LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1098, 5 January 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

AN APPALLING APPETITE.

[From 44 Tinsley’s Magazine.”] ( Continued) A few minutes after, Grasper left for his appointment at the Court House. He was hardly' gone when Mrs Pall returned from her errand, followed by Sir Richard Greenlands, who was eagerly impatient to meet his darling Florence again. 4 My Floy ! My own sweet Floy !’ he cried, embracing the ardently beloved mistress, of his heart passionately, and imprint ing many burning kisses on her rosy lips, 4 Dearest, dearest Richard!’ she softly murmured, 4 But do not call me Floy, dear. Call me Florry or Florence. The sound of Floy has become hateful to me. Mr Grasper calls me so.’

Her lover looked at her with rapt affection, ‘Never mind, dearest,’ he said; ‘I will not call you so again. But how is this, darling ? You have been crying; your sweet eyes are red with weeping.’ He fiercely knit his brow. ‘lf that wretched old man has dared— ’ he shouted passionately. ‘ Do not, dearest Diehard,’ said Florence softly. ‘You know not how terrible you look in your anger.’ He recovered himself instantly, and, fondly kissing Florence, said affectionately, ‘lSever terrible to you, darling. But I cannot bear the thought of this old villain—■’ Florence laid her little hand on his mouth. ‘ Oh, there you are off again, you see,’ she cried playfully. ‘I will tell you, dearest Kichard, what has made me cry. You know, dear, you advised me to talk seriously to my guardian, and to protest boldly against his conduct to me.’ Here the little maiden assumed an air of great importance, and went on with impressive emphasis. ‘ Well, I have had an explanation with my guardian. Yes, you may well look astonished. An ex—plan —a -tion with my guardian ! Only think : this little body you see before you, upon whose dovelike Desdemona gentleness you have written a sonnet, has suddenly taken it into her little head to play the shrewish Katherine, and has hurled fierce denunciation and bold defiance in her dread guardian’s face, and actually scared the old man.’ Her lover looked at her with fondest admiration. ‘I do not believe a word of it, darling,’ he cried. ‘ You could not do it.’ * Yet it is true. I have done it. But I know not, indeed, how I came to do it, said Florence softly and dreamily. ‘I think it must have been dear papa’s loved likeness looking down on bis poor persecuted child.’ Here she burr-t into tears. ‘ Let me kiss Ihese tears away, darling,’ said her lover, fondly embracing her. 6 Yes, it must have been the spirit of my 1 father speaking though poor me,’ she went on; ‘ else where could I have found the words and the courage to utter them ? When it was all done and past the reaction came. I was terrified at my daring, and had a good cry over it. Yet, strange to say, I feel t v at I could dare to face my guardian again and again as boldly.’ * Bravely spoken, my own beloved,’ said the baronet. ‘ But did not the spirit of her departed lather suggest _ to my darling that her promise to him, having been given under a false impression on both aides, ought no longer to be held binding on her ?’ ‘Dearest Kichard,’ cried Florence earnestly, ‘ you surely would not have me ’ ‘Hear me out, darling. 1 must tell you that I have tried once more to wring from your guardian his consent to our union. .1 have had recourse to the strongest and most convincing argument that can be urged upon a rapacious mam But, darling', I am deeply

grieved to tell you, all in vain. There is no other hope left for me, then, but that my beloved Florence will let me persuade her to consent to dispense with her guardian’s sanction.’ ‘ Would my Ki hard, then, have me prove faithless to my sacred promise ? Have you not told me dearest, that true enduring love can be based only on esteem ? How could you truly esteem me, and what faith could you place in my promise to you, were I so lightly to forget my solemn vow to my dear departed father, simply because it may be inconvenient to remember it ? No, no. my own Richard, you surely will not farther urge this upon me. Will you now, dearest ?’

‘No, you sweet lift’e saint, indeed I will not,’ said her lover fondly. ‘lt would be a *in to cloud the pure serinity of your life with the least shadow even of a possible regret. I will consult once more w>ith my friends, Walter Grainger and Dr. Reynolds are at the Manor House on a visit. They are clever men of the world, full of resources, •iome means may surely be devised to induce your guardian ’ Here Mrs Pall ran in in great haste to tell Sir Richard that he must leave on the instant by the garden in the rear of the house, as Grasper had been espied by her at the upper end of the lane on his return home, having evidently concluded his business much earlier than Bomber had calculated.

Domber had meanwhile gone to Greenlands Manor House, iu compliance with a mjue t sent to him by Mr Walter Grainger, a rising young barrister with a rapidly growing reputation of high forens c talent, son of Mr Grainger, the late Mr Walden's solicitor.

When Walter Grainger’s message came to Domber, the perplexed clerk Pad been deeply pondering in his mind how to devise means to protect poor Florence Walden from old Grasper’s monstrous plotting, and he had racked his brain in vain ; he had found no practicable way to interfere, with any chance of success. In his then frame of mind Mr Grainger’s message came upon him as a providential hint. He saw in it more than a mere accident or a simple coincidence. Ho suddenly resolved to make a clean breast of everything to Grainger, and to submit himself absolutely to the guidance of the young barrister, whom he had known from childhood. He acted on this resolution. Walter Grainger listened most attentively to Bomber’s statement. He reflected long and deeply. 4 1 have it I’ he cried at last, bursting into a loud laugh, which very much surprised and somehow hurt the old clerk. 4 Be not offended, Mr Domber, pray, with my apparent levity,’ Grainger said gently. 4 Nothing can be farther from my intention than to make fun in any way of your long a d grievous sufferings; but I rejoice to think that I have now hit upon a means which will, I sanguinely hope, bring your tyrant to book, and set dear Florence free from his hateful power. And I must confess the nature of the means devised by me tickled my fancy so much that I could not help this unseemly laughter. You have acted wisely and honestly, Mr Domber, in giving me your fullest confidence. With your most important information about that bond, I think I see my way clear. Grasper keeps the Florentine cabinet with his papers in his own room, of course ?’ 4 Yes, Mr Grainger, which no one is ever allowed to enter.’ 4 Well, Mr Domber, you had better go back now, I think. I will send yon the minutest instructions how to act, which I request you to fodow, to the least detail even. If my plan succeeds, I promise you shall be freed from the fearful burden which has so long oppressed your life.’ 4 God grant it may turn out so, Mr Grainger!' said >’’ember fervently. 4 My etetnal gratitude—’ 4 Nonsense, man !’ Grainger interrupted; 4 nonsense. The obligation is mutual, I assure you. Now go home, and send Mrs Pall here as soon as it can be safely done without exciting suspicion. I will forward my instructions to you through her. Goodbye for the present. ’ v 7b he continued. )