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Johnny Ludlow Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the Johnny Ludlow novel. A total of 580 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : Johnny Ludlow.First Series.by Mrs. Henry Wood.I.LOSING LENA.We lived chiefly at d.y.k.e
Johnny Ludlow.First Series.by Mrs. Henry Wood.I.LOSING LENA.We lived chiefly at d.y.k.e Manor. A fine old place, so close upon the borders of Warwicks.h.i.+re and Worcesters.h.i.+re, that many people did not know which of the two counties it was really in
- 101 "It is a smooth hand," she went on, never lifting her gaze. "Very smooth. You'll not have many of the cares and crosses of life.Nevertheless, I see that you have been in some peril lately. And I should say it was connected with money.
- 102 "Spend their riches!--of course I would, in a proper way. Don't you interrupt your elders, Johnny Ludlow. Where would be the use of a man's getting money unless he spent some of it. But not in _this_ way; not in the lavish and absurd and si
- 103 Pell that he was being watched? I had distinctly heard the man say he was going away directly: why had he stayed? Yes, it would be right and kind. Walking a bit further, I quietly turned back.Clement-Pell had a pen in his hand this time, and was poring ov
- 104 "Yes, sir. Is anything the matter?""Anything the matter! No. Why do you ask?""I thought you looked put out, sir.""There's nothing the matter. Only I think men of business should not be troubled with short memories.
- 105 You have heard of the avalanches that fall without warning and crush luckless dwellers in the Swiss mountains; and of malstroms that suddenly swallow up vessels sailing jauntily along on a calm sea; and of railway trains, filled with happy pa.s.sengers, t
- 106 "A year or two ago. I gave him an answer, Johnny; and I fancy he has not altogether liked me since. 'I could not think of placing even a s.h.i.+lling of Johnny Ludlow's where I did not know it to be safe,' I said to him.'It will b
- 107 A little man looked into the room just then; noting down the furniture with his eye. "None of these here articles must be moved, you understand, mum," he said to Miss Phebus."Don't talk to me," she answered wrathfully. "I am
- 108 he cried, his voice a little hoa.r.s.e with agitation, his hand grasping my arm like a vice. "I have been taking a look at the place outside"--pointing up the road towards Parrifer Hall--"but it seems to be empty."It was empty, except
- 109 "He seems uncommonly ill, sir.""Well, he _would_ come, you know, Johnny. Tell him he ought to take----"What he ought to take was lost in the rush of a wave which came das.h.i.+ng over us.After all, I suppose it was a quick and good, th
- 110 After dinner more time was lost. First of all, in discussing what they should do; next, in whether it should be done that night. You see, it was not Mrs. Pell they wanted, but her husband. As it was then dark, it was thought best to leave it until morning
- 111 "It is the red one, sir""For a steamer in sight. She is not in yet then. It must be for _her_.It's hardly likely there would be another one coming in this morning.""There she is!" I exclaimed. For at that moment I caught
- 112 "Once more I say I cannot.""Am I to understand that is as much as to say you will not?""If you like to take it so. It is most painful to me, Mr. Brandon, to have to meet you in this spirit, but you force it on me. The case is this
- 113 AT WHITNEY HALL.It has often been in my mind to tell of John Whitney's death. You will say it is too sad and serious for a paper. But it is well to have serious thoughts brought before us at certain seasons. This is one of them: seeing that it's
- 114 "I am glad it's going to be done, though. Are not you?""It won't make much difference to me, I expect. I shall not be here.""Not here!""I don't think so."His chin rested on his hands above the gate. H
- 115 "Oh dear!" cried she, flurried out of her senses, "John's going to turn rebellious now.""No, I am not," said John, smiling at her. "I mean to go without any rebellion at all.""There's my best lad,&quo
- 116 He was still looking at the sunset, which had not much changed. The hues were deeper, and streaks of gold shot upwards in the sky. Toward the north there was a broad horizon of green, fading into gold, and pale blue. Never was anything more beautiful. Joh
- 117 I dont know whether it surprised me, or not, to find the house in commotion when I woke the next morning, and to hear that John Whitney was dying. A remarkable change had certainly taken place in him. He lay in bed; not insensible, but almost speechless.
