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Article THE MARQUIS AND THE MASON'S WIDOW. Page 1 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Marquis And The Mason's Widow.
THE MARQUIS AND THE MASON'S WIDOW .
ALL was bustle at Donnington . The quiet of the little inn was disturbed by arrivals , and its narrow courtyard invaded by carriages of various builds and pretensions . Some were aristocratic , some plebeian . But their owners seemed actuated by one common impulse , and pressed one common inquiry .
" Had the Earl arrived at the park ? When would he leave it ? Could he be spoken with ?" There was anxiety on many countenances . Hurried and eager exclamations issued from many a lip . Many hopes and many fears were expressed . Will any one explain the spectacle ? The single word—PATRONAGE .
The object of many inquiries and many surmises was busily engaged on his part sorting papers , destroying letters , and signing certain lengthy parchments , prior to a long absence from England . Lord Moira was on the eve of starting for the seat of government in India . Thousands of miles were soon to interpose between him and the seat of his ancestors . Was he ever to return to its shades a free , unembarrassed , independent man ?
He sat in that noble library stored with no commonplace or heterogeneous array of authors . The glorious products of intellect and industry were piled around . Nor were the triumphs of art wanting . Gazing down upon him in all her beauty was the lovely but too-celebrated Nell Gwynne — a priceless portrait . Its owner might well have refused to part
with it to Russia for a sum almost fabulous in amount . Near him was a Jewish rabbi , by Rembrandt ; while over the fireplace hung the full-length portrait of a king * whom Donnington had sheltered when an exile , and soothed with the most acceptable hospitality , —the credulous and misled Charles the Tenth . Those who were with him on that well-remembered day did
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Marquis And The Mason's Widow.
THE MARQUIS AND THE MASON'S WIDOW .
ALL was bustle at Donnington . The quiet of the little inn was disturbed by arrivals , and its narrow courtyard invaded by carriages of various builds and pretensions . Some were aristocratic , some plebeian . But their owners seemed actuated by one common impulse , and pressed one common inquiry .
" Had the Earl arrived at the park ? When would he leave it ? Could he be spoken with ?" There was anxiety on many countenances . Hurried and eager exclamations issued from many a lip . Many hopes and many fears were expressed . Will any one explain the spectacle ? The single word—PATRONAGE .
The object of many inquiries and many surmises was busily engaged on his part sorting papers , destroying letters , and signing certain lengthy parchments , prior to a long absence from England . Lord Moira was on the eve of starting for the seat of government in India . Thousands of miles were soon to interpose between him and the seat of his ancestors . Was he ever to return to its shades a free , unembarrassed , independent man ?
He sat in that noble library stored with no commonplace or heterogeneous array of authors . The glorious products of intellect and industry were piled around . Nor were the triumphs of art wanting . Gazing down upon him in all her beauty was the lovely but too-celebrated Nell Gwynne — a priceless portrait . Its owner might well have refused to part
with it to Russia for a sum almost fabulous in amount . Near him was a Jewish rabbi , by Rembrandt ; while over the fireplace hung the full-length portrait of a king * whom Donnington had sheltered when an exile , and soothed with the most acceptable hospitality , —the credulous and misled Charles the Tenth . Those who were with him on that well-remembered day did