Richard Savage a Romance of Real Life Author:Charles Whitehead General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1896 Original Publisher: R. Bentley Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can sele... more »ct from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER VI. IN WHICH A SCENE TAKES PLACE TOO IMPORTANT TO BE LIGHTLY PASSED OVEll. WITH LUDLOw's APPEA11ANCE IN A NEW CHARACTER. I Dare say the reader, whoever he may be, will agree with me in the opinion that I followed a very foolish course, when, without ceremony or introduction, I intruded myself into the presence of my mother, and importunately and inopportunely claimed her blessing. But, let such reader reflect that I was profoundly ignorant of the art by which a mother's affections are to be come at -- that I had no precedent whereby to direct myself -- that, in short, my own feelings in the matter being factitious, suggested a line of action of a surprising and artificial character. Having reflected upon these points, he will then, perhaps, also agree with me, that the folly of my conduct was only to be determined by the result. It was a folly, however, that as soon as I recovered the free exercise of my faculties, I made a solemn vow (but there was little occasion for that) never to repeat. The rough treatment I had met with at the hands of her menials had shaken all the tenderness out of my nature; and had Mrs. Brett ventured forth to her chair, which was waiting for her reception, while I lingered about the premises, I am not sure that I should not have whispered -- it may be, hallooed -- a word or two into her ear, that might have savoured less of sentiment than of revenge. My rage must find vent somewhere; it was directed to Ludlow, who had been the cause of my disgrace. To him, therefore, I made all speed. I found him at home, deeply engaged over his lad...« less