Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 249: what you’re looking at

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

214 ALFRED; OR ADVENTURES morrow morning, at eight o’clock, we leave St. Malo, on our return to Paris.” ‘You are right, William,” said Mrs. Clayton. ‘¢ No, dear uncle—-stay, O, stay!” cried Eloise, almost broken- hearted: ‘believe me, De Rosann is innocent. Why will you condemn him unheard? Why listen to the falsities uttered by one who is a stranger to you?” ‘¢ Eloise,” returned Mr. Clayton calmly; ‘* De Rosann’s mys- terious conduct in proceeding to England instead of to Paris, as I advised him; his long absence in London ; his continued evasions to excuse his sojourn there before he enclosed a letter purported to be written by an individual possessing the ability to obtain a full pardon for him; and the plain uncontradictory tale of that Belle- Rose, whose confidence in me was certainly indiscreet, without destroying the validity of the evidence; all these circumstances combined, form a fearful accusation against him whom I treated as a friend—whom I loved as a son—O De Rosann— De Rosann!” And Mr. Clayton wiped away tears from his eyes. Mr. Clayton was a man of violent prejudices. His present hatred for De Rosann was as great as his former attachment. In- dignation had so blinded him, that he would not listen to reason, It was, therefore in vain that Eloise fell upon her knees to endea- vour to dissuade him from his purposed departure. Unfortunately her mother perfectly acquiesced in the designs of her brother-in- law, and only supported his opinions with increasing warmth. The wretched girl retired to her chamber and wept bitterly. Not for one instant did she entertain the slightest suspicion of her lover’s treachery. She judged his mind and character by her own; she reflected that when he supposed himself to be wealthy and _ pros- perous in his affairs, he demonstrated towards her every proof of a sincere affection which could not have been interested; and she resolved to combat the accusations of her mother and uncle with all the force of argument the emergency of the case might bring to her aid. | In the midst of her sorrowful ruminations, an idea suddenly struck her that animated her countenance with a smiles; and she sate down to her desk and wrote a short note, which she carefully sealed and placed in her bosom. When this was done, she felt more tranquil, and suffered new hopes to enliven her spirits; for she remembered that De Rosann could write his justification—that her uncle dared not compromise his character as a just man by refusing to read it—and that they might still be happy. | On the following morning, as Eloise ascended the steps of the carriage that was to bear her back to Paris, she slipped the note into the hands of the porter of the house, and laid her finger upon her rosy lip. The motion was understood and acknowledged by i equally significant nod, to the inexpressible. delight of our fair eroine. [email protected]©) =}