LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2137, 30 December 1880, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE MYSTERY . OP LORD BRACKBNBURY: A NOVEL. BY AMELIA B, EDWARDS. Author of “Barbara’s History,” “Cohenham’s Vow,” &c. ( Continued. * It shall be done by a first-rate London house and in a first-rate way —leather papers, tiled hearths, carved oak furniture ; every bit in the real old Elizabethan style from top to bottom !’ Ho pronounced it BHzabethian; but Fawcett, senior, was apt to make these little slips now and then. Happly there was no one but his nephew to hoar it. 4 One thing, at all events, is certain,’ remarked the younger man ; ‘the old concern would pretty soon tumble to pieces under the present regime. Look at those chimneys and at those upper windows and at the state of tho roof over yonder it’s a habitation for bats and owls in its present condition.’

The door opened. There was a rustle of silk, a creaking of boots, and Miss Langtrey came in, followed by her niece and her lawyer. Passing the Fawcetts with a short, stiff jerk of the head, the old lady went quickly to the head ol the table and seated herself in the high-hacked chair which she was won’t to occupy at meal times. Chapter. XXVI. naboth’s vineyard. Miss Langtrey having, as it were, taken tho obair, Mr Goodban took his place at her right hand, W ioifred sat a little way back, between the window and the fire-place. The Fawcetts subsided into two ohairs that Bridget placed for them near the bottom of the table. There was a dead silent formality about the whole proceeding which was exremely disconcerting. Strange to tell, Mr Fawcett’s fluency for once deserted him. He smiled ; showed his teeth ; rubbed his hands; but had nor. a word to say. Masters of the situation as they believed thomaelves to be, the uncle and nephew both felt as if they were sitting be'ow the salt. Miss Langtrey’s solicitor a placid, sqnare-headed, mild-featured man of fiftyor thereabouts, opened the proceedings. First he pat on his glasses ; then chose a pen and tried the nib on his nail ; finally dived into a blue bag that he had placed beside him on the floor, and bringing thence a closely written paper, and said : 4 Having looked through my memoranda of this mortgage, gentlemen, it seems to me that there are only two points of special importance to be noted on the present occasion; tho first being that Mr Francis Fawcett, hero present, who was apparently the original mortgagee, is seen to have transferred his mortgage ten years ago, to his uncle. Mr John Fawcett, also hero present; the transferee taking the mortgage on the precise terms on which it was hold by tho transferrer at the time of transfer. Do I state the case correctly V This was, on the surface, a perfectly inoffensive recapitulation of plain facta ; but the Fawcetts winced under it, and Mr Goodban intended that they shonld winoe. That one word ‘apparently,’ as applied to the you- ger partner’s share in the loan, stood for 4 ostensibly,’ and conveyed a world of meaning. The allusion to the date of the transfer also carried its sting with it. In plain English, Mr Goodban would have said, ‘You, John Fawcett, screening yourself behind your nephew’s name, lent five thousand pounds to Stephen Langtrey upon the Grange property ; and when Stephen Langtrey died, and his sister withdrew her bnsiness from your firm ten years ago, you went through the formality of causing Francis Fawcett to assign the mortgage to yourself, that you might thenceforth hold it in your own name and in your own power.’ The Fawcetts knew what Mr Goodban implied as well as if he had said it in those words, and winced accordingly. When, however, be looked over his glasses and asked if the case was correctly stated, Fawcett senior was fain to swallow his wrath, and reply with becoming suavity : 4 Quite correctly, Mr Goodban.’ ‘ In the second place, I find that Mr John Fawcett, having filed a bill of fore closure against my client, Mies Langtrey, obtained a decree thereunder, calling upon her to pay the amount of principal, interest, and coats, as certified by the Master, within six months from the date of his report, or to bs for ever barred of her equity of redemption. That report was dated five months and twenty-seven days since. Am I right, Mr Fawcett ?’

• Quite right, Mr Goodban.’ 4 Yon have also given Miss Langtrey notice by letter of yonr intention to demand possession, and if necessary to enforce it by a writ of assistance I’

Fawcett, sen., coughed uncomfortably and mattered some not very audible allusion to 1 arrears and the forfeiture involved in default of payment.’ 4 Just so, Mr Fawcett—jnst so. Now, as I presume your object is to realise your security, may I enquire whether you have contemplated putting the estate up to auction?’

Fawcett, senior, shot a glance of triumph at his nephew, ‘ I am scarcely prepared to say at present,’ ha replied ; ‘ but—on the whole—l rather think not. ’

1 You probably calculate upon disposing of it privately ?' • I don’t know, sir. I really cannot say. X will—l may perhaps keep it in my own hands’

‘Ah, to be sure —and let it. Well then, Mr Fawcett, supposing you become in equity, as now in law, the owner “ de facto” of the Langtrey Grange estate, you would not, I presume, object to accept my client as a tenant ?’

