for the term of his natural life-第2章

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〃By　Heaven；　sir；　you　will　not　do　this！〃　burst　out　the　young　man。

〃Silence；　bastard！〃　cried　Sir　Richard。　　〃Ay；　bite　your　lips；　the　word　is　of　your　precious　mother's　making！〃

Lady　Devine　slipped　through　her　son's　arms　and　fell　on　her　knees　at　her　husband's　feet。

〃Do　not　do　this；　Richard。　　I　have　been　faithful　to　you　for　two…and…twenty　years。　　I　have　borne　all　the　slights　and　insults　you　have　heaped　upon　me。　　The　shameful　secret　of　my　early　love　broke　from　me　when　in　your　rage；　you　threatened　him。　　Let　me　go　away；　kill　me；　but　do　not　shame　me。〃

Sir　Richard；　who　had　turned　to　walk　away；　stopped　suddenly；　and　his　great　white　eyebrows　came　together　in　his　red　face　with　a　savage　scowl。　He　laughed；　and　in　that　laugh　his　fury　seemed　to　congeal　into　a　cold　and　cruel　hate。

〃You　would　preserve　your　good　name　then。　　You　would　conceal　this　disgrace　from　the　world。　　You　shall　have　your　wishupon　one　condition。〃

〃What　is　it；　sir？〃　she　asked；　rising；　but　trembling　with　terror；　as　she　stood　with　drooping　arms　and　widely　opened　eyes。

The　old　man　looked　at　her　for　an　instant；　and　then　said　slowly；　〃That　this　impostor；　who　so　long　has　falsely　borne　my　name；　has　wrongfully　squandered　my　money；　and　unlawfully　eaten　my　bread；　shall　pack！　　That　he　abandon　for　ever　the　name　he　has　usurped；　keep　himself　from　my　sight；　and　never　set　foot　again　in　house　of　mine。〃

〃You　would　not　part　me　from　my　only　son！〃　cried　the　wretched　woman。

〃Take　him　with　you　to　his　father　then。〃

Richard　Devine　gently　loosed　the　arms　that　again　clung　around　his　neck；　kissed　the　pale　face；　and　turned　his　ownscarcely　less　paletowards　the　old　man。

〃I　owe　you　no　duty；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　always　hated　and　reviled　me。　When　by　your　violence　you　drove　me　from　your　house；　you　set　spies　to　watch　me　in　the　life　I　had　chosen。　　I　have　nothing　in　common　with　you。　I　have　long　felt　it。　　Now　when　I　learn　for　the　first　time　whose　son　I　really　am；　I　rejoice　to　think　that　I　have　less　to　thank　you　for　than　I　once　believed。　　I　accept　the　terms　you　offer。　　I　will　go。　　Nay；　mother；　think　of　your　good　name。〃

Sir　Richard　Devine　laughed　again。　　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　are　so　well　disposed。　Listen　now。　　To…night　I　send　for　Quaid　to　alter　my　will。　　My　sister's　son；　Maurice　Frere；　shall　be　my　heir　in　your　stead。　　I　give　you　nothing。　You　leave　this　house　in　an　hour。　　You　change　your　name；　you　never　by　word　or　deed　make　claim　on　me　or　mine。　　No　matter　what　strait　or　poverty　you　pleadif　even　your　life　should　hang　upon　the　issuethe　instant　I　hear　that　there　exists　on　earth　one　who　calls　himself　Richard　Devine；　that　instant　shall　your　mother's　shame　become　a　public　scandal。　You　know　me。　　I　keep　my　word。　　I　return　in　an　hour；　madam；　let　me　find　him　gone。〃

He　passed　them；　upright；　as　if　upborne　by　passion；　strode　down　the　garden　with　the　vigour　that　anger　lends；　and　took　the　road　to　London。

〃Richard！〃　cried　the　poor　mother。　　〃Forgive　me；　my　son！　　I　have　ruined　you。〃

Richard　Devine　tossed　his　black　hair　from　his　brow　in　sudden　passion　of　love　and　grief。

〃Mother；　dear　mother；　do　not　weep；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　not　worthy　of　your　tears。　Forgive！　　It　is　Iimpetuous　and　ungrateful　during　all　your　years　of　sorrowwho　most　need　forgiveness。　　Let　me　share　your　burden　that　I　may　lighten　it。　　He　is　just。　　It　is　fitting　that　I　go。　I　can　earn　a　namea　name　that　I　need　not　blush　to　bear　nor　you　to　hear。　I　am　strong。　　I　can　work。　　The　world　is　wide。　　Farewell！　　my　own　mother！〃

〃Not　yet；　not　yet！　　Ah！　　see　he　has　taken　the　Belsize　Road。　　Oh；　Richard；　pray　Heaven　they　may　not　meet。〃

〃Tush！　　They　will　not　meet！　　You　are　pale；　you　faint！〃

〃A　terror　of　I　know　not　what　coming　evil　overpowers　me。　　I　tremble　for　the　future。　　Oh；　Richard；　Richard！　　Forgive　me！　　Pray　for　me。〃

〃Hush；　dearest！　　Come；　let　me　lead　you　in。　　I　will　write。　　I　will　send　you　news　of　me　once　at　least；　ere　I　depart。　　Soyou　are　calmer；　mother！〃

