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ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 638
Gleams of mulatto hate quivered from the eyes of the little Captain.
Darts of fire flashed from beneath Philip's eyebrows as he elbowed his
way forward, and hustled Woolcomb off the pavement. Mr. Philip
never disguised any sentiment of his. " Hate the little ignorant,
spiteful, vulgar, avaricious beast ? Of course I hate him, and I
should like to pitch him into the river." " Oh Philip !" Charlotte
pleaded. But there was no reasoning with this savage when in
wrath. I deplored, though perhaps I was amused by, his ferocity.
The local paper on our side was filled with withering epigrams
against this poor Woolcomb, of which, I suspect, Philip was the
author. I think I know that fierce style and tremendous invective.
In the man whom he hates he can see no good : and in his friend
no fault. When we met Bradgate apart from his principal, we
were friendly enough, He said we had no chance in the contest.
He did not conceal his dislike and contempt for his client. He
amused us in later days (when he actually became Philip's man of
law) by recounting anecdotes of Woolcomb, his fury, his jealousy,
his avarice, his brutal behaviour. Poor Agnes had married for
money, and he gave her none. Old Twysden, in giving his daughter
to this man, had hoped to have the run of a fine house ; to ride in
Woolcomb's carriages, and feast at his table. But Woolcomb was
so stingy that he grudged the meat which his wife ate, and would
give none to her relations. He turned those relations out of his
doors. Talbot and Ringwood Twysden, he drove them both away.
He lost a child because he would not send for a physician. His
wife never forgave him that meanness. Her hatred for him became
open and avowed. They parted, and she led a life into which we
will look no farther. She quarrelled with parents as well as
husband. "Why," she said, "did they sell me to that man ?"
Why did she sell herself ? She required little persuasion from
father and mother when 8he committed that crime. To be sure,
they had educated her so well to worldliness, that when the occasion
came, she was ready.
We used to see this luckless woman, with her horses and
servants decked with Woolcomb's ribbons, driving about the little
town, and making feeble efforts to canvass the townspeople. They
all knew how she and her husband quarrelled. Reports came very
quickly from the Hall to the town. Woolcomb had not been at
Whipham a week when people began to hoot and jeer at him as he
passed in his carriage. " Think how weak you must be," Bradgate
said, " when we can win with this horse ! I wish he would stay
away, though. We could manage much better without him. He
has insulted I don't how many free and independent electors, and
infuriated others, because he will not give them beer when they