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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
- 580 "If the time were to come over again, Harry," began Captain Monk as they were walking homeward, he leaning upon his nephew's arm, "I wouldn't have them put up. They don't seem to have brought luck somehow, as the parish has b
- 579 "If you please, sir, are you Mr. Hamlyn?" asked the child, going forward with hesitating steps. "Are you my papa?"Every drop of blood seemed to leave Philip Hamlyn's face and fly to his heart. He could not speak, and looked white as a ghost."Who are
- 578 "Well, I'm sure!"The jesting salutation came from Harry Carradyne. Despatched in search of the truants, he had found Kate at the Vicarage, making much of the last new baby there, and devouring a sumptuous tea of cakes and jam.Miss West? Oh,
- 577 Hamlyn, arriving three days ago in answer to the hasty summons, was thinking of returning to London."You are cheating!" called out Kate, flying off at a tangent to cross her governess's path. "You've no right to get before me!&quo
- 576 Tearing it open Eliza Hamlyn read the short, sad news it contained.Captain Monk had been taken suddenly ill with inward inflammation. Mr.Speck feared the worst, and the Captain had asked for Eliza. Would she come down at once?"Oh, Philip, I must not
- 575 Mrs. Hamlyn was not back until just before dinner: her husband, she heard, had been out all day, and was not yet in. Waiting for him in the drawing-room listlessly enough, she walked to the window to look out.And there she saw with a sort of shock the sam
- 574 "Poor thing, indeed!--what business has any woman to watch a house in this marked manner?" retorted Eliza. "The neighbourhood will be taking her for a female detective.""Nonsense!""She has given me a creepy feeling; I ca
- 573 Her face brightened. "Then you need not talk about starving," she said, gaily."And, later, I shall have altogether about a thousand a-year. Though I hope it will be very long before it falls to me. Do you think two people might venture to s
- 572 "But your father would not have her sent, you know, Eliza," spoke Mrs.Carradyne."Then----""Miss West, ma'am," interrupted Rimmer, the butler, showing in the traveller."Dear me, how very young!" was Mrs. Carrady
- 571 Registered names we can't mistake."Mrs. Moffit read her notes--taken down a week ago. "Miss West. Educated in first-cla.s.s school at Richmond; remained in it as teacher. Very good references from the ladies keeping it. Father, Colonel in I
- 570 "Marry in haste and repent at leisure," is as true a saying as the French one. Philip Hamlyn found it so. Of all vain, frivolous, heartless women, Mrs. Dolly Hamlyn turned out to be about the worst. Just a year or two of uncomfortable bickering, of vain
- 569 "Yes, it went off well; there was no hitch anywhere," replied Hubert."But, Aunt Emma, I have brought a friend home with me. Guess who it is.""Some lady or other who came to see the wedding," she returned. "I can't guess.""You never would, though
- 568 Hubert turned at the call."Harry! Why, Harry!"Hand locked in hand, they sat down on a bench beside the path; face gazing into face. There had always been a likeness between them: in the bright-coloured, waving hair, the blue eyes and the well-favoured f
- 567 "Leet Hall?" she exclaimed."Leet Hall and its broad lands," repeated the Captain impatiently. "Give up Mr. Hamlyn and it shall all be yours."She remained for some moments in deep thought, her head bent, revolving the offer. She was fond of pomp and
- 566 "Little doubt of that, father. I wonder I have lived so long.""Nonsense!" exploded the Captain; "you may live on yet for years. I don't know that I did not act foolishly in sending post-haste for Harry Carradyne."Hubert smiled a sad smile. "You ha
- 565 It was Hubert, Captain Monk's son and heir. He lay there with a face of deadly whiteness, a blue shade encircling his lips.THE SILENT CHIMES III.--RINGING AT MIDDAY I It was an animated scene; and one you only find in England. The stubble of the cornfiel
- 564 "Aunt Emma may _dis_like it!" retorted the Captain. "She has picked up some ridiculously absurd notion, Grame, that the bells bring ill-luck when they are heard. Women are so foolishly superst.i.tious.""That must be a very far-fetched superst.i.tion,
- 563 "She is only as her mother was; as you were, Eliza--always rebellious.Kate, sit down to the piano and play one of your pretty tunes.""I won't," responded Kate. "Play yourself, Aunt Emma."Das.h.i.+ng through the open gla.s.s doors, Kate began tossin
- 562 At one of the windows stood, in her haughty beauty, Eliza Monk. Not, surely, of the lovely scene before her was she thinking, or her face might have worn a more pleasing expression. Rather did she seem to gaze, and with displeasure, at two or three people