- 118 Johnny Ludlow.Second Series.by Mrs. Henry Wood.I.LOST IN THE POST.Many a true tale has been told of the disappearance of money in pa.s.sing through the post. Sometimes the loss is never cleared up, but remains a mystery to the end. One of these losses hap
- 119 Taking the packet of notes out of his pocket-book, he went over their numbers. They were all consecutive, the nine of them; and so was the tenth, the one I had taken down. He pushed his night-cap back and stared at us."Did you two get larking yesterd
- 120 "Had the note been simply abstracted from the letter, we should be at no loss to understand that a thief had helped himself to it; but a thief would not put another note of the same value in its place," went on Rymer."Well, the facts are as
- 121 Rymer was standing at his door still. The shop was empty, and there were no ears near. Tod lowered his voice, though."The truth is, Mr. Rymer, that the note, subst.i.tuted in the letter for ours, was one of those two lost by the butcher at Tewkesbury
- 122 "I think you know," he whispered."I think I suspect. Don't be afraid: no one else does: and I'll never drop a hint to mortal man."Putting my hand into his that he might feel its clasp, he took it as it was meant, and wrung it
- 123 Looking at him as he sat there, the firelight playing upon his worn face with its subdued spirit, you might have seen it was true--that his life had been a continuous trouble. Was he born to it? or did it only come upon him through marrying Susannah Bates
- 124 One day, when we were again staying at Crabb Cot, I had to call at the shop for a box of "Household Pills," Rymer's own making. When any one was ailing at home, Mrs. Todhetley would administer a dose of these pills. But that Rymer was so co
- 125 "Not to anybody," answered Lee. "I thought I'd better bring it up here, sir, to begin with.""And you'd better let it stop here to end with," retorted the Squire."That's my best advice to you, Lee. My goodn
- 126 Rymer shook his head. He did not doubt the Squire's friendly feeling, but thought it was out of his hands. He told me all he knew about it."Benjamin came to me yesterday morning in a great flurry, saying something was wrong, and he must absent h
- 127 "She have had a nasty attack of--what was it?--neuralgy, I think she called it, and been obliged to go to a doctor," answered Hester Reed."That's why they gave her the holiday. She was very well while she was here."I had stood at
- 128 "Poison!" cried she. "How can you think of such a thing, sir!""I tell you that to the best of my belief these children have both died from some irritant poison," a.s.serted Duffham, coolly imperative. "I ask what you hav
- 129 "What do you mean, Dovey?""What do I mean! Ain't my meaning plain? Do you own to having selled a box of pills to Hester Reed last winter?--be you thinking to eat that there fact, and deny of it? Come, Abel Crew!""I remember i
- 130 "In course it were, sir. My other children ate plenty of it. _Their_ appet.i.tes didn't fail 'em.""Where did you get the warm water from that you say you soaked the bread in?""Out o' the tea-kettle, sir. The water w
- 131 But when she did so, and was further questioned, she only kept to what she had said before, strenuously denying that the box _could_ have been changed. It had never been touched by any hands but her own while it stood in its place on the press, and had ne
- 132 The verdict was not arrived at that day. When other witnesses had been examined, the coroner addressed the jury. Ten of them listened deferentially, and were quite prepared to return a verdict of Manslaughter against Abel Crew; seemed red-hot to do it, in
- 133 "Jones says he has the coroner's orders for it," answered Gibbon."Look here, I know a bit about law, and I know a man oughtn't to be shut up till some charge is brought again' him," contended Figg. "Crew's pill
- 134 And we had an audience round us before the words were well spoken. To see the lock-up made fast when there was a prisoner within it, was always a coveted recreation in Piefinch Cut. Several individuals had come running up; not to speak of children from th
- 135 "Why, you see, the mischief must have lain between that beetle-powder and Crew's pills. As Crew is so careful a man, I don't think it could have been the pills; and that's the truth.""But how could the beetle-powder have got
- 136 "You are absolutely certain, Mrs. Reed, that these pills, from which you took out two to give the deceased children, were the very self-same pills you had from Abel Crew?""I be sure and certain of it, sir. n.o.body never put a finger upon t
