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In the broad porch, around every chaste column of which twined jessamine, rose, or honeysuckle, filling the air with a delicious fragrance beyond the perfumer's art to imitate, moved to and fro, with measured step and inverted thought, Edward Markland, the wealthy owner of all the fair landscape spreading for acres around the elegant mansion he had built as the home of his beloved ones. "Edward."
Fenwick. "The agent with whom we intrusted so much has, I fear, abused our confidence," said Mr. Fenwick, speaking calmly, and returning the steady gaze of Markland. "Who is the person who gives this information about the unpaid instalments?" asked the latter. "A man in whose word every reliance may be placed." "You know him personally?" "Yes."
Markland," said the neighbour; "to my observation, you always seemed one of the most cheerful of men." "I never was a misanthrope; I never was positively unhappy. No, I have been too earnest a worker. But there is no disguising from myself the fact, now I reflect upon it, that I have known but little true enjoyment as I moved along my way through life."
"Hark!" exclaimed Fanny, starting up at this moment, and leaning close to the window. The sound that had fallen upon her ear had also reached the ears of the mother. "Oh! it's father!" fell almost wildly from the daughter's lips, and she sprang out into the hall, and forth to meet him in the drenching rain. Mrs. Markland could not rise, but sat, nerveless, until the husband entered the room.
Within, Lady Markland was in the morning-room with her business books and papers, but not doing much; and Geoff in another, alone with his books, not doing much; thinking, both of them, of the expected visitor now riding up in a breathless white heat of excitement to the hall door. The entire house knew what was coming.
Markland was stung by this evasive reference to his daughter, for its meaning he clearly understood. Not that he had set his heart on an alliance of Fanny with this man, but, having come to look upon such an event as almost certain, and regarding all obstacles in the way as lying on his side of the question, pride was severely shocked by so unexpected a show of indifference.
Markland, soon after Mr. Willet came in. "I have not yet called over to see them, but shall do so to-morrow." "They are well, and will be exceedingly gratified to receive a visit from you," replied Mr. Willet. "How are they pleased with the country?" "That question they would find it difficult yet to answer. There is much pleasant novelty, and much real enjoyment of nature's varied beauties.
"Because," he continued, "I never had one, and I could come and talk to you when things were bad." "I hope you will never have any experience of things being bad, Geoff." He gave a glance at her face, his hands still busy among the threads and needles. "Oh no, never, perhaps but, Mrs. Warrender, if Warrender is coming to Markland to live, I wish he would do it now, directly.
I was half beside myself, and only begged him to let me speak to you freely." "And his reply?" said Mrs. Markland. "Read it;" and Fanny gave her the second letter. "Have you answered this?" inquired Mrs. Markland, after reading it over twice. Fanny moved across the room again, and taking from the same drawer another letter, folded and sealed, broke the seal, and gave it to her mother.
They draw to themselves companions of like quality, and are not satisfied until they rule a man as to all the powers of his mind. In the case of Markland, Envy made room for her twin-sister, Detraction; Ill-will, Jealousy, Unkindness, and a teeming brood of their malevolent kindred crowded into his heart, possessing its chambers, ere a warning reached him of their approach.
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