- 561 "Well, your reverence, I don't know; the thing's beyond me. They were heard but three times, ringing in the new year at midnight, three years, one on top of t'other--and each time some ill fell.""My good man--and I am sure you are good--you should k
- 560 "Well, this is pretty bold of you, Madam Emma," he began angrily. "Are you out of your senses?""Hush, G.o.dfrey! Katherine is dying.""What?" cried the Captain, the words confusing him."Katherine is dying,"
- 559 Captain Monk tore the paper to bits. "_Not to-night_, tell your mistress, is my answer," said he to Rimmer. "Hubert, you can go to your aunt now; it's past your bed-time."There could be no appeal, as the boy knew; but he went off
- 558 It surely was. George West, who had gone there but just before in the height of health and strength, had breathed his last.How did it happen? How could it have happened? Ay, how indeed? It was a question which has never been entirely solved in Church Leet
- 557 The chimes were ordered--to play one tune only. Mr. West asked, when the thing was absolutely inevitable, that at least some sweet and sacred melody, acceptable to church-going ears, might be chosen; but Captain Monk fixed on a sea-song that was a favouri
- 556 "Then, George, why _do_ you go?""Well, I think you know why. I do not like to refuse the invitation; it would only increase Captain Monk's animosity and widen still further the breach between us. As patron he holds so much in his power
- 555 To us all Valentine was, as Mrs. Cramp had phrased it, more welcome than the sun in harvest, and was made much of. When a young fellow has been going to the bad, and has the resolution to pull up and to persevere, he should be honoured, cried the Squire--
- 554 "And you could stand by quietly last night when they were having, it seems, this bitter quarrel, and not stop it?" exclaimed Mrs. Cramp."They would not listen to me," returned Scott. "I went between them; spoke to one, spoke to th
- 553 I did not remember to have seen them; or Fred Scott either."Just go out and look for the two girls, will you, Johnny. It's too late for them to be out, though it is a warm night. Tell them I say they are to come in at once," said Mrs. Cramp
- 552 At the gate they parted, taking their farewell hand-shake, their last kiss. "G.o.d help you, my dear!" breathed Valentine. "And if--if we never meet again, believe that no other will ever love you as I have loved."He turned back on the
- 551 "You are going to spend the evening here, Jane?""Yes, it is the last evening," she sighed. "Valentine wished it.""The girls have been to invite me; wouldn't let me say No. There's to be quite a party."&quo
- 550 Oliver had accompanied Jane to the end of Brook Lane. There, at the Islip Road, they parted; she going on to Crabb, Oliver walking back again. Upon reaching the Inlets, that favourite spot of his, he sat down on the bench that faced the highway; the self-
- 549 Bending there upon her, her arms clasping him, yielding to the loving sympathy, so grateful after those harsh reproaches, he told her all, under cover of the gathering shades of evening. Yes, he had been tempted--and had yielded to the temptation.He wante
- 548 He made game of Jane for doing so; but Jane wanted to see the dresses and the ceremony. Oliver had not the opportunity of going; and would not have gone though he had had it. Just about eleven o'clock, when the gay doings were in full swing, Mr. Pree
- 547 "Well, I never!" exclaimed d.i.c.k, meeting the news with equanimity. "Go off with a letter of yours, sir, and a bank-note! _Steal_ it, do you mean? Why, you cannot think I'd be capable of such a dirty trick, Mr.Paul. Indeed, sir, it w
- 546 "He said the little pink flower had got broken off, and that Mrs.Todhetley did it with her shawl," persisted Stephenson, unable to stare away his perplexity. And I think we were all feeling perplexed too."He knew what the brooch cost, and t
- 545 Meanwhile the applicant amused himself by looking at the articles displayed under the gla.s.s frame on the counter. He seemed to be rather struck with some very pretty pencils."Are those pencils gold?" he inquired of Stephenson, when the latter
- 544 "Sit down, then," said the Squire, "and make it as brief as you can.Johnny, lad, tell Giles to drive the horses slowly about."When I got back, after telling Giles, Tom Chandler had two letters in his hand; and was apologising to the Sq
- 543 "And what if it was?" retorted Preen, enraged that everybody should bring up that pic-nic in conjunction with his loss. "The pic-nic had nothing to do with my bank-note and letter.""Clearly not," agreed Tod, laughing at his i
- 542 "Four," corrected the lawyer. "Well, that's all, Dale, for the present.The letter is lost, and we must consider what to do in the matter."Yes, it was all very well to say that to Dale, but what _could_ they do?How set about it? To
- 541 "Is MacEveril back yet?" asked Preen."No," replied Paul. "The captain does not know where he is; no one does know, that I'm aware of. Look here, Preen; as this letter appears to be really lost, and very unaccountably, since M