- 137 she answered; going in for a slight instalment of s.h.i.+vering there and then. "It might ha' come to hanging. Leastways, that's what I've been dreaming of."V.ROBERT ASHTON'S WEDDING-DAY.The hall-clock was striking half-past
- 138 As if in obedience she ate a little of the pudding, cut a quarter of the mince-pie with her fork, and ate that."There, Johnny, that's quite enough for 'luck.' Go back now to your dinner; I dare say you've not had any pudding yours
- 139 On we went, wading through the snow. Some of us looked round for the ghost's light, and did not see it. But rumour said that it never came on a bright moonlit night. Here we were at last!--at the foot of the other zigzag. But Robert Ashton wasn'
- 140 "Tom," said he, virtually giving in, "I think we had better talk to the police. Here's one coming along now."When the policeman was abreast, the Squire took his hands from his pockets, and pinned the man by his b.u.t.ton-hole.&quo
- 141 "Quite right, Johnny. You did not think it could be wrong, did you?""You are out on bail?""Out for good. There has been no real damage done. I wonder where Jane is?""I'll take you to her. She has been wis.h.i.+ng sh
- 142 "She wouldn't let it come.""I wouldn't have minded her saying that. A fortnight-old baby lying in the shed in this cold!""I don't think it will make much difference in the long-run, whether the baby stays in the she
- 143 "Goodness, Jane, I wish you'd exercise your common sense," cried Mrs.Coney, losing patience. "I tell you she _is_ an outcast, and has forfeited home and friends. She has been a great sinner.""Mother, if she had a home and fri
- 144 The church stood on the right between Timberdale Court and the village.A regular mob of children seemed to be pressing round the gate of the churchyard. I went to look, leaving Mrs. Coney standing.Charles Ashton was coming out of the church in his surplic
- 145 I did not go: one invited me, and another invited me, and it was two months, good, before I went down. Ah me! I heard no more of George; he had got into some trouble in London, and was afraid to let it be known where he was. I have never heard of him or h
- 146 "As Mr. Bird's fault; not yours," corrected Robert--who, strange perhaps to say, observed courtesy of speech towards Bird when talking with Lucy: giving him in general a handle to his name. It might have sounded ironical, but that he couldn
- 147 "It is the custom in France, sir, I a.s.sure you. And, besides, I am to you a stranger.""Not altogether a stranger; I believe I know something of your mother's family," said Dr. Frost. "How came your father to fix upon my sch
- 148 On the whole, Van Rheyn was not liked. Once let a school set itself against a new fellow at first--and Van Rheyn's queer appearance had done that much for him--it takes a long time to bring matters round--if they ever are brought round at all. When h
- 149 "Why should I not wear it?" said Van Rheyn. "What harm does it do me, this? It was my poor Aunt Annette's. The last time we went to the Aunt Claribelle's to see her, when the hope of her was gone, she put the cross into my hand, a
- 150 "It cost a great deal to buy, I have heard my aunt say. Will you be so good as to give it me, that I may finish to dress myself?"Whitney handed him the cross. Time was up, in fact; and we had to make a race for the house. Van Rheyn was catching
- 151 "But I want to be in at what they call the death.""There'll be no death to-day: the hare's safe to win.""I want to keep up," he answered, getting over the stile. "I said I could keep up, and do what the rest di
- 152 "I could remember it if I tried.""Well, I'll give you the sixpence. And look here--here's another sixpence. It is all the money I have. That shall be yours also, when you have done the errand."I slipped one of the sixpences b
- 153 "You should go by train: you should not walk," said Mrs. Todhetley."I had not the money just by me, ma'am," she answered. "It 'ud cost two s.h.i.+llings or half-a-crown. My daughter sent word I was to take the train and
- 154 "They looked----" and there the young speaker came to a standstill."Come, f.a.n.n.y Fairfax!" cried Miss Timmens, sharply. "What d'you stop for? I ask you what the earrings looked like. You must be able to tell if you saw the
- 155 When I got back with the paper and pills, the advertis.e.m.e.nt was finished. It concluded with an offer of 5 reward. Applications to be made to Mr. Sergeant Cripp, or to Squire Todhetley of Crabb Cot. And, leaving it at the offices of the _Herald_, _Jour