‘ What —Miss Langtrey ?’ * Precisely.' This was emharassing. For once in his life, John Fawcet was actually ‘ taken < l_lwell, really—is not this proposal somewhat premature P ’ ho said, awkwardly. ‘Not at all. We are bound to look forward, and Miss Langtrey naturally wishes to end her days in the old house which has been the home of her family for more than 700 years.’ The master of the situation fidgetted in his chair, unwilling to confess that he meant to live at the Grange, feeling that they were all looking at him and not knowing how to reply. Mr Goodban took off his glasses. ‘ I put it to you, Mr Fawcett,’ he said, ‘ less as a matter of business than as a matter of—shall I say of feeling, or of justice ?’ ‘ I don’t know what you mean by “ justice,” ’ said Fawcett, taking refuge in bluster. * The place becomes mine by default of payment—that’s justice. Being mine, I dispose of it according to my pleasure —that’s justice, I don’t see why I should be called upon to promise the tenancy to a party who has always been in arrears with the interest, and who would always be in arrears with the rent. It isn’t reasonable. ’ Miss Langtrey made a movement as if about to speak ; but Mr Goodban checked her with a depreciating gesture. ‘ Your rent would be guaranteed to you, Mr Fawcett,' ha said; ‘satisfactorily and fully guaranteed. ’ Fawcett shrugged his shoulders. ‘ And if you wish to know what I meant by the word ‘justice’ I may perhaps venture to remind you that the affairs of the Langtrey family have been a source of enormous profit to the firm of Fawcett and Clarke, and that you therefore owe some consideration to the survivors.’

‘ I don’t understand your insinuations, sir,’said Fawcett, turning very red, *We worked hard for all we earned ; and if the late Squire had been dissatisfied with our charges, he could have had our bills taxed.’

‘ He did not have them taxed, at all events,’ replied Mifs Langtrey’s lawyer, referring to his paper of memoranda ; ‘ and ho paid you, first {and last, in hard cash, no leas a sum than one hundred and fortyseven thousand, six hundred and eleven pounds fourteen shillings. Truly a considerable amount, Mr Fawcett—an amount that may be reckoned at over five thousand five hundred per annum. Yon will object

that your disbursements were large. That is undoubtedly true ; but your gains were also large—very large, Mr Fawcett. ’ This array of figures was too much for Mr Fawcett’s philosophy He lost his temper, dropped his guard, and attacked. ‘ Now look here, ’he said, roughly; ‘all this is mere waste of time and breath. I don’t mean to lot the place ; and if I did, I wouldn't let it to Miss Langtrey. I don’t mean to sell it either. I mean to live in it. There’s your answer. Now to business. Mias Langtrey has had six months’ notice, and her six months will expire four days from now. She must pay, or go ; and whether I bring, or do not bring, an action for ejectment depends on herself and her advisers. Now, that’s plain speaking, and 1 hope you understand it.’ * No speaking, Mr Fawcett, could possibly be plainer,’ replied Mr Gooltan; ‘ and I am happy to say that I understand it perfectly.' Then, turning to Miss Langtrey—--4 You observe what Mr Fawcett says, my dear madam—yon most “pay” or “go.” The alternative is before you. Will you “ pay,” or will you “ go ? ” ’ Except at that one moment, when he interposed to prevent her from speaking, Mias Langtrey had all the time sat with folded hands, rigid features, and tight-drawn lips ; controlling herself by an iron effort, and biding her time. Now her time had come. She smiled a grim smile, and said with forced deliberation, but in a sharp high key that betrayed the tension of her nerves :

‘ I prefer to pay.’ There was a dead silence. The younger Fawcett caught his breath, put his band quickly befoi e his mouth and looked down ; the elder sat motionless, speechless, his defiant stare dying off into a blank bewilderment and the color ebbing slowly out of bis face.

Mr Goodban leaned back in his chair.took a furtive pinch of snuff, and said in his nrbanest manner—

‘ You hear, Mr Fawcett 7 My client prefers to pay.’

* Pay I She can’t pay,’ stammered Fawcett.

Then facing round upon Mias Langtrey, ho said, vehemently, brutally—- ‘ Y ou know you can’t pay. It’s a lie—a trick to gain time.' _ The old lady gave him one look—the first since she had come into the rcom.

* Mr Goodban,’ she said, ‘ this man is insolent, Oblige me by satisfying him that his money la ready.’ Mr (ioodban, again opening his bag, took thence a handle of docaments, a roll of banknotes and two more canvas bags full of cash, all of which he ranged before him on the table.

* As I have previously explained to you. Mica L angtrey,' ho said, ‘Mr Fawcett must not only restore the title-deeds, but reconvey the estate, and that reconveyance he is bound to execute on receipt of the money.” The elder Fawcett sat confounded. The younger, speaking for the first time, admitted that they had not “altogether expected” the business to be arranged in tins wise. The title-deeds they would hand over at once - they had them here, in fact. As for the deed of reconveyance, they would peruse it when submitted, Mr Good ban dived for the third time into the depths of his bag, and brought out a folded parchment. {To he continued .)