FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121  
122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   >>   >|  
ndon the lectures for the future, for, I perceive, that to complain to a gentleman of his using compliments, only induces him to make a dozen more, in order to atone for his first offence." The young people's _tete a tete_ was interrupted by Miss Dorothea, who hated to hear any one talk but herself, asking Mr. Anthony, "If it were true that he was studying for the Church?" On his replying in the affirmative, she continued: "Your father, Mr. Anthony, is determined to let nothing go out of the family. One would have thought that you could have afforded to have lived like an independent gentleman." Anthony, who was unfortunately very sensitive on this subject, colored deeply as he replied, "My choice of a profession, madam, was not so much in accordance with my father's wishes as with my own." "Well, I must say that I think it a strange choice for a young man of fortune." "I made choice of that mode of life, in which I hoped to be of most use to my fellow creatures. The fortune to which you allude, Miss Whitmore, may never be mine." "Yes, yes; I see you are determined to look out for the main chance," continued his ill-natured tormentor. "But, to do you justice, young man, I think nature made you for a parson." This speech was greatly relished by Godfrey, who burst into a loud laugh. He secretly enjoyed poor Anthony's mortification; and, though he detested the old maid himself, he had successfully wormed himself into her good graces, by paying her some judicious compliments, in which the graces of her person and her youthful appearance had been the theme of praise. "By the by, Tony," he said, turning suddenly to his cousin, "you have received a letter from your father, and never told me one word about it. Was it a kind epistle?" "Better than I expected," returned Anthony coldly. "But I never discuss family matters in public." "Public! Are we not among friends?" said Godfrey, persisting in his impertinent interrogatories. "But you inherit a good deal of the suspicious cautious character of your father. When you grow old, I believe that you will be just as fond of money as he is. Did he offer to advance a sufficient sum to settle you in life?" "No, he did not." "Astonishing! What excuse can he give for such unreasonable conduct?" "The old one, I suppose," said Colonel Hurdlestone, laughing--"poverty." "Ha! ha! ha!" reiterated Godfrey. "Godfrey!" said Anthony, with much severity of look a
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121  
122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Anthony

 

father

 

Godfrey

 
choice
 
gentleman
 

graces

 
compliments
 

continued

 

fortune

 

determined


family
 

received

 

letter

 

suddenly

 

cousin

 
turning
 

judicious

 

mortification

 

detested

 
enjoyed

severity

 
secretly
 

successfully

 

wormed

 

appearance

 

praise

 

youthful

 
person
 

reiterated

 

paying


expected

 

Hurdlestone

 

advance

 

laughing

 

sufficient

 

excuse

 

conduct

 

Astonishing

 

settle

 

Colonel


suppose

 

character

 

cautious

 

returned

 

unreasonable

 

coldly

 
discuss
 

matters

 

Better

 

epistle