- 156 "Keep up your heart, my dear," she whispered. "Things may grow brighter for you some time."When I got back, Mr. Eccles had nearly finished the sirloin, some cheese, and a large tankard of ale. The Squire sat by, hospitably pressing him
- 157 "You did not carry it off with you, I suppose!" interrupted wrathful Molly; who had come in to get some eggs, under pretence that the batter-pudding was waiting for them.And whether it was Molly's sharp and significant tone, or our silence
- 158 "It was not stolen at all, then?""Not at all, Cripp. And the poor creature we suspected of taking it proves to be a very respectable old body indeed, nothing of the tramp about her. You--you have not gone any lengths yet with that professio
- 159 "Why, here's Lady Chava.s.se's name in it!" I exclaimed, glancing over the papers. "Is it about _her_?""You'll see who it's about and who it's not about, Johnny," he answered, rolling them up again. &
- 160 She paused before answering, taken aback by his looks, as she described it afterwards, for he put her in mind of Sir Peter. It was as nice a face as Sir Peter's used to be, clean-shaved, except for the light whiskers: and if those were not Sir Peter&
- 161 Of course, Sir Geoffry, when he awoke to the truth--that it was love--ought to have gone away, or have contrived to get his mother to dismiss Miss Layne. He did nothing of the sort. And for this, some people--Duffham for one--held him even more to blame t
- 162 "I have liked her as my servant," said Lady Chava.s.se, scornfully."Pardon me, you have liked her as a lady. Do you remember once saying--it was when she first came--that if you had had a daughter you could have wished her to be just like M
- 163 "I heard you say you were going to call on Mrs. Layne. Geoffry, this must not be.""_Not be!_" he repeated, in surprise. "Mother, I am obeying you in all essential things; but you cannot wish to reduce me to an utter craven. I owe
- 164 [1] But old Mrs. Layne did not burn the letter: or else it would never have found its way into Duffham's collection. She was content to put it off from day to day just as people do put things off; and it was never done.--J.L.[_From Miss Mary Layne�
- 165 So in the middle of the village, at Mr. Duffham's door, Giles pulled up.The surgeon, seeing who it was, came out, and handed his visitor indoors.Lady Chava.s.se had not enjoyed a gossip with Mr. Duffham since before her last absence from home. She ra
- 166 There is no safeguard like this seed sown in childhood: if withheld, nothing can replace it in after-life.They grew the best and greatest friends, these two. Whether Mary loved him, or not, she did not say; she was ever patient and thoughtful with him, wi
- 167 He sat down on the bank for a moment to obtain a better hold of the child. Blood was dripping from one of the little velvet sleeves. Sir Geoffry, carrying him as gently as was possible, made all haste to the house. The window of what had been the garden-p
- 168 Layne. She was sitting in her easy-chair near, as she had been previously; her spectacles keeping the place between the leaves of the closed Bible, which she had again taken on her lap; her withered hands, in their black lace mittens and frilled white ruf
- 169 Sir Geoffry cast his thoughts back. He could not remember anything about the child's coming to Church d.y.k.ely. In point of fact, the Grange had been empty at the time."I understood that the child was one of Captain and Mrs. Layne's,"
- 170 "Why, Geoffry! have you got out _that_ old desk?"Sir Geoffry smiled as he carried it to its obscure place in a dark corner of the library. When he was about twelve years old, and they were pa.s.sing through London, he went to the Lowther Arcade
- 171 Lady Rachel turned her very light eyes upon her husband: eyes in which there often sat a peevish expression. It was not discernible at the present moment: they were coldly calm."Don't you think you shall be quite well by Christmas?""I
- 172 "I will never believe it, Geoffry. It _cannot be_.""It _is_, mother."He was leaning against the embrasure of the window as he stood, watching the boy in the distance throwing morsels of biscuit right into the peac.o.c.k's mouth, c
- 173 "Had it been likely to do so, Lady Chava.s.se, I should have sent him to one long ago."She gathered her mantle of purple velvet about her as she rose up, and went out of the room in silence, giving Duffham her hand in token of friends.h.i.+p.Duf
- 174 "It is our turn to part now, Mary. I must be gone."Her sweet face was almost distorted with the efforts she had been making to keep down emotion before the child. She burst into tears, as her hand met Sir Geoffry's."G.o.d bless you! G.
