Search -
The Ordeal of Richard Feverel (2); A History of Father and Son
The Ordeal of Richard Feverel A History of Father and Son - 2 Author:George Meredith Volume: 2 General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1859 Original Publisher: Chapman and Hall Subjects: Fiction / Classics Fiction / Literary Fiction / Family Life Juvenile Fiction / Family / Parents Literary Criticism / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint... more » 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 select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: 37 CHAPTER III. MKS. MALEDICTION. On one occasion in the year, the old Hall tried to know itself again. The logs blazed, and the table was laid to celebrate young Richard's birthday. October summoned every connection of the Feverels to this festivity. The boy's uncles, Algernon, the guardsman, Cuthbert, the sailor, Vivian, the diplomatist and beau, made a point of coming, for not to be present on that great day of the golden month, was to encounter a cold eye and a colder forefinger when they at other times required the Baronet's consideration and an order on his Bankers. Hippias was always on the spot, prepared to drink anybody's health. The ladies of the family were likewise assembled. Notwithstanding their goodwill in seconding the gentlemen, it was a frigid feast. Sir Austin sat in the presence of a phantom. He brightened after dinner, as the young heir was trotted in to hear himself toasted. Possibly that was his one happy moment of the year. Mr. Justice Harley, the husband of a Feverel, proposed the toast; supported by Colonel Went- worth, another husband of a Feverel. The ladies smiled, nodded, and kissed the boy. The Baronet drank him solemnly exuberant. Then a glass of wine is poured out for Master Richard, and his father's one happy moment is over. " You have given him port, Algernon," he says. " I think it not good for him." " Better accustom him to the best at once," p...« less