The Daltons; Or, Three Roads In Life. Volume I (of II)Lever, Charles
General
The Daltons; Or, Three Roads In Life. Volume I (of II)
Lever, Charles
English fiction -- 19th century
If we have been somewhat prolix in explaining the reasons of the young
gentleman's solitude, our excuse is, that he had thereby conveyed, not
alone all that we know, but all that is necessary to be known, of his
character. He was one of a class so large in the world that few people
could not count some half-dozen, at least, similar amongst their
acquaintance; and all of whom would be currently set down as incapables,
if it were not that now and then, every ten years or so, one of these
well-looking, well-bred, indolent dandies, as if tired of his own
weariness, turns out to be either a dashing soldier, with a heart
to dare, and a head to devise the boldest achievements, or a politic
leader, with resources of knowledge, and a skill in debate, to confront
the most polished and practised veteran in “the Commons.”
Our own experiences of our own day show that these are no paradoxical
speculations. But we must not pursue the theme further; and have only to
add, that the reader is not to believe that George Onslow formed one of
these brilliant exceptions. Whether the fault lies more in himself or in
us, we must not inquire.
If his lonely walks did not suggest any pleasant reveries, the post did
not bring any more agreeable tidings. Dry statements from Mr. Orson, his
lawyer, every young man about town has his lawyer nowadays, about the
difficulty of arranging his affairs, being the chief intelligence he
received, with, from time to time, a short and pithy epistle from a
certain noble creditor, Lord Norwood, who, although having won very
large sums from Onslow, never seemed in such pressing difficulty as
since his good fortune.
The viscount's style epistolary was neither so marked by originality,
nor so worthy of imitation, that it would be worth communicating; but
as one of his letters bears slightly upon the interests of our story,
we are induced to give it; and being, like all his correspondence, very
brief, we will communicate it in extenso.
“Oh, Norwood again!” said Onslow, as he looked at the seal, and read the
not very legible autograph in the corner. “My noble friend does not give
a very long respite;” and biting his lips in some impatience, he opened
the paper, and read:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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