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Sir　Richard　Devine；　knight；　shipbuilder；　naval　contractor；　and　millionaire；　was　the　son　of　a　Harwich　boat　carpenter。　　Early　left　an　orphan　with　a　sister　to　support；　he　soon　reduced　his　sole　aim　in　life　to　the　accumulation　of　money。　　In　the　Harwich　boat…shed；　nearly　fifty　years　before；　he　had　contractedin　defiance　of　prophesied　failureto　build　the　Hastings　sloop　of　war　for　His　Majesty　King　George　the　Third's　Lords　of　the　Admiralty。　　This　contract　was　the　thin　end　of　that　wedge　which　eventually　split　the　mighty　oak　block　of　Government　patronage　into　three…deckers　and　ships　of　the　line；　which　did　good　service　under　Pellew；　Parker；　Nelson；　Hood；　which　exfoliated　and　ramified　into　huge　dockyards　at　Plymouth；　Portsmouth；　and　Sheerness；　and　bore；　as　its　buds　and　flowers；　countless　barrels　of　measly　pork　and　maggoty　biscuit。　　The　sole　aim　of　the　coarse；　pushing　and　hard…headed　son　of　Dick　Devine　was　to　make　money。　He　had　cringed　and　crawled　and　fluttered　and　blustered；　had　licked　the　dust　off　great　men's　shoes；　and　danced　attendance　in　great　men's　ante…chambers。　　Nothing　was　too　low；　nothing　too　high　for　him。　A　shrewd　man　of　business；　a　thorough　master　of　his　trade；　troubled　with　no　scruples　of　honour　or　of　delicacy；　he　made　money　rapidly；　and　saved　it　when　made。　　The　first　hint　that　the　public　received　of　his　wealth　was　in　1796；　when　Mr。　Devine；　one　of　the　shipwrights　to　the　Government；　and　a　comparatively　young　man　of　forty…four　or　thereabouts；　subscribed　five　thousand　pounds　to　the　Loyalty　Loan　raised　to　prosecute　the　French　war。　　In　1805；　after　doing　good；　and　it　was　hinted　not　unprofitable；　service　in　the　trial　of　Lord　Melville；　the　Treasurer　of　the　Navy；　he　married　his　sister　to　a　wealthy　Bristol　merchant；　one　Anthony　Frere；　and　married　himself　to　Ellinor　Wade；　the　eldest　daughter　of　Colonel　Wotton　Wade；　a　boon　companion　of　the　Regent；　and　uncle　by　marriage　of　a　remarkable　scamp　and　dandy；　Lord　Bellasis。　　At　that　time；　what　with　lucky　speculations　in　the　Fundsassisted；　it　was　whispered；　by　secret　intelligence　from　France　during　the　stormy　years　of　'13；　'14；　and　'15and　the　legitimate　profit　on　his　Government　contracts；　he　had　accumulated　a　princely　fortune；　and　could　afford　to　live　in　princely　magnificence。　　But　the　old…man…of…the…sea　burden　of　parsimony　and　avarice　which　he　had　voluntarily　taken　upon　him　was　not　to　be　shaken　off；　and　the　only　show　he　made　of　his　wealth　was　by　purchasing；　on　his　knighthood；　the　rambling　but　comfortable　house　at　Hampstead；　and　ostensibly　retiring　from　active　business。

His　retirement　was　not　a　happy　one。　　He　was　a　stern　father　and　a　severe　master。　　His　servants　hated；　and　his　wife　feared　him。　His　only　son　Richard　appeared　to　inherit　his　father's　strong　will　and　imperious　manner。　　Under　careful　supervision　and　a　just　rule　he　might　have　been　guided　to　good；　but　left　to　his　own　devices　outside；　and　galled　by　the　iron　yoke　of　parental　discipline　at　home；　he　became　reckless　and　prodigal。　　The　motherpoor；　timid　Ellinor；　who　had　been　rudely　torn　from　the　love　of　her　youth；　her　cousin；　Lord　Bellasistried　to　restrain　him；　but　the　head…strong　boy；　though　owning　for　his　mother　that　strong　love　which　is　often　a　part　of　such　violent　natures；　proved　intractable；　and　after　three　years　of　parental　feud；　he　went　off　to　the　Continent；　to　pursue　there　the　same　reckless　life　which　in　London　had　offended　Sir　Richard。　Sir　Richard；　upon　this；　sent　for　Maurice　Frere；　his　sister's　sonthe　abolition　of　the　slave　trade　had　ruined　the　Bristol　House　of　Frereand　bought　for　him　a　commission　in　a　marching　regiment；　hinting　darkly　of　special　favours　to　come。　His　open　preference　for　his　nephew　had　galled　to　the　quick　his　sensitive　wife；　who　contrasted　with　some　heart…pangs　the　gallant　prodigality　of　her　father　with　the　niggardly　economy　of　her　husband。　　Between　the　houses　of　parvenu　Devine　and　long…descended　Wotton　Wade　there　had　long　been　little　love。　Sir　Richard　felt　that　the　colonel　despised　him　for　a　city　knight；　and　had　heard　that　over　claret　and　cards　Lord　Bellasis　and　his　friends　had　often　lamented　the　hard　fortune　which　gave　the　beauty；　Ellinor；　to　so　sordid　a　bridegroom。　　Armigell　Esme　Wade；　Viscount　Bellasis　and　Wotton；　was　a　product　of　his　time。　　Of　good　family　（his　ancestor；　Armigell；　was　reputed　to　have　la