Orley Farm

Anthony Trollope

Description

Anthony Trollope's novels often explore the ways that wealth -- and the promise of it -- can impact human behavior. In Orley Farm, a protracted probate case spanning several generations ultimately tears a family apart. A must-read for fans of Trollope's unflinchingly realistic portraits of the dark undercurrents of Victorian life.

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781775450283
• Langue: English

Extrait

ORLEY FARM
* * *
ANTHONY TROLLOPE
 
*

Orley Farm First published in 1862 ISBN 978-1-775450-28-3 © 2010 The Floating Press
While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike.
Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
*
VOLUME I Chapter I - The Commencement of the Great Orley Farm Case Chapter II - Lady Mason and Her Son Chapter III - The Cleeve Chapter IV - The Perils of Youth Chapter V - Sir Peregrine Makes a Second Promise Chapter VI - The Commercial Room, Bull Inn, Leeds Chapter VII - The Masons of Groby Park Chapter VIII - Mrs. Mason's Hot Luncheon Chapter IX - A Convivial Meeting Chapter X - Mr, Mrs, and Miss Furnival Chapter XI - Mrs. Furnival at Home Chapter XII - Mr. Furnival's Chambers Chapter XIII - Guilty, or Not Guilty Chapter XIV - Dinner at the Cleeve Chapter XV - A Morning Call at Mount Pleasant Villa Chapter XVI - Mr. Dockwrath in Bedford Row Chapter XVII - Von Bauhr Chapter XVIII - The English Von Bauhr Chapter XIX - The Staveley Family Chapter XX - Mr. Dockwrath in His Own Office Chapter XXI - Christmas in Harley Street Chapter XXII - Christmas at Noningsby Chapter XXIII - Christmas at Groby Park Chapter XXIV - Christmas in Great St. Helens Chapter XXV - Mr. Furnival Again at His Chambers Chapter XXVI - Why Should I Not? Chapter XXVII - Commerce Chapter XXVIII - Monkton Grange Chapter XXIX - Breaking Covert Chapter XXX - Another Fall Chapter XXXI - Footsteps in the Corridor Chapter XXXII - What Bridget Bolster Had to Say Chapter XXXIII - The Angel of Light Chapter XXXIV - Mr. Furnival Looks for Assistance Chapter XXXV - Love was Still the Lord of All Chapter XXXVI - What the Young Men Thought About It Chapter XXXVII - Peregrine's Eloquence Chapter XXXVIII - Oh, Indeed! Chapter XXXIX - Why Should He Go? Chapter XL - I Call it Awful VOLUME II Chapter XLI - How Can I Save Him? Chapter XLII - John Kenneby Goes to Hamworth Chapter XLIII - John Kenneby's Courtship Chapter XLIV - Showing How Lady Mason Could Be Very Noble Chapter XLV - Showing How Mrs. Orme Could Be Very Weak Minded Chapter XLVI - A Woman's Idea of Friendship Chapter XLVII - The Gem of the Four Families Chapter XLVIII - The Angel of Light Under a Cloud Chapter XLIX - Mrs. Furnival Can't Put Up with It Chapter L - It is Quite Impossible Chapter LI - Mrs. Furnival's Journey to Hamworth Chapter LII - Showing How Things Went on at Noningsby Chapter LIII - Lady Mason Returns Home Chapter LIV - Telling All that Happened Beneath the Lamp-Post Chapter LV - What Took Place in Harley Street Chapter LVI - How Sir Peregrine Did Business with Mr. Round Chapter LVII - The Loves and Hopes of Albert Fitzallen Chapter LVIII - Miss Staveley Declines to Eat Minced Veal Chapter LIX - No Surrender Chapter LX - What Rebekah Did for Her Son Chapter LXI - The State of Public Opinion Chapter LXII - What the Four Lawyers Thought About It Chapter LXIII - The Evening Before the Trial Chapter LXIV - The First Journey to Alston Chapter LXV - Felix Graham Returns to Noningsby Chapter LXVI - Showing How Miss Furnival Treated Her Lovers Chapter LXVII - Mr. Moulder Backs His Opinion Chapter LXVIII - The First Day of the Trial Chapter LXIX - The Two Judges Chapter LXX - How Am I to Bear It? Chapter LXXI - Showing How John Kenneby and Bridget Bolster Bore Themselves in Court Chapter LXXII - Mr. Furnival's Speech Chapter LXXIII - Mrs. Orme Tells the Story Chapter LXXIV - Young Lochinvar Chapter LXXV - The Last Day Chapter LXXVI - I Love Her Still Chapter LXXVII - John Kenneby's Doom Chapter LXXVIII - The Last of the Lawyers Chapter LXXIX - Farewell Chapter LXXX - Showing How Affairs Settled Themselves at Noningsby
VOLUME I
*
Chapter I - The Commencement of the Great Orley Farm Case
*
It is not true that a rose by any other name will smell as sweet.Were it true, I should call this story "The Great Orley Farm Case."But who would ask for the ninth number of a serial work burthenedwith so very uncouth an appellation? Thence, and therefore,—OrleyFarm.
I say so much at commencing in order that I may have an opportunityof explaining that this book of mine will not be devoted in anyspecial way to rural delights. The name might lead to the idea thatnew precepts were to be given, in the pleasant guise of a novel, asto cream-cheeses, pigs with small bones, wheat sown in drills, orartificial manure. No such aspirations are mine. I make no attemptsin that line, and declare at once that agriculturists will gainnothing from my present performance. Orley Farm, my readers, will beour scene during a portion of our present sojourn together, but thename has been chosen as having been intimately connected with certainlegal questions which made a considerable stir in our courts of law.
