A Search For A Secret: A Novel. Vol. 1Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
General
A Search For A Secret: A Novel. Vol. 1
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Inheritance and succession -- Fiction; Mystery fiction
"Let him come--I presume it is his right; but never again while I live
shall the murderer of my brother darken this door."
The Doctor half smiled at the idle threat, while Angela Harmer glanced
up at her sister from under her drooping eyelids.
"I should, perhaps, rather say," Miss Harmer corrected herself, "as long
as I am in this house; if he enter, I leave it. Harmer Place shall never
hold together for one day the sisters of Herbert Harmer and his
murderers."
The Doctor was silent, for he thought that what she said would certainly
turn out correct, for he did not deem it probable that Robert Gregory,
when he came into possession, was at all the man to invite the two
Misses Harmer to take up their abode with him.
The next night Dr. Ashleigh did not return to Ramsgate. Harry was to
arrive by the late train from the North, and after the funeral they were
to go down to Ramsgate, where it was arranged they should stop for a
week or two. After that, as we should be well able to afford it, papa
had settled to go on to the Continent for the winter with me.
Accordingly, the next day Herbert Harmer was laid in his grave in the
quiet churchyard of Sturry. Agreeably to Miss Harmer's wishes, the
funeral was celebrated with a pomp which he who had gone had never
desired for himself while alive. The hearse and mourning-coaches, each
with their four horses and tossing feathers, the man in front with the
tray of sable plumes, the mutes in long array--all was done in the best
style, and people came in from quite a long distance to see it. A good
many of his old Canterbury friends sent their carriages to join the
procession, but there were not many real mourners among those who
followed. The first mourning-coach contained Dr. Ashleigh, his son, and
the solicitor, who had arrived just as the cortège was starting; the
other coaches contained the principal tenants, who had liked their late
landlord, and who had always found him compliant and kind in the
extreme; they had, however, very seldom seen him, as since his son's
death he had gone very little himself among his tenants, although he had
always kept himself well informed concerning the affairs of each of
them. As the procession wound through the village many a blessing and
prayer was murmured for the dead man; there, indeed, he had been a
benefactor; many a sick bed, many an aching heart had his bounty
relieved; and they blessed his memory, blessed him as thousands had done
before them--thousands lying in agony in London hospitals, some never to
go out again alive, many more to be restored in health and strength to
their families; these had poured out countless prayers for the unknown
benefactor who had endowed this ward, added that comfort, or whose
munificent donations had enabled the hospital largely to extend its
benefits; and doubtless their prayers were not the less heard that no
name was uttered, and that they went up for their unknown friend.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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