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Pemberthy; and the presence of Sophie in that house of mourning where the mourning had been speedily got over and business had begun again with commendable celerity was a considerable source of comfort to young Reuben, when he had leisure after business hours which was not always the case, to resume those tender relations which had borne to him last autumn such happy fruit of promise.
"On earth we men are hypocrites and liars, devils and slaves." "Not all men," said Sophie, thinking of Reu Pemberthy. "I have met none other. Perhaps I have sought none other all my own fault, they will tell you where my father is; where," he added, bitterly, "they are worse than I am, and yet, oh, so respectable." "You turned highwayman to to " "To spite them, say. It is very near the truth."
This, being fortunately bawled forth all at once was incomprehensible to the dwellers within doors, now all scared together and no longer cool and self-possessed. "Robbers!" said Mrs. Tarne. "We've never been molested before, at least not for twenty years or more," said Mrs. Pemberthy; "and then I mind " "Is it likely to be any of Reuben's friends?" asked Sophie, timidly.
"Such hospitality as we can offer, gentlemen, shall be at your service, providing always that you treat us with the respect due to gentlewomen and your hosts." "Trust to that," was the reply. "I will answer for myself and my companions, Mistress Pemberthy." "You give me your word of honour?"
"Oh, I do not attempt the impossible, Mistress Pemberthy." "What will be the end of this to you?" "The gallows if I cannot get my pistol out in time." He laughed lightly and naturally enough as Sophie shrank in terror from him. One could see he was a desperate man enough, despite his better manners; probably as great an outcast as the rest of them, and as little to be trusted.
"And your mother does she know?" He paused, and looked at her very hard. "God forbid." "She is " "She is in heaven, where nothing is known of what goes on upon earth." "How can you tell that?" "There would be no peace in heaven otherwise, Mistress Pemberthy; only great grief, intense shame, misery, despair, madness, at the true knowledge of us all," he said, passionately.
Mrs. Tarne was the most restless of the three women. Good Mrs. Pemberthy, though physically shaken, was not likely to be nervous concerning her son, and, indeed, was at any time only fidgety over her own special complaints a remarkable trait of character deserving of passing comment here.
And," he adds, "I find only you and you just the same fair, bright girl I left behind me long ago." "Oh no." "It is like a dream; it is very remarkable to me. Yes, it's another call, Mistress Pemberthy, depend upon it." And it is not the last call, either. The estate of Richard Isshaw lies not so many miles from Maythorpe Farm that a good long ride cannot overcome the distance between them.
"No not now. I don't think they would hurt me. Besides " "Besides what? "he asked, as she paused. "I have your word for them." "Yes," he answered; "but it is only a highwayman's word." "I can trust it." "These men can be demons when they like, Mistress Pemberthy."
He had got rid of all his relatives save two six days after his father's funeral; and those two were stopping by general consent, because it was signed, sealed, and delivered by those whom it most concerned, that the younger woman, his cousin, pretty Sophie Tarne, was to be married before the year was out to the present Reuben Pemberthy, who had wooed her and won her consent when he went down to her mother's house at King's Norton for a few days' trip last summer.
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