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Chapter 2 LADY MASON AND HER SON.

Word Count: 5305    |    Released on: 01/12/2017

will be centred in the person of Lady Mason. Such educated persons, however, will probably be aware that she is

be found convenient; but for the present let it be understood that the person and character of Lady Mason

tain. But a fall had come upon them,-as a fall does come very often to our excellent commercial representatives-and Mr. Johnson was in the "Gazette." It would be long to tell how old Sir Joseph Mason was concerned in these affairs, how he acted as the principal assignee, and how ultimately he took to his bosom as his portion of the assets of the estate, young Mary Johnson, and made her his wife and mistress of Orley Farm. Of t

gentleman with a coat of arms on his coach-panel. It would be inconvenient for us to run off to Groby Park at the present moment, and I will therefore say no more just now as to Joseph junior, but will explain that Joseph senior was not made angry by this neglect. He was a grave, quiet, rational man, not however devoid of some folly; as indeed what rational man is so devoid? He was burdened with an ambition to establish a family as the result of his success in life; and having put forth his son into the world with these views, was content that that son should act upon them persistently. Joseph Mason, Esq., of Groby Park, in Yorkshire, wa

should make any visits whatever to Orley Farm while such a mistress of the house was there;-and the daughters did make no such visits. Joseph, the son, whose monetary connection with his father was as yet by no means fixed and settled in its nature, did make one such visit, a

t, making the best of it for herself, and making it for him much better than he had ever hitherto known it. His own children had always looked down upon him, regarding him merely as a coffer from whence money might be had; and he, though he had never resented this contempt, had in a certain meas

early youth were more than ever dissatisfied, and in their letters among themselves dealt forth harder and still harder words upon poor Sir Joseph. What terrible things might he not be expected to do now that his dotage was coming on? Those three married ladies had no selfish fears-so at

d of her husband anything for herself; but in the law proceedings which were consequent upon Sir Joseph's death, it became abundantly evident that she had asked him for much for her son,-and that she had been specific in her requests, urging him to make a second heir, and to settle Orley Farm upon her own boy, Lucius. She herself stated

, an ass, an idiot, a vulgar, ignorant fool; but he was not a man to break his word. That signature to the codicil might be his or might not. If his, it had been obtained by fraud. What could be easier than to cheat an old doting fool? Many men agreed with Joseph Mason, thinking that Usbech the attorney had perpetrated this villainy on behalf of his daughter; but Joseph Mason would believe, or say that he believ

of the more respectable people round Hamworth. In all this she showed no feeling of triumph; she never abused her husband's relatives, or spoke much of the harsh manner in which she had been used. Indeed, she was not given to talk about her own personal affairs; and although, as I have said, many of her neighbours visited her, she did not lay herself out for society.

ch was nearly as large as The Cleeve property; but Sir Peregrine would not allow that he was a gentleman, or that he could by any possible transformation become one. He had not probably ever said so in direct words to any of the Mason family, but his opinion on the matter had in some way worked its way down to Yorkshire, and therefore there was no love to spare between these two county magistrates. There had been a slight acquaintance between Sir Peregrine and Sir Joseph; but the ladies of the two families had never met till after the death of the latter. Then, while that trial was still pending, Mrs. Orme had come forward at the instigation of her father-in-law, and by degrees there had grow

ause she was allowed the privilege of entering Sir Peregrine's drawing-room; but such little scandal as this was a matter of course. Let one live according to any possible or impossible rule, yet some offence will be given in some quarter. Those who k

, for those who came to know Lady Mason well, were always ready to acknowledge that she was a woman of no ordinary power. Her eyes were large and well formed, but somewhat cold. Her nose was long and regular. Her mouth also was very regular, and her teeth perfectly beautiful; but her lips were straight and thin. It would sometimes seem that she was all teeth, and yet it is certain that she never made an effort to show them. The great fault of her face was in her chin, which was too small and sharp, thus giving on occasions something of meanness to her countenance. She was now forty-seven years

t she had never thought of marrying. Indeed, one cannot see how such a woman could make any effort in that line. It was impossible to conceive that a lady so staid in her manner should be guilty of flirting; nor was there any man within ten miles of Hamworth who would have dared to

