A Perilous Secret by Charles Reade
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A PERILOUS SECRET
BY CHARLES READE
AUTHOR OF "HARD CASH" "PUT YOURSELF IN HIS PLACE" "GRIFFITH GAUNT" "IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND" ETC., ETC.
1884
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. THE POOR MAN'S CHILD
CHAPTER II. THE RICH MAN'S CHILD
CHAPTER III. THE TWO FATHERS
CHAPTER IV. AN OLD SERVANT
CHAPTER V. MARY'S PERIL
CHAPTER VI. SHARP PRACTICE
CHAPTER VII. THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE
CHAPTER VIII. THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE
CHAPTER IX. LOVERS PARTED
CHAPTER X. THE GORDIAN KNOT
CHAPTER XI. THE KNOT CUT.--ANOTHER TIED
CHAPTER XII. THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE
CHAPTER XIII. THE SERPENT LET LOOSE
CHAPTER XIV. THE SERPENT
CHAPTER XV. THE SECRET IN DANGER
CHAPTER XVI. REMINISCENCES.--THE FALSE ACCUSER.--THE SECRET EXPLODED
CHAPTER XVII. LOVERS' QUARRELS
CHAPTER XVIII. APOLOGIES
CHAPTER XIX. A WOMAN OUTWITS TWO MEN
CHAPTER XX. CALAMITY
CHAPTER XXI. BURIED ALIVE
CHAPTER XXII. REMORSE
CHAPTER XXIII. BURIED ALIVE.--THE THREE DEADLY PERILS
CHAPTER XXIV. STRANGE COMPLICATIONS
CHAPTER XXV. RETRIBUTION
CHAPTER XXVI. STRANGE TURNS
CHAPTER XXVII. CURTAIN
A PERILOUS SECRET.
CHAPTER I.
THE POOR MAN'S CHILD.
Two worn travellers, a young man and a fair girl about four years old, sat on the towing-path by the side of the Trent.
The young man had his coat off, by which you might infer it was very hot; but no, it was a keen October day, and an east wind sweeping down the river. The coat was wrapped tightly round the little girl, so that only her fair face with blue eyes and golden hair peeped out; and the young father sat in his shirt sleeves, looking down on her with a loving but anxious look. Her mother, his wife, had died of consumption, and he was in mortal terror lest biting winds and scanty food should wither this sweet flower too, his one remaining joy.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Perilous Secret by Charles Reade
- 2: And his fiddle earned him ten shillings
- 3: But this morning little Grace had begun to cough
- 4: Bartley or the clerks in the large office
- 5: Bartley was brother in law to that same Colonel Clifford
- 6: Mary Bartley flushed and paled
- 7: Monckton was poring over the ledger with his head down
- 8: Monckton winced and turned his head away
- 9: And threw up her hands to Bartley
- 10: But presently Bartley caught sight of him
- 11: And handed it respectfully to Bartley
- 12: Bartley wished him to see the deceased
- 13: Bartley looked uneasily all round the room
- 14: But as Bartley conceded everything
- 15: To sell the secret to the Cliffords
- 16: And get Clifford convicted for the theft
- 17: Bartley took the child from him
- 18: Monckton then put on his overcoat
- 19: Monckton only grinned triumphantly
- 20: Bartley examined the book and the notes
- 21: That eloquent look was a revelation to Monckton
- 22: Of you cursing and swearing at him
- 23: The girl that decoyed you from your father's roof
- 24: And told me Oddington was sold
- 25: At this moment the steward entered
- 26: Bartley had promised him this should not be
- 27: Bartley paraded her accomplishments
- 28: In Prussia the Government protects the shareholder
- 29: Bartley and kissed him eagerly
- 30: But the lasher roared nearer and nearer
- 31: But now came a change that confounded Mary Bartley
- 32: Bartley paid little attention at the time
- 33: The judicious Bartley read his face
- 34: At that moment Mary Bartley came in
- 35: He did not want to let the farm to Bartley
- 36: Bartley went to the sharp solicitor
- 37: Hope left his powerful opera glass with Mary Bartley
- 38: But the worst of all is they show the caddess so plainly
- 39: I'd as lieve ride of a dead man
- 40: All this interested and amused Walter Clifford
- 41: Miss Bartley staid there three days
- 42: Because he was wooing Mary Bartley
- 43: Whose bosom was beginning to heave
- 44: I'll temporize till we are all dead and buried
- 45: And I will make Fitzroy my shield
- 46: So he drove Percy over at once and gave him possession
- 47: Bartley went on You are a good child
- 48: This was too much even for stout hearted Nancy Easton
- 49: And that papa has reasons against him
- 50: Made Percy write Julia an apology
- 51: Julia Clifford saw he was in trouble
- 52: Bartley was heart and soul in this
- 53: Bartley can not pooh pooh him
- 54: Bartley dismissed his rugged visitors
- 55: Bartley himself offered no personal objection
- 56: And Mary was alone with Walter Clifford
- 57: Bartley said he was thankful to hear it
- 58: I'll try and save you from a mesalliance
- 59: And Julia was furious against Colonel Clifford
- 60: Bartley was becoming a rival magnate
- 61: Bartley heard what was going on
- 62: Bartley entered with the telegraph forms
- 63: At daggers drawn about Walter Clifford
- 64: The doors were blown in with petards
- 65: Easton entered the sitting room all in a flutter
