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Only a clod, by the author of 'Lady Audley's secret'.
Only a clod by the author of 'Lady Audley's secret' Author:Mary Elizabeth Braddon Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. TIDINGS OF HOME. It was late when Mr. Lowther came home from his friend the magistrate's. The faint flush that lighted up his face, and th... more »e unwonted lustre of his eyes, bore testimony to the merits of Mr. Cor- bett'. s tawny port. All Sandemaim's choicest vintages would not have tempted Harcourt Lowther to sit listening to a prosy old magistrate's civil-service experiences, in Europe; but on this side of the world a bottle of good wine and a tolerably civilised companion were not entirely to be despised. The ensign was in a very good temper when he came into the little parlour, where a swinging lamp burned brightly, and where a tobacco-jar, a meerschaum, a case-bottle of Schiedam, a tumbler, and a jug of water, were set upon the table ready for the master of the domain. Mr. Lowther was in excellent temper, and inclined to be especially civil to his valet. " No Schiedam to-night, Tredethlyn," he said, throwing himself into the wicker easy-chair, and stretching his feet upon a smaller chair that stood opposite to him ; " I've had a little too much of that old fellow's port. Devilish good stuff it is too, if it hadn't a tendency to spoil a man's complexion, and concentrate itself in his nose. I'll take a pipe, though. Just give me a light, will you, Tredethlyn ?" He sat in a lazy attitude, with his head thrown back against the rail of the chair, and daintily arranged the stray sheds of tobacco in the bowl of his pipe with the delicate tip of his little finger ; while the private lighted a long strip of folded paper and handed it to his master. " Oh, by the bye," muttered Mr. Lowther, speaking with his teeth shut upon the amber mouthpiece of his pipe, " I've got some news for you, Tredethlyn. Just put your hand in my coat- pocket, and take out the paper...« less