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My Novel — Volume 07 by Baron Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton
page 85 of 111 (76%)
secret it might profit him to gain. For Randal Leslie hated Egerton; and
hated him the more because, with all his book-knowledge and his conceit
in his own talents, he could not despise his patron; because he had not
yet succeeded in making his patron the mere tool or stepping-stone;
because he thought that Egerton's keen eye saw through his wily heart,
even while, as if in profound disdain, the minister helped the protege.
But this last suspicion was unsound. Egerton had not detected Leslie's
corrupt and treacherous nature. He might have other reasons for keeping
him at a certain distance, but he inquired too little into Randal's
feelings towards himself to question the attachment, or doubt the
sincerity, of one who owed to him so much. But that which more than all
embittered Randal's feelings towards Egerton was the careful and
deliberate frankness with which the latter had, more than once, repeated
and enforced the odious announcement, that Randal had nothing to expect
from the minister's WILL, nothing to expect from that wealth which glared
in the hungry eyes of the pauper heir to the Leslies of Rood. To whom,
then, could Egerton mean to devise his fortune? To whom but Frank
Hazeldean? Yet Audley took so little notice of his nephew, seemed so
indifferent to him, that that supposition, however natural, was exposed
to doubt. The astuteness of Randal was perplexed. Meanwhile, however,
the less he himself could rely upon Egerton for fortune, the more he
revolved the possible chances of ousting Frank from the inheritance of
Hazeldean,--in part, at least, if not wholly. To one less scheming,
crafty, and remorseless than Randal Leslie, such a project would have
seemed the wildest delusion. But there was something fearful in the
manner in which this young man sought to turn knowledge into power, and
make the study of all weakness in others subservient to his own ends. He
wormed himself thoroughly into Frank's confidence. He learned, through
Frank, all the squire's peculiarities of thought and temper, and pondered
over each word in the father's letters, which the son gradually got into
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