Nobly False (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. Gerald's Boyhood. Gerald Lindor took after his mother, who although prematurely faded, bore the traces of great beauty. A greater contrast than between the boy and his father it would be difficult to imagine, both in personal appearance, intellect, and taste. Sir Thomas Lindor, a big, burly man, had the habits of a country-gentleman of the old school, slightly varnished over by the hollow manner of modern good breeding. He shot, fished, hunted, kept hounds, betted moderately, took a great interest in the preservation of the game and the improvement of his land, and read nothing but newspapers, parliamentary reports, and books which treated of his favourite sports. He was tall and stout, with a full florid face, which betrayed his fondness for the pleasures of the table. He was a Justice of Peace as well as M.P., and many a poor fellow has trembled as he received his sentence pronounced by the hoarse, loud, imperious tones of the baronet. In politics he was ultra- conservative, a kind of Sir Leicester Dedlock in his abomination of reform or change of any kind, and like other selfish men thought there could be nothing wrong in a world where he was so comfortable. As Gerald grew up he developed, a character entirely opposite. To great personal beauty he united a remarkably studious taste and a keen sensibility, which made him look upon all field sports with aversion, as inflicting pain, on the meaner creatures. Once only he had yielded to the persuasion of his father and accompanied him to see the hounds throw off. The fox, who was half tame, would not run, and a gallant officer beat the poor helpless creature unmercifully. Gerald was so pained and disgusted with this scene that he would never again be present at a meet. Gerald had been sent to Et...