“The what?” said Foker. Blanche gave a scream.
“Yes,” screamed out the Baronet in his turn, “yes, a d——d runaway convict—a fellow that forged his father-in-law’s name—a d——d attorney, and killed a fellow in Botany Bay, hang him—and ran into the Bush, curse him; I wish he’d died there. And he came to me, a good six years ago, and robbed me; and I’ve been ruining myself to keep him, the infernal scoundrel! And Pendennis knows it, and Strong knows it, and that d——d Morgan knows it, and she knows it, ever so long; and I never would tell it, never: and I kept it from my wife.”
“And you saw him, and you didn’t kill him, Clavering, you coward?” said the wife of Amory. “Come away, Frank; your father’s a coward. I am dishonoured, but I’m your old mother, and you’ll—you’ll love me, won’t you?”
Blanche, eploree, went up to her mother; but Lady Clavering shrank from her with a sort of terror. “Don’t touch me,” she said; “you’ve no heart; you never had. I see all now. I see why that coward was going to give up his place in Parliament to Arthur; yes, that coward! and why you threatened that you would make me give you half Frank’s fortune. And when Arthur offered to marry you without a shilling, because he wouldn’t rob my boy, you left him, and you took poor Harry. Have nothing to do with her, Harry. You’re good, you are. Don’t marry that—that convict’s daughter. Come away, Frank, my darling; come to your poor old mother. We’ll hide ourselves; but we’re honest, yes, we are honest.”
All this while a strange feeling of exultation had taken possession of Blanche’s mind. That month with poor Harry had been a weary month to her. All his fortune and splendour scarcely sufficed to make the idea of himself supportable. She was wearied of his simple ways, and sick of coaxing and cajoling him.
“Stay, mamma; stay, madam!” she cried out, with a gesture which was always appropriate, though rather theatrical; “I have no heart, have I? I keep the secret of my mother’s shame. I give up my rights to my half-brother and my bastard brother, yes, my rights and my fortune. I don’t betray my father, and for this I have no heart. I’ll have my rights now, and the laws of my country shall give them to me. I appeal to my country’s laws—yes, my country’s laws! The persecuted one returns this day. I desire to go to my father.” And the little lady swept round her hand, and thought that she was a heroine.
“You will, will you?” cried out Clavering, with one of his usual oaths. “I’m a magistrate, and dammy, I’ll commit him. Here’s a chaise coming; perhaps it’s him. Let him come.”
A chaise was indeed coming up the avenue; and the two women shrieked each their loudest, expecting at that moment to see Altamont arrive.
The door opened, and Mr. Morgan announced Major Pendennis and Mr. Pendennis, who entered, and found all parties engaged in this fierce quarrel. A large screen fenced the breakfast-room from the hall; and it is probable that, according to his custom, Mr. Morgan had taken advantage of the screen to make himself acquainted with all that occurred.
It had been arranged on the previous day that the young people should ride; and at the appointed hour in the afternoon, Mr. Foker’s horses arrived from the Clavering Arms. But Miss Blanche did not accompany him on this occasion. Pen came out and shook hands with him on the door-steps; and Harry Foker rode away, followed by his groom in mourning. The whole transactions which have occupied the most active part of our history were debated by the parties concerned during those two or three hours. Many counsels had been given, stories told, and compromises suggested; and at the end, Harry Foker rode away, with a sad “God bless you!” from Pen. There was a dreary dinner at Clavering Park, at which the lately installed butler did not attend; and the ladies were both absent. After dinner, Pen said, “I will walk down to Clavering and see if he is come.” And he walked through the dark avenue, across the bridge and road by his own cottage,—the once quiet and familiar fields of which were flaming with the kilns and forges of the artificers employed on the new railroad works; and so he entered the town, and made for the Clavering Arms.