- 540 Oliver dutifully brought his head in, his face red with stooping. "What was it you asked me, father? I did not quite catch it," he said."I asked you if you could remember which day I sent that money to Paul.But I think I remember now for my
- 539 "I wandered once at break of day, While yet upon the sunless sea In wanton sighs the breeze delayed, And o'er the wavy surface played.Then first the fairest face I knew, First loved the eye of softest blue, And ventured, fearful, first to sip Th
- 538 "It's a shame. It will take me all the afternoon to get through it," ran his thoughts--and he would have liked to say so aloud."You don't look pleased, young man," remarked his father. "Recollect you will be off duty to-
- 537 The small shop containing the post-office at Duck Brook was kept by Mrs.Sym, who sold sweetstuff, also tapes and cottons. Young Sym, her son, a growing youth, delivered the letters, which were brought in by a mail-cart. She was a clean, tidy woman of midd
- 536 When the receipt was written, Mr. Preen took up the note, looked at it for a moment or two, and then pa.s.sed it back again."Would you mind writing your name on this note, Squire?"The Squire laughed gently. "Not at all," he answered; &
- 535 "They say you are not steady, Val," she spoke in a whisper; "that you neglect your business; that unless you pull up, you will go to the bad."For a few moments Valentine remained quite still; you might have thought he had gone to sleep
- 534 "I have been telling Oliver we call Duck Brook the f.a.g end of the world, and that it was you who first said it," cried Jane."Oh, how could you?" laughed Emma, turning her beaming face upon Oliver.And they might have gone on for ever,
- 533 Oliver laughed, and held back the low gate for her. But as he pa.s.sed in after her, a perceptible s.h.i.+ver shook his frame. It was gone in a moment; but in that moment it had shaken him from head to foot. Jane saw it."Surely you have not caught a
- 532 I Crabb Cot, Squire Todhetley's estate in Worcesters.h.i.+re, lay close to North Crabb, and from two to three miles off Islip, both of which places you have heard of already. Half way on the road to Islip from Crabb, a side road, called Brook Lane, b
- 531 "Be whipped if I can tell what has got into the child!" stormed Joan."Do you want to starve yourself right out?--do you want to----""There's papa," interrupted Katrine, as the house door was heard to open. "You must
- 530 Can any one picture, I wonder, Katrine Barbary's distress of mind, the terrible dread that had taken possession of it? Shuddering dread, amounting to a panic: dread of the deed itself, dread for her father, dread of discovery.On the following morning
- 529 "If you please, sir, I didn't exactly say it was; I said I made no doubt of it," returned Jellico, mild as new milk. "It was in this way: Perkins the butcher was standing at his shop door as I pa.s.sed down the street.We began talking,
- 528 I turned short back at the thought, and made, as the Americans say, tracks for home. My nearest way was through the dense grove of trees at the back of Caramel Farm, and I took it, though it was not the liveliest way by any means.But no sooner was I beyon
- 527 "The police will see he does not do that; the Squire has sent a messenger to warn them," I replied. "I suppose you have not heard any more rumours about the poaching on Tuesday night, Mr. Barbary?""I've heard no more than was
- 526 "But he has not taken any of his things.""I am going to pack his things and send them after him.""But----_when_ did he go, papa?"Mr. Barbary, who had kept on working, drew himself bolt upright. Letting his hands rest on the h
- 525 Entering Caramel Cottage by its side gate, Katrine found Joan seated in the kitchen, slicing kidney beans for dinner. Her father was in his favourite den, the gun-room, Mr. Reste was out. When she left in the morning, neither of them had quitted his respe
- 524 "That will do nicely. Unless--Squire Todhetley invited you to go with him to Evesham one day, you know," broke off Katrine. "He may just fix upon Thursday.""In that case we will take our walk on Friday."A silence ensued. Thei
- 523 "Is it your s.h.i.+p come in?" asked Katrine gaily: for he was wont to say he would do this or that when "his s.h.i.+p came home.""No, Katrine; not much chance of that. Let me see what he says.""'Dear Reste,--I encl
- 522 "What did I tell you, Johnny?" said Tod, turning to me, as soon as they were out of hearing. "It is a regular case of over-head-and-ears: cut and dried and pickled.""I don't see what you judge by, Tod.""_Don't
- 521 "Y--es," hesitated she, not quite understanding."At law business all day, and at literary work the best part of the night, year in and year out--it has told upon me, Katrine.""But why should you do both?" asked Katrine."