It was twenty years before the date at which this story will besupposed to commence that the name of Orley Farm first became knownto the wearers of the long robe. At that time had died an oldgentleman, Sir Joseph Mason, who left behind him a landed estate inYorkshire of considerable extent and value. This he bequeathed, in aproper way, to his eldest son, the Joseph Mason, Esq., of our date.Sir Joseph had been a London merchant; had made his own money, havingcommenced the world, no doubt, with half a crown; had become, inturn, alderman, mayor, and knight; and in the fulness of time wasgathered to his fathers. He had purchased this estate in Yorkshirelate in life—we may as well become acquainted with the name, GrobyPark—and his eldest son had lived there with such enjoyment of theprivileges of an English country gentleman as he had been able tomaster for himself. Sir Joseph had also had three daughters, fullsisters of Joseph of Groby, whom he endowed sufficiently and gaveover to three respective loving husbands. And then shortly before hisdeath, three years or so, Sir Joseph had married a second wife, alady forty-five years his junior, and by her he also left one son, aninfant only two years old when he died.
For many years this prosperous gentleman had lived at a small countryhouse, some five-and-twenty miles from London, called Orley Farm.This had been his first purchase of land, and he had never given uphis residence there, although his wealth would have entitled him tothe enjoyment of a larger establishment. On the birth of his youngestson, at which time his eldest was nearly forty years old, he madecertain moderate provision for the infant, as he had already mademoderate provision for his young wife; but it was then clearlyunderstood by the eldest son that Orley Farm was to go with the GrobyPark estate to him as the heir. When, however, Sir Joseph died, acodicil to his will, executed with due legal formalities, bequeathedOrley Farm to his youngest son, little Lucius Mason.
Then commenced those legal proceedings which at last developedthemselves into the great Orley Farm Case. The eldest son contestedthe validity of the codicil; and indeed there were some groundson which it appeared feasible that he should do so. This codicilnot only left Orley Farm away from him to baby Lucius, but alsointerfered in another respect with the previous will. It devised asum of two thousand pounds to a certain Miriam Usbech, the daughterof one Jonathan Usbech who was himself the attorney who had attendedupon Sir Joseph for the making out of this very will, and also ofthis very codicil. This sum of two thousand pounds was not, it istrue, left away from the surviving Joseph, but was to be produced outof certain personal property which had been left by the first will tothe widow. And then old Jonathan Usbech had died, while Sir JosephMason was still living.
All the circumstances of the trial need not be detailed here. It wasclearly proved that Sir Joseph had during his whole life expressedhis intention of leaving Orley Farm to his eldest son; that he was aman void of mystery, and not given to secrets in his money matters,and one very little likely to change his opinion on such subjects. Itwas proved that old Jonathan Usbech at the time in which the will wasmade was in very bad circumstances, both as regards money and health.His business had once not been bad, but he had eaten and drunk it,and at this period was feeble and penniless, overwhelmed both by goutand debt. He had for many years been much employed by Sir Joseph inmoney matters, and it was known that he was so employed almost up tothe day of his death. The question was whether he had been employedto make this codicil.
The body of the will was in the handwriting of the widow, as was alsothe codicil. It was stated by her at the trial that the words weredictated to her by Usbech in her husband's hearing, and that thedocument was then signed by her husband in the presence of them both,and also in the presence of two other persons—a young man employedby her husband as a clerk, and by a servant-maid. These two last,together with Mr. Usbech, were the three witnesses whose namesappeared in the codicil. There had been no secrets between Lady Masonand her husband as to his will. She had always, she said, endeavouredto induce him to leave Orley Farm to her child from the day of thechild's birth, and had at last succeeded. In agreeing to this SirJoseph had explained to her, somewhat angrily, that he wished toprovide for Usbech's daughter, and that now he would do so out ofmoneys previously intended for her, the widow, and not out of theestate which would go to his eldest son. To this she had assentedwithout a word, and had written the codicil in accordance with thelawyer's dictation, he, the lawyer, suffering