The Claverings

drowned themselves,--the two Claverings,--the fool and the brute; and she can do what she pleases--" "She could always do as she pleased since Lord Ongar died." "Yes; but she is more lonely than ever now. That cousin who is the greatest fool of all, who might have had everything,--mon Dieu! yes, everything;--she would have given it all to him with a sweep of her hand, if he would have taken it. He is to marry himse

Fool-and-brute drowning clears the baronetcy path and isolates Lady Ongar while Harry chooses Florence — plot engine closes — so plot scores 86.

Florence Burton was short of stature, was brown, meagre, and poor-looking. So said Harry Clavering to himself. Her small hand, though soft, lacked that wondrous charm of touch which Julia's possessed. Her face was short, and her forehead, though it was broad and open, had none of that feminine command which Julia's look conveyed. That Florence's eyes were very bright,--bright and soft as well, he

Harry's own comparison individuates Florence against Julia's command — cast as moral choice — so cast scores 87.

When the baby died at Clavering Park, somebody hinted that Sir Hugh would certainly quarrel with his brother as soon as Archie should become the father of a presumptive heir to the title and property. That such would be the case those who best knew Sir Hugh would not doubt. That Archie should have that of which he himself had been robbed, would of itself be enough to make him hate Archie.

Mid-book heir-hatred and spy digression dilate the Florence/Julia choice — so pace scores 84.

The gardens of Clavering Park were removed some three hundred yards from the large, square, sombre-looking stone mansion which was the country-house of Sir Hugh Clavering, the eleventh baronet of that name; and in these gardens, which had but little of beauty to recommend them, I will introduce my readers to two of the personages with whom I wish to make them acquainted in the following story. It was now the end of August, and the parterres, beds, and bits of lawn were dry, disfigured, and almost ugly, from the effects of a long drought.

Drought gardens and sombre stone — atmosphere naming a loveless park before Julia's farewell — so prose scores 86.

I do not know that there is in England a more complete gentleman's residence than Ongar Park, nor could there be one in better repair, or more fit for immediate habitation than was that house when it came into the hands of the young widow. The park was not large, containing about sixty or seventy acres. But there was a home-farm attached to the place, which also now belonged to Lady Ongar for her life

Complete residence and life-interest farm — widow's fortune as geography — so world scores 85.

Lady Ongar." "You don't know what I may care about as Lady Ongar; but as Julia Brabazon I will now say good-by for the last time." Then they parted, and the lady returned to the great house, while Harry Clavering made his way across the park towards the rectory.

Last good-by as Brabazon before Ongar title — triangle and fortune planted in one exit — so hook scores 88.

"Oh, yes," said Theodore Burton, in answer to some comfortable remark from his wife; "Providence has done very well for Florence. And Providence has done very well for him also;--but Providence was making a great mistake when she expected him to earn his bread."

Providence joke undercuts earning-merit romance — mild structural irony without sensation — so innov scores 83.

And now my story is done. My readers will easily understand what would be the future life of Harry Clavering and his wife after the completion of that tour in Italy, and the birth of the heir,--the preparations for which made the tour somewhat shorter than Harry had intended. His father, of course, gave up to him the shooting, and the farming of the home farm,--and after a while, the management of the property.

Italy, heir, home farm handed over — domestic settlement after drowning clears the line — so ending scores 85.