatures think of him, he has touched his zenith; he is as much a hero to his valet de chambre as to anybody else. It was Gilmore's nature to be reticent; but, for all Sir Massingberd cared, he might have ascended the steps at the stone cross at Crittenden upon market day, and held forth upon the subject of his master's peccadillos. Sir Massingberd stood no more in fear of him than of any other man; otherwise, he would scarcely have used such frightful language to him as he did whenever the spirit case had not been properly replenished, or he happened to mislay the key of his own cigar chest. It was no delicate tending that the lord of Fairburn Hall required; no accurate arrangement of evening garments ere he returned from shooting; no slippers placed in front of the fire... Continue reading book >>

Lost Sir Massingberd, v. 2/2 A Romance of Real Life By: James Payn (1830-1898)

First Page:

LOST SIR MASSINGBERD.

A Romance of Real Life.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

SAMPSON LOW, SON, AND MARSTON,

14, LUDGATE HILL.

1864.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. OUT OF MIND, OUT OF SIGHT CHAPTER II. HARLEY STREET CHAPTER III. BEFORE THE BLOW CHAPTER IV. LOST CHAPTER V. THE STONE GARDEN CHAPTER VI. THE SEARCH CHAPTER VII. WHAT WAS IN THE COVERED CART CHAPTER VIII. THE PROCESSION CHAPTER IX. AMONG FRIENDS CHAPTER X. A DETECTIVE OF HALF A CENTURY AGO CHAPTER XI. THE BANK NOTES CHAPTER XII. A BENEVOLENT STRANGER CHAPTER XIII. BETTER THAN A BLUNDERBUSS CHAPTER XIV. THE FALSE SCENT CHAPTER XV. "LET IT BE PETER'S GODCHILD" CHAPTER XVI. TAKING THE SEALS OFF CHAPTER XVII. THE FAIRY'S WAND CHAPTER XVIII. FOUND CHAPTER XIX. L'ENVOI

LOST SIR MASSINGBERD.

CHAPTER I.

OUT OF MIND, OUT OF SIGHT.

Notwithstanding the baronet's polite invitation, and although Mr. Long did not return, as expected, upon the ensuing morning, I felt no inclination to exchange my solitude for the society of Mr. Gilmore at bowls. I was, indeed, rather curious to see the bowling green, which I had heard from my tutor was one of the very finest in England, fenced in by wondrous walls of yew; but, to arrive there, it was necessary to pass close to the Hall, and, consequently, to run great risk of meeting Sir Massingberd, my repugnance to whom had returned with tenfold strength since the preceding day. My reason, it is true, could suggest no possible harm from my having enclosed his letter to Marmaduke, but still an indefinable dread of what I had done oppressed me. I could not imagine in what manner I could have been outwitted; but a certain malignant exultation in Sir Massingberd's face when he was taking his leave, haunted my memory, and rendered hateful the idea of meeting it again. Moreover, the companionship of Gilmore, the butler, was not attractive. He bore a very bad character with the villagers, among whom he was said to emulate in a humble manner the vices of his lord and master; he had been his companion and confidential servant for a great number of years, and it was not to be wondered at, even supposing that he commenced that servitude as an honest man, that his principles should have been sapped by the communication.

Those who had known Richard Gilmore best and longest, however, averred that his nature had not been the least impaired by this companionship, inasmuch as it had been always as bad as bad could be. I never saw his pale secretive face, with the thin lips tightly closed, as if to prevent the escape of one truant word, without reflecting what a repository of dark and wicked deeds that keeper of Sir Massingberd's conscience needs must be. Such men usually hold such masters in their own hands; for they know too much about them, and it is that species of knowledge which, above all others, is power. But it was not so in this case; the antecedents of Gilmore's master were probably as evil as those of any person who has ever kept a valet, but there was this peculiarity about the baronet that he cared little or nothing whether people knew them or not. When a thoroughly unprincipled man has arrived at the stage of being entirely indifferent to what his fellow creatures think of him, he has touched his zenith; he is as much a hero to his valet de chambre as to anybody else. It was Gilmore's nature to be reticent; but, for all Sir Massingberd cared, he might have ascended the steps at the stone cross at Crittenden upon market day, and held forth upon the subject of his master's peccadillos. Sir Massingberd stood no more in fear of him than of any other man; otherwise, he would scarcely have used such frightful language to him as he did whenever the spirit case had not been properly replenished, or he happened to mislay the key of his own cigar chest. It was no delicate tending that the lord of Fairburn Hall required; no accurate arrangement of evening garments ere he returned from shooting; no slippers placed in front of the fire... Continue reading book >>

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