The Widow Barnaby. Vol. 3 (of 3)Trollope, Frances Milton
General
The Widow Barnaby. Vol. 3 (of 3)
Trollope, Frances Milton
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Social classes -- England -- Fiction; Widows -- Fiction
Some people told him to apply again to his father, but he thought he had
better not, and he applied to a gentleman with whom he had made
acquaintance in prison instead. This person had, like himself, been
reduced to great distress by the turf; but having fortunately found
means of satisfying the creditor at whose suit he was detained, he was
now doing exceedingly well as preacher to an independent congregation of
ranting fanatics. He bestowed on his old associate some excellent advice
as to his future principles and conduct, giving him to understand that
the turf, even to those who were the most fortunate, never answered so
well as the line of business he now followed; and assured him, moreover,
that if he would forthwith commence an assiduous study of the principles
and practice of the profession, he would himself lend him a helping hand
to turn it to account. O'Donagough loved change, novelty, and
excitement, and again manifested great talent in the facility with
which he mastered the mysteries of this new business. He was soon seen
rapidly advancing towards lasting wealth and independence: one of the
wealthiest merchants in London had offered him the place of domestic
prayer and preacher at his beautiful residence at Castaway-Saved Park,
when an almost forgotten creditor, who had lost sight of him for many
years, unluckily recognised him as he was delivering a most awakening
evening lecture in a large ware-room, converted into a chapel near Moor
Fields. Eager to take advantage of this unexpected piece of good
fortune, the tailor (for such was his profession) arrested the inspired
orator in the first place, and then asked him if he were able to settle
his account in the next. Had the manner of transacting the business been
reversed, it is probable that the affair would have been settled without
any arrest at all; for Sir Miles Morice, of Castaway-Saved Park, was one
of the most pious individuals of the age, and would hardly have
permitted his chaplain elect (elect in every sense) to have gone to
prison for thirty-seven pounds, nine shillings, and eight pence; but
being in prison, O'Donagough was shy of mentioning the circumstance to
his distinguished patron, and was employed, at the time Mrs. Barnaby
first made acquaintance with him, in composing discourses "on the
preternatural powers over the human mind, accorded to the chosen vessels
called upon to pour out the doctrine of the new birth to the people."
There is little doubt that these really eloquent compositions would have
sold rapidly, and perfectly have answered the object of their clever
author. But accident prevented the trial from being made, for before the
projected volume was more than half finished, success of another kind
overtook Mr. O'Donagough.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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