onsulted Sir Peregrine as to his school, and Sir Peregrine, looking to the fact of the lad's own property, and also to the fact, known by him, of Lady Mason's means for such a purpose, had recommended Harrow. But the mother had hesitated, had gently discussed the matter, and had at last persuaded the baronet that such a step would be injudicious. The boy was sent to a private school of a high character, and Sir Peregrine was sure that he had been so sent at his own advice. "Looking at the peculiar

acations are always timed to suit the Harrow holidays." The Perry here mentioned was the grandson of Sir Peregrine-the young Peregrine who in coming days was to be the future lord of T

nch and Italian, and possessing many more acquirements than he would have learned at Harrow. But added to these, or rather consequent on them, was a conceit which public-school education would not have created. When their mothers compared them in

would his mother-had he been less addicted to the catching of rats, and better inclined towards Miss Edgeworth's novels and Shakespeare's plays, which were earnestly recommended to him by the lady and the gentleman. But

ttle as to her son's present excellences. As to his future career in life she did say much both to Sir Peregrine and to Mrs. Orme, asking t

ue rejoicing. The heir at the time was at Christchurch; but at such a period a slight interruption to his studies was not to be lamented. There had been Sir Peregrine Ormes in those parts ever since the days of James I; and indeed in days long antecedent to those there had been knights bearing that name, some of whom had been honourably beheaded for treason, others imprisoned for heresy; and one made away with on account of a supposed royal amour,-to the great glorification of all his descendants. Looking to the antecedents of the family, it was only proper that the coming of age of the heir should be dul

n London, was her very special friend, and would give her and her son all possible aid in this direction. And what living man could give better aid than the great Mr. Furnival? But Lucius Mason would have none of the law. This resolve he pronounced very clearly while yet in Germany, whither his mother visit

t Lucius Mason said that civil engineers were only tradesmen of an upper class, tradesmen with intellects; and he, he said, wished to use his intellect, but he did not choose to be a tradesman. His mother rebuked him again, as well he deserved that she should,-and then asked him of what profession he himself h

xteen children. But Lucius Mason was ducal in his ideas, and intimated an opinion that he had a right to do what he liked with his own. Had not Mr. Dockwrath been told, when the fields were surrendered to him as a favour, that he would only have them in possession till the heir should come of age? Mr. Dockwrath had been so told; but tellings such as these are easily forgotten by men with sixteen children. And thus Mr. Mason became an agriculturist with special scientific views as to chemistry, and a philologist with the object of making that pursuit bear upon his studies with reference to the races of man. He was convinced that by certain admixtures of ammonia and earths he could produce cereal results hitherto unknown to the farming world, and that by tracing out the roots of words he could trace also the wanderings of man since the

onths, and when the fiat for the expulsion of Samuel Dockwrat

erpool,

find that it does not contain above thirty-two and a half hundredths of-of that

s it

e is working with such fictitious materials. Look at

, we always had the heaviest crops o

t the land can really produce. I will throw that and the three fields beyond it into one; I wi

rath would want

s saying, I will throw those seventy acres together, and then I will try what will be the relative

ucius. It is almost too late for

them we are always for waiting. It is that waiting which has reduced the intellectual development of one half of the human race to its present terribly

attempts as that be made by men wi

doubt he was entitled to do by his extensive reading at a German university-"capital is

, Lu

I don't boast that I possess all these things; b

u will; but should

sun be allowed full play upon the land, and nothing but the crop be allowed to grow. That is wha

have become a philosophical student, and lived respectably without adding anything to his income by the sweat of his brow. But now the matter was likely to become serious enough. For a gentleman farmer determined to wait no longer for the chemists, whatever might be the results, an immediate profitable return per acre could not be expected as o