- 66: As all shilly shallying fools do
- 67: Isn't that the way to Clifford Hall
- 68: Easton stood up in the carriage
- 69: Hope's countenance flushed with delight
- 70: And soon reached Clifford Hall
- 71: Walter grasped John Baker's hand
- 72: Baker was sent for the champagne
- 73: And colchicum soothes that pain
- 74: That Julia Clifford pitied him
- 75: But at present we must leave Derbyshire
- 76: Leonard Monckton was sent to Pentonville
- 77: The grateful Burnley left Portland at last
- 78: Monckton read this with calm indifference
- 79: Monckton returned to London baffled
- 80: Braham was so overcome that she nearly fainted
- 81: And left Lucy Braham sole executrix and trustee
- 82: Monckton sipped and waited for the name of Hope
- 83: And a little hay and water for Deersfoot
- 84: 'thy workshop is like the church yard
- 85: Monckton slipped away at the dawn
- 86: This difficulty had tormented Monckton all along
- 87: This said the astute Bartley because one day Hope
- 88: Mary Bartley then lowered her parasol
- 89: And mend all their rubbish for them
- 90: Bartley sent me the lawyer's letter
- 91: And whisks her away after two months' courtship
- 92: Bartley was on his guard directly
- 93: This compact is a great mystery
- 94: Nor even the most characteristic fishermen wear petticoats
- 95: She marries Percy Fitzroy in three weeks
- 96: Intending to slip off to Clifford Hall
- 97: Julia gave a sly look at Percy
- 98: I have no patience with a muff
- 99: Julia Clifford and Percy came in
- 100: You'll find the bracelet in time
- 101: You shall disgorge your dishonest gains
- 102: But the quick witted Bartley took the alarm
- 103: Began to bind her wrist with great lightness and delicacy
- 104: Hope left off binding her wrist
- 105: I need no fairy's wand to revive the past
- 106: Hope hurried away on his errand
- 107: Bartley only that's against us
- 108: Monckton appeared to be agitated at this question
- 109: Whilst he was examining the bracelet
- 110: The spotless honor of the Cliffords
- 111: This drove Bartley wild altogether
- 112: Said Colonel Clifford to Julia
- 113: Then you think I am as bad as old Bartley
- 114: Anything but tr ump ump umpery
- 115: If Percy had been more experienced
- 116: The southern boundary was plain oak paling
- 117: Burnley submitted at once to the ascendency of Monckton
- 118: When he had packed off Burnley
- 119: Are you Walter Clifford's wife
- 120: And if time won't cure this my wound
- 121: This answer literally crushed Bartley
- 122: Bartley looked round in amazement
- 123: But Monckton stood between the two men
- 124: And bolted it inside just as Monckton
- 125: Bartley dashed round to that door with a cry of dismay
- 126: Monckton withdrew to the clump of fir trees
- 127: A figure that looked like Ben Burnley
- 128: Ben Burnley is firing the mine
- 129: Bartley delivered a wild scream
- 130: Seize that Ben Burnley at once
- 131: That your sweetheart is not Mary Bartley at all
- 132: Even Bartley is playing the man
- 133: His remorse and his sleeplessness
- 134: Monckton stared at him and smiled
- 135: Said Bartley by coming here to tempt
- 136: Monckton and Bartley were now enemies
- 137: Monckton was struck with lawyer Middleton's manner
- 138: I married a gentleman who was called Walter Clifford
- 139: And the lawyer gave Monckton his check for L50
- 140: And down went Walter with more men and pickaxes
- 141: Had sunk upon the ground to breathe in that stifling smoke
- 142: And he took two and threw them to Ben Burnley
- 143: This silenced Burnley for the day
- 144: And Burnley kneeled in front of him too
- 145: Yow telt the men that I fired t' mine
- 146: Can Heaven and earth look calmly on and see this horror
- 147: He rushed at Burnley and seized him
- 148: Against the very edge of the truck
- 149: And Colonel Clifford sat by Walter
- 150: Though pitiably weak and slowly convalescent
- 151: And what we ought to say to Colonel Clifford
- 152: And duty must never be neglected
- 153: Bartley planning my father's destruction
- 154: And for years he made me do calisthenics under a master
- 155: Walter Clifford for an afternoon
- 156: One half of him was charred away when Monckton found him
- 157: Monckton made many artful preparations
- 158: Colonel Clifford turned very pale
- 159: Walter Clifford was quite recovered
- 160: When I came to Walter Clifford
- 161: Had offered to show Grace Clifford
- 162: A number of French windows opened on to a noble balcony
- 163: But the ingenious Monckton gave it a happy turn
- 164: And looked timidly at Monckton
- 165: Or is your name Leonard Monckton
- 166: They caught a glimpse of Monckton
- 167: During this Mark Waddy came down
- 168: Waddy was in Monckton's secret
- 169: This Monckton had no deep regard for you
- 170: When the new proprietor took possession as Carruthers
- 171: Walter Clifford recovered under his wife's care
- 172: Percy Fitzroy had an elder sister
- 173: His sister prepared Percy for the call
- 174: Poverty had pinched Jonathan Braham by this time