United States or Palau ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I hope not, Harry," she replied, "for ever since his illness I have found that my heart gathers about him with an affection that I have never felt for him before." "Your resolution, then, is fixed, I suppose, to leave him your property?" "It is fixed; there is, or can be, no doubt about it. Once I come to a determination I am immovable. We shall be able to wheedle Lord Cockletown and his niece."
"I shall go to Ballyspellan and put an end to her. After that we can meet old Cockletown with courage. I feel that I am a favorite with his niece, and she, you must have perceived, is a favorite with him, and can manage him as she wishes, and that is one great point gained indeed, the greatest." "No," replied his mother, "the greatest is the death of Alice Goodwin."
Having procured the documents in question, she transmitted them, enclosed in a letter, to Lord Cockletown, stating that her son Woodward, who had been seized by a pleuritic attack, would not be able, she feared, to pay his intended visit to Miss Biddle so soon as he had expected; but, in the meantime, she had the honor of enclosing him the documents she alluded to on the occasion of her last visit.
The old peer could bear this no longer. He burst out into a loud laugh, which lasted upwards of two minutes. "Faith," said Harry, "if you had such a prospect before you, I don't think you would consider it such a laughing matter." "Curse you, sir, do you know who I am?" "Curse yourself, sir," replied the other, "no, I don't; how should I, when I never saw you before?" "Sir, I am Lord Cockletown."
Woodward's next step was to pay a visit to Lord Cockletown, who, as he had gained his title in consequence of his success in tory-hunting, and capturing the most troublesome and distinguished outlaws of that day, was, he thought, the best and most experienced person to whom he could apply for information as to the most successful means of accomplishing his object.
He is the proprietor of a little fishing village on the coast, and on this account he assumed the title of Cockletown; and when he built himself a mansion, as they term it, he would have it called by no other name than that of Cockle Hall. It is true he laughs at the thing himself, and considers it a good joke." "And so it is," replied her son; "but what about the lady, his niece?"
"'Stop, said he; 'on this occasion they must go free, and on every occasion. Lord Cockletown, let him be what he may before, is of late a good landlord, and a friend to the people. His niece, too, is He then complimented me upon some trifling acts of kindness I had paid to his family when hem ahem in fact, when they stood much in need of it."
Whatever my son may do who is deeply attached to Miss Riddle I am sure I do not, nor will not, overlook it; you may rest assured of that, my lord." Old Cockletown looked keenly at her, and their eyes met; but, after a long and steady gaze, the eyes of the old peer quailed, and he felt, when put to an encounter with hers, that to which was attributed such extraordinary influence.
If I had the chance of a peerage, I would be as original as your lord-ship in the selection of my title; but I trust I shall be gratified in that, too; because, if I marry your niece, I will enter into public life, make myself not only a useful, but a famous man, and, of course, the title of Cockletown will be revived in my person, and will not perish with you.
At all events, his chief object now was to lose no time in prosecuting his suit with her. For this purpose he urged his mother to pay Lord Cockletown another visit, in order to make a formal proposal for the hand of his niece in his name, with a view of bringing the matter to an issue with as little delay as might be.
Word Of The Day