FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162  
163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   >>   >|  
ery probability, will not be worth the finding." Leaving Timothy to go his way, I walked to the house at Lincoln's Inn, which I had before entered upon the memorable occasion of the papers of Estcourt. As before, I rang the bell, the door swang open, and I was once more in the presence of Mr Masterton. "I have a letter, sir," said I, bowing, and presenting the letter from Lord Windermear. The old gentleman peered at me through his spectacles. "Why! we have met before--bless me--why you're the rogue that--" "You are perfectly right, sir," interrupted I. "I am the rogue who presented the letter from Lord Windermear, and who presents you with another from the same person; do me the favour to read it, while I take a chair." "Upon my soul--you impudent--handsome dog, I must say--great pity--come for money, I suppose. Well, it's a sad world," muttered the lawyer as he broke open the letter of Lord Windermear. I made no reply, but watched his countenance, which changed to that of an expression of surprise. "Had his lordship sent me a request to have you hanged if possible," said Mr Masterton, "I should have felt no surprise, but in this letter he praises you, and desires me to render you all the service in my power. I can't understand it." "No, sir; but if you have leisure to listen to me, you will then find that, in this world, we may be deceived by appearances." "Well, and so I was, when I first saw you; I never could have believed you to be--but never mind." "Perhaps, sir, in an hour or two you will again alter your opinion. Are you at leisure, or will you make an appointment for some future day?" "Mr Newland, I am not at leisure--I never was more busy; and if you had come on any legal business, I should have put you off for three or four days, at least; but my curiosity is so raised, that I am determined that I will indulge it at the expense of my interest. I will turn the key, and then you will oblige me by unravelling, what, at present, is to me as curious as it is wholly incomprehensible." Chapter XXXIV I attempt to profit by intelligence I receive, and throw a lady into hysterics. In about three hours I had narrated the history of my life, up to the very day, almost as much detailed as it has been to the reader. "And now, Mr Masterton," said I, as I wound up my narrative, "do you think that I deserve the title of rogue, which you applied to me when I came in?" "Upon my
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162  
163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
letter
 

Masterton

 

Windermear

 
leisure
 

surprise

 

narrative

 

Newland

 

future

 

appointment

 

appearances


applied

 
deceived
 

listen

 
believed
 
deserve
 

Perhaps

 

opinion

 

intelligence

 

receive

 

detailed


profit

 

attempt

 

wholly

 

incomprehensible

 

Chapter

 
hysterics
 

narrated

 

history

 

curious

 

present


curiosity

 

raised

 
determined
 

indulge

 

expense

 

unravelling

 

oblige

 

reader

 

interest

 

business


gentleman
 
peered
 

spectacles

 

presence

 

bowing

 
presenting
 

perfectly

 
interrupted
 
presented
 

walked