- 520 "Please not to think me very silly!" she pleaded earnestly, as though beseeching pardon for a sin. "I have never been used to dogs. We do not keep dogs in France. At least very few people do. Oh dear!"Something that she carried in her
- 519 He resumed his narrative; a.s.suming as facts what he had in his own mind conceived to have been the case, and by implication, but not directly, charging Matilda with the crime. It had a dreadful effect upon her; her agitation increased with every word. S
- 518 Backing away from the counter in my surprise, I upset an empty milk-can."Matilda!" I exclaimed, picking up the can."Mr. Johnny, with all my heart I believe it to have been so. I have believed it for some time now.""But the girls w
- 517 I could not resist the temptation of speaking to Matilda about this, an opportunity offering that same day. She came into the room with some letters just left by the postman."I thought my mistress was here, sir," she said, hesitating with the tr
- 516 "Have you been ill, Matilda?""No, sir, not at all. I am quite well.""You have grown very thin.""It's the London air, sir. I think everybody must get thin who lives in it."Very civilly and respectfully, but yet
- 515 "I am making bold to ask you, ma'am, whether you could help me to find a place in London," began Matilda, standing between the door and the table in her black dress. "I know, ma'am, you don't live in London, but a long way of
- 514 "No," she shuddered. "But there are strange noises, and we think it is in the house.""Well," said Knapp, coughing to hide a comical smile, "ghosts don't tear pieces out of gowns--that ever I heard of. I should say i
- 513 Susan thrust the candlestick into my hand, and ran out at the back door, saying she'd fetch Mr. Lockett. Back she came in a moment: the garden gate was locked, and the key not in it."There's the front door, girl," stuttered the Squire,
- 512 "Are you shut out, Matilda?" I called out."Yes, sir, it seems like it," she called back again, without turning her head. "Jane Cross must have gone to sleep."Had she been a footman with a carriage full of ladies in court trai
- 511 Johnny Ludlow.Sixth Series.by Mrs. Henry Wood.THE MYSTERY AT NUMBER SEVEN I.--MONTPELLIER-BY-SEA "Let us go and give her a turn," cried the Squire.Tod laughed. "What, all of us?" said he."To be sure. All of us. Why not? We'll
- 510 "It's true, Todhetley," said Mr. Brandon, nodding his head. "You may judge, therefore, whether she is a nice kind of person for you to be seen beauing about Oxford streets in the face and eyes of the dons." And Tod winced again, a
- 509 Tod answered with a torrent of words. The chief burden of them was--that if he chose to walk into the brimstone, it was not Mr. Brandon who should keep him out of it."Is it not?" retorted Mr. Brandon--and though he was very firm and hard, he gav
- 508 This struck us dumb. Bill said nothing, neither did I."It was Miss Sophie Chalk, I presume," went on old Brandon, ringing the bell. "Sit down, boys; we'll have tea up."The tea and coffee must have been ordered beforehand, for they
- 507 "We only went four miles. Four out and four in.""You may be driving her rather too far some day--fourteen, or so.""I don't think she'd be driven. With all her simplicity, she knows how to take care of herself."Simpl
- 506 "No! Who from?""The mother. And Miss Deveen, who is staying with them, put in a postscript.""How did they know Sophie Chalk was here?""Through me. One wet afternoon I wrote a long epistle to Harry, telling him, amidst ot
- 505 We plunged into the dishes without ceremony, each one according to his taste, and the lunch progressed. I may as well mention one thing--that there was nothing in Mrs. Everty's manners at any time to take exception to: never a word was heard from her
- 504 "Nonsense, Tod!""Well, what else is it? Come! Out with it.""Do you think our people or the Whitneys would like it if they knew we are intimate with her?""They'd not die of it, I expect.""I don't like
- 503 Home to your quarters now, if you please, Mr. Ludlow."And I knew he believed me just as much as he would had I told him I'd been up in a balloon."You are a nice lot, Master Johnny!"The salutation was Tod's. He and Bill Whitney wer
- 502 I did not like it. It was not satisfactory. He had rowed her up--or perhaps driven her up--and was marching about with her tete-a-tete under the sweet spring suns.h.i.+ne. No great harm in itself this pastime: but he might grow too fond of it. That she ha
- 501 I should think it would not!--though I fancy he has a small share in papa's business now.""Do they live in London?""Oh yes, they live in London. Close to us, too! In one of the small houses in Torriana Street. _She_ wanted to take
