Pelham — CompleteLytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
History
Pelham — Complete
Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
Adventure stories; English fiction -- 19th century; Great Britain -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
As I walked home, revolving the scene I had witnessed, the words of
Tyrrell came into my recollection--viz. that the cause of Glanville’s
dislike to him had arisen in Tyrrell’s greater success in some youthful
liaison. In this account I could not see much probability. In the first
place, the cause was not sufficient to produce such an effect; and,
in the second, there was little likelihood that the young and rich
Glanville, possessed of the most various accomplishments, and the most
remarkable personal beauty, should be supplanted by a needy spendthrift
(as Tyrrell at that time was), of coarse manners, and unpolished mind;
with a person not, indeed, unprepossessing, but somewhat touched by
time, and never more comparable to Glanville’s than that of the Satyr to
Hyperion.
While I was meditating over a mystery which excited my curiosity more
powerfully than anything, not relating to himself, ought ever to occupy
the attention of a wise man, I was accosted by Vincent: the difference
in our politics had of late much dissevered us, and when he took my
arm, and drew me up Bond-street, I was somewhat surprised at his
condescension.
“Listen to me, Pelham,” he said; “once more I offer you a settlement
in our colony. There will be great changes soon: trust me, so radical
a party as that you have adopted can never come in: our’s, on the
contrary, is no less moderate than liberal. This is the last time of
asking; for I know you will soon have exposed your opinions in public
more openly than you have yet done, and then it will be too late. At
present I hold, with Hudibras, and the ancients, that it is--
“‘More honourable far, servare Civem than slay an adversary.’”
“Alas, Vincent,” said I, “I am marked out for slaughter, for you cannot
convince me by words, and so, I suppose, you must conquer me by blows.
Adieu, this is my way to Lord Dawton’s: where are you going?”
“To mount my horse, and join the parca juventus,” said Vincent, with a
laugh at his own witticism, as we shook hands, and parted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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