He
seemed determined to put it out of the power of any one to say worse of
him than he had already said of himself. In conclusion he added, "I have
sold my commission, and paid what I owed, and have very little money
left. Life, however, is not an expensive affair in the village to which
I am going. If you will allow me two hundred pounds a year I shall be
very grateful."
"I will not give you one penny, sir."
The words came thick and heavy, and with great difficulty; though the
wretched father had risen, and was standing by the table, leaning hard
with both hands upon it.
He would not look at his son, though the young man went on speaking. He
heard nothing that he said. In his ears there was the roaring of mighty
waters. All the waves and the billows were going over him. For a few
moments he struggled desperately with the black, advancing tide. His
sight failed, it was growing dark. Then he threw the last forces of life
into one terrible cry, and fell, as a great tree falls, heavily to the
ground.
The cry rang through the house. The mother, trembling in her bed;
Charlotte, crouching upon the stairs, fearing and listening; the
servants, chattering in the kitchen and the chambers,--all heard it, and
were for a moment horrified by the agony and despair it expressed. But
ere the awful echo had quite subsided, Charlotte was at her father's
side; in a moment afterwards, Mrs.
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