Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 224: what you’re looking at

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

OF A FRENCH GENTLEMAN. 19] ‘¢ [ pardon you from the bottom ot my heart; I forget all—ah you have made me suffer; I offer you the hand of friendship,” cried the generous youth, grasping the emaciated fingers held out to him, ‘‘ and I swear, as God is my judge, that I sincerely forgive you La Motte—oh! as sincerely as man can do.” ‘¢ In my death I shall be more serviceable to you than I was in my lifetime, De Rosann,” said La Motte, vainly endeavouring to stifle the convulsive sobs that nearly choked him, and that per- petually interrupted his conversation: ‘ [ have at length done you the justice I owe you. Since the fatal moment of my crime, I have scarcely known happiness, otherwise than as an empty name. My affectionate wife, who never suspected my guilt,—and in order to conceal it from her, I carefully avoided any correspondence with the continent, not even suffering a French journal to enter my house,—that devoted woman fell a victim to the change of climate which my vices obliged her to endure, and left me alone in the world a few weeks after our arrival in England. Nor did my ill-gotten wealth profit me. It gradually disappeared in unfortunate speculations; and, as if I had not already suffered enough by my misdeeds, I was about to inveigle the worthy Mr. Robson to place his property in my power. You saved him from the precipice on which he stood. I ieft his house in shame and confusion; and, assembling the wreck of my riches, I entered into a bold speculation the very next day, determined to lose all and deprive myself of life. or by a desperate stroke to realize in eight-and-forty hours an immense sum, with which I might live happily in another clime. The foreign mail arrived—the funds rose to the astonishment of every body—and I hailed my success with unbounded joy. I then relinquished my idea of quitting the country, and thought of settling in a distant part of England, and thus avoiding the possibility of encountering men whose reproaches I had every reason to dread --I mean Robson and yourself. But the spirit of a gambler kept me in London; and I still pursued my desperate system of speculation, but with an unparalleled fortune. I was astonished at my own prosperity, and saw myself in a few days the possessor of more money than I had ever had at my dis- posal during an adventurous life. The excitement my mind had undergone threw me upon a sick bed, and other maladies have crowded fast upon me to rob me of existence.” La Motte paused for a few moments, wiped his forehead, and continued in a feebler voice to the following effect :— ‘“‘ | feel that my last hour is approaching, and that the green sod will soon close over my coffin: perhaps there is not a soul in the world to drop a tear upon my tomb! This morning J sent.for a lawyer and competent witnesses, and made my will. The con- tents of it, De Rosann, will prove that I deeply deplore my treachery towards you, and that on my death-bed I endeavour to make amends. You need not be afraid to accept the trifle I have left you,—it was honestly gained by my speculations on the Exchange. I have, moreover, drawn up a full and clear statement of the transaction by which your fair fame suffered. This has been ‘oF Gomicoooks (E©@)