Alfred de Rosann by G.W.M. Reynolds — page 223: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

192 Alfred de Rosann. signed by the French consul: the two documents will be found together after my death. ‘Till then neither shall be opened. Suf- fice it to say, that your innocence will be fully established—and you may yet look your enemies in the face.” ‘‘ God knows, my motives in pardoning your offences towards me were not interested, La Motte,’’ cried De Rosann: ‘“ but I do not refuse the bounteous gifts you may have bequeathed me—be- because I am poor—I ama beggar, indeed—dependent on my friends.” ‘¢ And I have reduced you to so humilating a predicament !’’ cried La Motte, covering his face with his hands, and weeping bitterly. ‘I have been the baneful cause of all your bitter tears— your moments of agony—your nights of torment—and your days of despair. Through my infernal machinations—but thought is dreadful—I dare not look at the past—retrospection is terrible ! Oh! De Rosann—De Rosann—at length you are avenged—for you witness my tortures. Oh! oh!” ‘¢ I do not wish for vengeance,” said our hero, mildly. ‘¢ T know it, De Rosann—you have pardoned me! But I can- not yet pardon myself.” The surgeon now entered the room, an proceeded to examine his patient’s pulse. The fever was considerably increased by the excitement of the last half hour; and an almost involuntary shake of the head, on the part of the medical man, convinced De Rosann that La Motte had but a short time to live. In the evening he rallied a little, and a hectic colour appeared on his cheeks; but towards midnight he suffered a relapse ; and at two o’clock on the following morning he expired in the arms of the individual whom he had only a year ago ruined and reduced to the lowest pitch of degradation. When La Motte’s will was opened, De Rosann found himself the sudden heir to upwards of forty thousand pounds. He moreover inherited the possession of the furniture, valuables, carriages, horses, &c. In addition to these bequests, the sum of twelve thousand pounds was left to liquidate the amounts due to those discounters who had given cash upon the forged bills for which De Rosann suffered, in case their claims had not been already satisfied: and if they had received a portion, or the whole, of the money that was owing to them, from the product of the establishment when it became bankrupt, and was sold to other merchants, then the remainder, or entire sum of twelve thousand. pounds, was to devolve to De Rosann as La Motte’s heir. Fortu- nately for our hero, the sale of his ruined house had been entrusted to honest men; and subsequent enquiry proved that the creditors had been paid various dividends to the gross amount of seventy- five percent. Nine thousand pounds of the twelve, thus equi- tably set apart by the repentant La Motte, were added to the other legacies; and no one congratulated De Rosann more sincerely on his unexpected good fortune than the worthy banker, and his daughter Selina. COnicbooolks (GO)