- 500 "Three or four days after it happened, sir, Mr. Carstairs stopped my waiting on him again. I think it was through Mr. Richardson. Mr.Carstairs had refused to go out with him the evening it occurred.""You knew Mr. Carstairs before he came to
- 499 "There's some pretty girls about, too," resumed the Squire, gazing around. "Not that I'd advise you boys to look much at them. Wonder if they often walk here?"Before a week had gone by, we were quite at home; had shaken down
- 498 "Nor I," said Miss Betty. "With all the trouble that got into our house at that time, I couldn't give my mind to seeing after the old things, and I've not thought about them since. Come upstairs with me now, Susan; we'll see
- 497 He turned with her, and they paced slowly along side by side, the colour on Maria's cheeks coming and going with every word he spoke and every look he gave her--which seemed altogether senseless and unreasonable.Sam told her of his conversation with
- 496 It was understood to be Mrs. Dene who advanced the money to Sam to set up with; it was certainly Mrs. Dene who bought a shutting-up bed (at old Ward's), and a gridiron, and a tea-pot, and a three-legged table, and a chair or two, all for the back-roo
- 495 "Do you know who is said to be the father of lies, young man?" asked Justice Whitewicker in a solemn tone, suspecting that the prisoner was telling an out-and-out fable."I have heard," answered Sam. "Have never seen him myself. Pe
- 494 As the Squire and Mr. Jacobson went out, Mr. c.o.c.kermuth was coming in.They all turned into the office together, while we made a rush to Sam Dene's lodgings in Edgar Street: as much of a rush, at least, as the Sat.u.r.day's streets would let u
- 493 "I don't say that. When I first stood there I strolled about a little, talking with one person and another. _But I did not stir from the door after I saw Sam Dene leave the parlour._ And I do not think five minutes elapsed before I went in. Not
- 492 Sam's account, briefly given, was this. After finis.h.i.+ng copying the letter, he closed the little table-desk and pushed it back to its place against the wall, and had carried the letter and the copy into the office. Finding Mr. c.o.c.kermuth was n
- 491 "Well, you can take it," answered Chance. "Mind who does it, though--Parslet, or somebody else that's confidential. Don't let it go into the office.""You are wanted, sir," said Mr. Dene, from the door."Who is i
- 490 Sam laughed at that."He has never _said_ so, but somehow we have seen it, my mother and I.It was altogether so mysterious a loss, you see, affording no clue as to _when_ it occurred, that people were ready to suspect anything, however improbable. Oh,
- 489 "Oh, I beg your pardon," said Sam, all at sea; "did you wish to come in here?""If you please," she answered--and her voice was sweet and her manner modest."Oh," repeated Sam, rather taken aback at the answer. "
- 488 "In Worcester. I have always wished to practise at Worcester. It is the a.s.size town: I don't care for pettifogging places: one can't get on in them.""You'd like to emerge all at once into a full-blown lawyer there? That
- 487 "Which is his room? The one at the back, I suppose."Without saying with your leave, or by your leave, as Mrs. Picker phrased it in telling the story a long while afterwards, Mr. Duffham penetrated at once into the lodger's room. There he to
- 486 "Nothing else, sir; except that I fancied Mother Picker knew of it. When Tod and I went to ask her whether Monk was out that night, she looked frightened to death, and broke a basin.""Did she say he was out?""She said he was not o
- 485 "What should I know of it, sir? I have only just come in from Evesham.The things were all right last night.""How did you leave the greenhouse last night?""Exactly as I always leave it, sir. There was nothing the matter with it the
- 484 "I was on by half-past five, sir, not coming here at first, but----""Where's Monk this morning?" again interrupted Tod, who had turned imperative."The Squire sent him over to Evesham for the seeds. I heard him go by in the li
- 483 "That's rather too good, Mrs. Picker, that is. I have heard of lodging-house cats effecting wonders in the way of domestic disappearances, but not of magpies. Look at him, poor old fellow! He can't speak to defend himself.""Yes, l
- 482 I met him in the plantation, beyond the d.y.k.e. Mrs. Todhetley, awfully distressed, sent me flying away to find the pater; she mistakenly thought he might be at Rimmell's, who lived in a cottage beyond it.Running home through the trees, I came upon
- 481 "Rarely, without being noticed. Who did you boys see about the place that afternoon--tramp or gentleman? Come! You were at the house, Johnny: you bolted into it, head foremost, saying you had come from the d.y.k.e.""I never saw a soul but S