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Contents

Chapter 1 THE COMMENCEMENT OF Chapter 2 LADY MASON AND HER SON. Chapter 3 THE CLEEVE. Chapter 4 THE PERILS OF YOUTH. Chapter 5 SIR PEREGRINE MAKES A SECOND PROMISE. Chapter 6 THE COMMERCIAL ROOM, BULL INN, LEEDS. Chapter 7 THE MASONS OF GROBY PARK. Chapter 8 MRS. MASON'S HOT LUNCHEON. Chapter 9 A CONVIVIAL MEETING. Chapter 10 MR., MRS., AND MISS FURNIVAL. Chapter 11 MRS. FURNIVAL AT HOME.
Chapter 12 MR. FURNIVAL'S CHAMBERS.
Chapter 13 GUILTY, OR NOT GUILTY.
Chapter 14 DINNER AT THE CLEEVE.
Chapter 15 A MORNING CALL AT MOUNT PLEASANT VILLA.
Chapter 16 MR. DOCKWRATH IN BEDFORD ROW.
Chapter 17 VON BAUHR.
Chapter 18 THE ENGLISH VON BAUHR.
Chapter 19 THE STAVELEY FAMILY.
Chapter 20 MR. DOCKWRATH IN HIS OWN OFFICE.
Chapter 21 CHRISTMAS IN HARLEY STREET.
Chapter 22 CHRISTMAS AT NONINGSBY.
Chapter 23 CHRISTMAS AT GROBY PARK.
Chapter 24 CHRISTMAS IN GREAT ST. HELENS.
Chapter 25 MR. FURNIVAL AGAIN AT HIS CHAMBERS.
Chapter 26 WHY SHOULD I NOT
Chapter 27 COMMERCE.
Chapter 28 MONKTON GRANGE.
Chapter 29 BREAKING COVERT.
Chapter 30 ANOTHER FALL.
Chapter 31 FOOTSTEPS IN THE CORRIDOR.
Chapter 32 WHAT BRIDGET BOLSTER HAD TO SAY.
Chapter 33 THE ANGEL OF LIGHT.
Chapter 34 MR. FURNIVAL LOOKS FOR ASSISTANCE.
Chapter 35 LOVE WAS STILL THE LORD OF ALL.
Chapter 36 WHAT THE YOUNG MEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
Chapter 37 PEREGRINE'S ELOQUENCE.
Chapter 38 OH, INDEED!
Chapter 39 WHY SHOULD HE GO
Chapter 40 I CALL IT AWFUL.
Chapter 41 HOW CAN I SAVE HIM
Chapter 42 JOHN KENNEBY GOES TO HAMWORTH.
Chapter 43 JOHN KENNEBY'S COURTSHIP.
Chapter 44 SHOWING HOW LADY MASON
Chapter 45 SHOWING HOW MRS. ORME
Chapter 46 A WOMAN'S IDEA OF FRIENDSHIP.
Chapter 47 THE GEM OF THE FOUR FAMILIES.
Chapter 48 THE ANGEL OF LIGHT UNDER A CLOUD.
Chapter 49 MRS. FURNIVAL CAN'T PUT UP WITH IT.
Chapter 50 IT IS QUITE IMPOSSIBLE.
Chapter 51 MRS. FURNIVAL'S JOURNEY TO HAMWORTH.
Chapter 52 SHOWING HOW THINGS WENT ON AT NONINGSBY.
Chapter 53 LADY MASON RETURNS HOME.
Chapter 54 TELLING ALL THAT HAPPENED
Chapter 55 WHAT TOOK PLACE IN HARLEY STREET.
Chapter 56 HOW SIR PEREGRINE DID BUSINESS
Chapter 57 THE LOVES AND HOPES OF ALBERT FITZALLEN.
Chapter 58 MISS STAVELEY DECLINES TO EAT MINCED VEAL.
Chapter 59 NO SURRENDER.
Chapter 60 WHAT REBEKAH DID FOR HER SON.
Chapter 61 THE STATE OF PUBLIC OPINION.
Chapter 62 WHAT THE FOUR LAWYERS THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
Chapter 63 THE EVENING BEFORE THE TRIAL.
Chapter 64 THE FIRST JOURNEY TO ALSTON.
Chapter 65 FELIX GRAHAM RETURNS TO NONINGSBY.
Chapter 66 SHOWING HOW MISS FURNIVAL
Chapter 67 MR. MOULDER BACKS HIS OPINION.
Chapter 68 THE FIRST DAY OF THE TRIAL.
Chapter 69 THE TWO JUDGES.
Chapter 70 HOW AM I TO BEAR IT
Chapter 71 SHOWING HOW JOHN KENNEBY
Chapter 72 MR. FURNIVAL'S SPEECH.
Chapter 73 MRS. ORME TELLS THE STORY.
Chapter 74 YOUNG LOCHINVAR.
Chapter 75 THE LAST DAY.
Chapter 76 I LOVE HER STILL.
Chapter 77 JOHN KENNEBY'S DOOM.
Chapter 78 THE LAST OF THE LAWYERS.
Chapter 79 FAREWELL.
Chapter 80 SHOWING HOW AFFAIRS
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