- 175 That's all at last. You must be glad of it. Old Duffham shall not lead me blindfold into one of his spun-out histories again. The trouble I've had to cut it down! What with the diaries and letters, it was twice as long.And he called it a tale of
- 176 "By Jove!"The sun had come out. Come out, and we had never noticed it. It was s.h.i.+ning as brightly as could be on the slates of all the houses. The rain had ceased."I say, we shall have the review yet!" cried Dan. "And, by Jupi
- 177 King's donkey regaled himself with morsels of herbage, the donkey-boy lay stretched beside him, and we boys raced about. When an hour or two had pa.s.sed, and we were as hot as fire and more hungry than hunters, we bethought ourselves of dinner. King
- 178 King came to as they lifted him, and walked a few steps; but looked around and fell aside as though his head were dazed. Dr. Teal thought that there was not much the matter, and that he might be conveyed to Worcester. Ferrar helped to carry him down the h
- 179 All sorts of nonsense ran about the town. It was reported that there had been a fight with the Frogs on Malvern Hill, during which King had been pitched over. This was only laughed at by those who knew how foundationless it was. Not a shadow of cause exis
- 180 Ferrar was not there. And Mr. Jones, speaking up, said he had seen nothing of Ferrar since the previous day. He was informed that he had taken French leave to go off somewhere--which kind of leave, in point of fact, he added, Master Ferrar was much in the
- 181 "No, sir, I did not see any; not one. The hills about there seemed as lonely as could be.""Which way did you take when you left him?""I ran straight past St. Ann's, and got on to the part that divides the Worcesters.h.i.+re b
- 182 "You have been punished often, Mark Ferrar, for going off on these expeditions?" cried one of the jury."I used to be, sir. Father has leathered me for it at home, and Clerk Jones at school. I can't do without going out a bit. I wish I
- 183 "Dan grieves after his brother dreadfully: they were always companions, you see," said the captain. "He has foolish fancies also: thinks he sees King continually. We have had to put him to sleep with Fred downstairs, for nothing would persu
- 184 "Dan Sanker must have been mad," observed the Squire."Yes, sir, I think he was; leastways not right. In a day or two he had to be fastened down in his berth with brain-fever, and Mr. Conroy said that as he had known me in the past days I ha
- 185 "Don't you go and say again I was asleep! He must have stepped back and got away through these laurels; yes, here are the marks. I say, Tom"--dropping my voice to a whisper--"perhaps he's here now.""We'll soon see t
- 186 The curate did not seem in the least put out, but talked back again, quietly and freely. I sat balancing the tongs over the fender and listening."Miss Rymer is not my equal, you say," observed Sale. "I don't know that. Her father was a
- 187 It had come to Margaret's knowledge that during the past few months her mother had occasionally written to Benjamin. But Mrs. Rymer would not allow Margaret to write or give her his address. It chanced, however, that about a fortnight ago Mrs. Rymer
- 188 "Yes; Herbert Tanerton knows of it; and--and the curate, Mr. Sale."And I told him what had pa.s.sed only on the previous day, softening the Rector's speeches--and it seemed a curious coincidence, taken with this visit of Ben's, that it
- 189 "I hope he has gone early enough!" said I, feeling disappointed. "Why, the races won't begin for hours yet.""Well, sir," she said, "I suppose there's a deal more life to be seen there than here, though it is ea
- 190 At that moment I caught sight of the sharply eager face of a good-looking, das.h.i.+ng man, got up to perfection--you might have taken him for a lord at least. Arm-in-arm with him stood another, well-got-up also, as a sporting country gentleman; he wore a
- 191 "_I_ don't know," answered the Squire. "When I was a young lad--younger than you--staying here for the races with my father--but we stayed at the Hop-pole, next door, which was the first inn then--I remember we were so wicked one night
- 192 The intruder was a shop-boy with an ap.r.o.n on, carrying a basket of grocery parcels to one of the few houses higher up. He turned his head and gave us a good stare, probably taking us for a pair of lovers enjoying a stolen ramble by starlight. Setting u
- 193 "She has not got it," said Captain Bird, retreating to his friend outside, and closing the door on Lucy. "Knows nothing about it. Was asleep till I awoke her.""Search the room, you fool," cried the excited Edwards. "I�
- 194 "A house at Timberdale?""Either in the neighbourhood of Timberdale or Crabb, Dr. Lewis writes: or he wouldn't mind Islip. I saw his letter. Jacob says there's nothing vacant at Timberdale at all likely to suit. We have been thinki
- 195 "It is Sir Robert Tenby's seat--Bellwood. Your landlord, sir.""Ay, to be sure--Bellwood. In my time it was Sir George's, though.""Sir George died five or six years ago.""Has Sir Robert any family? He must be mi
- 196 But now, would any one believe that Dr. Lewis was "that shy," as their maid, Sally, expressed it--or perhaps you would rather call it helpless--that he begged the Squire to let me go with him to Lake's.Otherwise he should be lost, he said;
- 197 "I'm sure I don't know," replied Miss Dinah: and it struck me that her tone of voice was rather crusty. "Mrs. Podd, I must again ask you when you will let me have some money?""As soon as I can," said Mrs. Podd: who
- 198 "Alteration in the garden!" mechanically repeated Anne. "I have heard nothing about it."He pa.s.sed into the house to the doctor. We picked on at the currants, and then took them into the kitchen. Anne sat down on a chair to strip them
- 199 "A Mr. Angerstyne," she answered. "I don't know much of him, except that he is an independent gentleman with a beautiful estate in Ess.e.x, and a fas.h.i.+onable man. I see what you are thinking, Johnny: that it is curious a man of wea
- 200 "What, are you blind, now, Thomas?Or can't you very well see?Oh, can't you see, and oh, can't you see my own heart's blood Run trickling down to my knee?"Then Lord Thomas, he took the brown girl by the hand, And led her acros