The Novels of Lord Lytton (Volume 3) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896. Excerpt: ... not but produce an unconciliatory reply. Shortly afterwards, the Squire's exasperation reached the culminating point; for, having to pass through Lansmere on a marketday, he was hooted by the very farmers whom he had induced to vote for his brother; and justly imputing the disgrace to Audley, he never heard the name of that traitor to the land mentioned without a heightened color and an indignant expletive. Monsieur de Ruqueville--who was the greatest wit of his day--had, like the Squire, a half-brother with whom he was not on the best of terms, and of whom he always spoke as his "frere de loin" Audley Egerton was thus Squire Hazeldean's "distant brother " Enough of these explanatory antecedents; let us return to the stocks. CHAPTER XI. The Squire's carpenters were taken from the park pales, and set to work at the Parish Stocks. Then came the painter and colored them a beautiful dark blue, with white border, and a white rim round the holes, --with an ornamental flourish in the middle. It was the gayest public edifice in the whole village, though the village possessed no less than three other monuments of the Vitruvian genius of the Hazeldeans, --to wit, the almshouse, the school, and the parish pump. A more elegant, enticing, coquettish pair of stocks never gladdened the eye of a justice of the peace. And Squire Hazeldean's eye was gladdened. In the pride of his heart he brought all the family down to look at the stocks. The Squire's family (omitting the frb-e de loin) consisted of Mrs. Hazeldean, his wife; next, of Miss Jemima Hazeldean, his first cousin; thirdly, of Mr. Francis Hazeldean, his only son; and fourthly, of Captain Barnabas Higginbotham, a distant relation, --who, indeed, strictly speaking, was not of the family, but only a visitor ten months ...