If he had been a keen observer, the Judge's face when he called might have given his comfortable feelings some pause. It was contracted, subtle, intricate, but he came forward with a congratulation on Mostyn's improved appearance. "A few weeks at the seaside would do you good," he added, and Mostyn answered, "I think of going to Newport for a month.""And then?"
"I want your opinion about that. McLean advises me to see the country--to go to Chicago, St. Louis, Denver, cross the Rockies, and on to California. It seems as if that would be a grand summer programme. But my lawyer writes me that the man in charge at Mostyn is cutting too much timber and is generally too extravagant. Then there is the question of Rawdon Court. My finances will not let me carry the mortgage on it longer, unless I buy the place.""Are you thinking of that as probable?"
"Yes. It will have to be sold. And Mostyn seems to be the natural owner after Rawdon.
The Mostyns have married Rawdons so frequently that we are almost like one family, and Rawdon Court lies, as it were, at Mostyn's gate. The Squire is now old, and too easily persuaded for his own welfare, and I hear the Tyrrel-Rawdons have been visiting him. Such a thing would have been incredible a few years ago.""Who are the Tyrrel-Rawdons? I have no acquaintance with them.""They are the descendants of that Tyrrel-
Rawdon who a century ago married a handsome girl who was only an innkeeper's daughter. He was of course disowned and disinherited, and his children sank to the lowest social grade. Then when power-loom weaving was introduced they went to the mills, and one of them was clever and saved money and built a little mill of his own, and his son built a much larger one, and made a great deal of money, and became Mayor of Leeds. The next generation saw the Tyrrel-Rawdons the largest loom-lords in Yorkshire.
One of the youngest generation was my opponent in the last election and beat me--a Radical fellow beats the Conservative candidate always where weavers and spinners hold the vote but I thought it my duty to uphold the Mostyn banner. You know the Mostyns have always been Tories and Conservatives.""Excuse me, but I am afraid I am ignorant concerning Mostyn politics. I take little interest in the English parties.""Naturally. Well, I hope you will take an interest in my affairs and give me your advice about the sale of Rawdon Court.""I think my advice would be useless. In the first place, I never saw the Court. My father had an old picture of it, which has somehow disappeared since his death, but Icannot say that even this picture interested me at all. You know I am an American, born on the soil, and very proud of it. Then, as you are acquainted with all the ins and outs of the difficulties and embarrassments, and Iknow nothing at all about them, you would hardly be foolish enough to take my opinion against your own. I suppose the Squire is in favor of your buying the Court?""I never named the subject to him. I thought perhaps he might have written to you on the matter. You are the last male of the house in that line.""He has never written to me about the Court. Then, I am not the last male. From what you say, I think the Tyrrel-Rawdons could easily supply an heir to Rawdon.""That is the thing to be avoided. It would be a great offense to the county families.""Why should they be considered? A Rawdon is always a Rawdon."
"But a cotton spinner, sir! A mere mill- owner!"
"Well, I do not feel with you and the other county people in that respect. I think a cotton spinner, giving bread to a thousand families, is a vastly more respectable and important man than a fox-hunting, idle landlord.
A mill-owning Rawdon might do a deal of good in the sleepy old village of Monk-Rawdon.""Your sentiments are American, not English, sir.""As I told you, we look at things from very different standpoints.""Do you feel inclined to lift the mortgage yourself, Judge?""I have not the power, even if I had the inclination to do so. My money is well invested, and I could not, at this time, turn bonds and securities into cash without making a sacrifice not to be contemplated. I confess, however, that if the Court has to be sold, I should like the Tyrrel-Rawdons to buy it. I dare say the picture of the offending youth is still in the gallery, and I have heard my mother say that what is another's always yearns for its lord. Driven from his heritage for Love's sake, it would be at least interesting if Gold gave back to his children what Love lost them.""That is pure sentiment. Surely it would be more natural that the Mostyns should succeed the Rawdons. We have, as it were, bought the right with at least a dozen intermarriages.""That also is pure sentiment. Gold at last will carry the succession.""But not your gold, I infer?"
"Not my gold; certainly not."
"Thank you for your decisive words They make my course clear.""That is well. As to your summer movements, I am equally unable to give you advice.
I think you need the sea for a month, and after that McLean's scheme is good.
