Chapter 30 - Page 2

nearly been guilty of the temerity of arrogating
to himself another title in the presence of those he most respected: a
degree of self-elevation from which he escaped with the loss of a small
piece of his tongue. Mr. Benfield took the letter with an eagerness that
plainly indicated the deep interest he took in its contents, while Emily,
with a tremulous voice and flushed cheek, approached the steward with a
glass of wine.

"Peter," she said, "take this; it will do you good."

"Thank you, Miss Emma," said Peter, casting his eyes from her to his
master, as the latter, having finished his letter, exclaimed, with a
strange mixture of consideration and disappointment--

"Johnson, you must change your clothes immediately, or you will take
cold: you look now like old Moses, the Jew beggar."

Peter sighed heavily at this comparison, and saw in it a confirmation of
his fears; for he well knew, that to his being the bearer of unpleasant
tidings was he indebted for a resemblance to anything unpleasant to his
master, and Moses was the old gentleman's aversion.

The baronet now followed his uncle from the room to his library, entering
it at the same moment with the steward, who had been summoned by his
master to an audience.

Pointing to a chair for his nephew, Mr. Benfield commenced the discourse
with saying,

"Peter, you saw Mr. Denbigh; how did he look?"

"As usual, master," said Peter, laconically, still piqued at being likened
to old Moses.

"And what did he say to the offer? did he not make any comments on it? He
was not offended at it, I hope," demanded Mr. Benfield.

"He said nothing but what he has written to your honor," replied the
steward, losing a little of his constrained manner in real good feeling to
his master.

"May I ask what the offer was?" inquired Sir Edward.

Mr. Benfield regarding him a moment in silence, said, "Certainly, you are
nearly concerned in his welfare; your daughter"--the old man stopped,
turned to his letter-book, and handed the baronet a copy of the epistle he
had sent to Denbigh. It read as follows:

DEAR FRIEND MR. DENBIGH,

"I have thought a great deal on the reason of your sudden departure from a
house I had begun to hope you thought your own; and by calling to mind my
own feelings when Lady Juliana became the heiress to her nephew's estate,
take it for granted you have been governed by the same sentiments; which I
know both by my own experience and that of the bearer, Peter Johnson, is a
never-failing accompaniment of pure affection. Yes, my dear Denbigh, I
honor your delicacy in not wishing to become indebted to a