Produced by James RuskA TERRIBLE TEMPTATIONA STORY OF TODAYBy Charles ReadeCHAPTER ITHE morningroom of a large house in Portman Square LondonA gentleman in the prime of life stood with his elbow on the broadmantelpiece and made himself agreeable to a young lady seated alittle way off playing at workTo the ear he was only conversing but his eyes dwelt on her withloving admiration all the time Her posture was favorable to thisfurtive inspection for she leaned her fair head over her work with apretty modest demure air that seemed to say I suspect I am beingadmired I will not look to see I might have to check itThe gentlemans features were ordinary except his browthat had powerin itbut he had the beauty of color his sunburned features glowedwith health and his eye was bright On the whole rather goodlookingwhen he smiled but ugly when he frowned for his frown was a scowland betrayed a remarkable power of hatingMiss Arabella Bruce was a beauty She had glorious masses of dark redhair and a dazzling white neck to set it off large dovelike eyesand a blooming oval face which would have been classical if her lipshad been thin and finely chiseled but here came in her AngloSaxonbreed and spared society a Minerva by giving her two full and rosylips They made a smallish mouth at rest but parted ever so wide whenthey smiled and ravished the beholder with long even rows of dazzlingwhite teethHer figure was tall and rather slim but not at all commanding Thereare people whose very bodies express character and this tall supplegraceful frame of Bella Bruce breathed womanly subservience so did hergestures She would take up or put down her own scissors half timidlyand look around before threading her needle as if to see whether anysoul objected Her favorite word was May I with a stress on theMay and she used it where most girls would say I will or nothingand do itMr Richard Bassett was in love with her and also conscious that herfifteen thousand pounds would be a fine addition to his present incomewhich was small though his distant expectations were great As he hadknown her but one month and she seemed rather amiable thaninflammable he had the prudence to proceed by degrees and that iswhy though his eyes gloated on her he merely regaled her with thegossip of the day not worth recording here But when he had actuallytaken his hat to go Bella Bruce put him a question that had been onher mind the whole time for which reason she had reserved it to thevery last momentIs Sir Charles Bassett in town said she mighty carelessly butbending a little lower over her embroideryDont know said Richard Bassett with such a sudden brevity andasperity that Miss Bruce looked up and opened her lovely eyes MrRichard Bassett replied to this mute inquiry We dont speak Thenafter a pause He has robbed me of my inheritanceOh Mr BassettYes Miss Bruce the Bassett and Huntercombe estates were mine byright of birth My father was the eldest son and they were entailed onhim But Sir Charless father persuaded my old doting grandfather tocut off the entail and settle the estates on him and his heirs and sothey robbed me of every acre they could Luckily my little estate ofHighmore was settled on my mother and her issue too tight for thevillains to undoThese harsh expressions applied to his own kin and the abruptness andheat they were uttered with surprised and repelled his gentlelistener She shrank a little away from him He observed it Shereplied not to his words but to her own thoughtBut after all it does seem hard She added with a little fervorBut it wasnt poor Sir Charless doing after allHe is content to reap the benefit said Richard Bassett sternlyThen finding he was making a sorry impression he tried to get awayfrom the subject I say tried for till a man can double like a hare hewill never get away from his hobby Excuse me said he I oughtnever to speak about it Let us talk of something else You cannotenter into my feelings it makes my blood boil Oh Miss Bruce youcant conceive what a disinherited man feelsand I live at the verydoor his old trees that ought to be mine fling their shadows over mylittle flower beds the sixty chimneys of Huntercombe Hall look down onmy cottage his acres of lawn run up to my little garden and nothingbut a haha between usIt _is_ hard said Miss Bruce composedly not that she entered intoa hardship of this vulgar sort but it was her nature to soothe andplease peopleHard cried Richard Bassett encouraged by even this faint sympathyit would be unendurable but for one thingI shall have my own somedayI am glad of that said the lady but howBy outliving the wrongful heirMiss Bruce turned pale She had little experience of mens passionsOh Mr Bassett said sheand there was something pure and holy inthe look of sorrow and alarm she cast on the presumptuousspeakerpray do not cherish such thoughts They will do you harm Andremember life and death are not in our hands BesidesWellSir Charles mightWellMight he notmarryand have children This with more hesitation anda deeper blush than appeared absolutely necessaryOh theres no fear of that Property illgotten never descendsCharles is a wornout rake He was fast at Etonfast at Oxfordfastin London Why he looks ten years older than I and he is three yearsyounger He had a fit two years ago Besides he is not a marrying manBassett and Huntercombe will be mine And oh Miss Bruce if ever theyare mineSir Charles Bassett trumpeted a servant at the door and thenwaited prudently to know whether his young lady whom he had caughtblushing so red with one gentleman would be at home to anotherWait a moment said Miss Bruce to him Then discreetly ignoring whatBassett had said last and lowering her voice almost to a whisper shesaid hurriedly You should not blame him for the