The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

82 THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. oe in earnest conversation in the back parlour, and Charles’s name being mentioned, Clara leaned against _ the half-opened folding doors and listened. ‘ Well, I know that the affectionate little Dolly likes him, as much as any girl ever could do, but I don’t think he cares so much about /e7, perhaps,” said the old dame. ‘‘Say no more about it; if he makes a judicious match I will assist him in the world; but as to mere ‘curls, and ‘harp playing,’ and all that superficial nonsense, I know he has an ambition above all that. The girl He carries in his heart has greater qualifi- cations than these, or J am much mistaken. J know the lady he admires most, and she doesn’t live more than a‘hundred miles from this house,” Sir Richard said, Clara 'Haylark could hear no more ; she rushed from the apartment in despair. The die was cast ! Charles was lost for-ever ! For several days she kept her rooms, and could not be\prevailed upon, despite all importunities, to appear in the parlour after tea, No one could assign a cause for her absence, and a certain Augustus Fumbleton, \Esq., who was hope- lesgly paying his addresses to her under the secret anspicesiof her mother, called evening after evening without seeing his idol on the music-stool, and re- tired to this cold and Jonely lodgings in meek re- signation, luxuriating in melancholy madness, yet feeling an intense dismal satisfaction that he could truthfully report to his intended mother-in-law that he was daily decreasing in rotundity, and fast falling into\@ galloping fashionable decline ! . a % ot mF Charles, who, in his legal seclusion, far from all temptation and the-frivolities of the world, knew comparatively nothing of what was passing within the sphere of the good old dame’s respectable hotel, was Inuch surprised at the altered language in whieh Miss \@lara now addressed him, and could not divine the causes therefore. Clara’s notes, which formerly were full ef hope love, fidelity, and all the tender and most interesting passions, now pictured to him nought but jer bleak and blank despair. She told him she was “Jost.” That all she wished for now in this sublupary world was “a quiet grave,” where, of course, moss- roses, violets, and forget-me-nots might bloom. But of aught else she had neither hopes nor ex- pectations. She told him, moreover, that her heart was broken, and intimated that nought on earth could mend it, or join the dissevered parts anew, &c, Finally she said his heart was given to another, and that she was left alone to droop and die ! ' Surprised beyond measure at the change in her style of language, Charley Warbeck chafed exceed- ingly, and could not understand what had happened to. cause a rupture between his “little curly head,” as he jocosely termed her, and himself, Surely no one could have divined the temporary passion which had inflamed him for the old gaoler’s daughter, he thought ; and save this slight indiscre- tion, his heart had not strayed from the affectionate unsophisticated Clara ! f pial now, he knew not how much he had loved er ! Now, indeed, his passion began to flame with ten- foldardour ; and when she no longer visited him in- pris on as of yore, and sent no word of love or kind rt i i ee ness by the much-expected and long looked-for post, he begun to decline in health, and visibly to pine. 7. ‘Some enemy has been at work,” thought he. “T would give untold wealth to have this thing explained ! A more true-hearted girl never breathed the breath of life, and I would give ten thousand kingdoms to call her mine ! “ She has been faithful towme in all my adversity. “ She, of all I ever knew, is the only ore who does not despise me. — “Tf I live I will make her my wife, or else have none at all, if I could even exist for a thousand years.” Dame Worthington, and also Sir Richard, visited the prisoner as of yore. They abated nothing of their former kind@ness—if anything, they loved him all the more—yet Charley’s health visibly declined, nor could his friends imagine the cause thereof, Mental anxiety had‘laid him upon an hospital bed, and there he lay for many days. The good doctor had watched his case with more than ordinary anxiety and care. When making his usual “rounds” to the patients, he came laughingly to Charley’s bed:ide one morn- ing, and jocosely observed, as le passed on, “I will not prescribe for this case to-day,” and placed in his patient’s hands the King’s pardon ! Surprised beyond measure, Charles read the docu- - ment time after time, as if distrustful of his senses, and then begged permission to leave the prison walls immediately ! The good doctor smiled, and at last permitted it ; and Charles, weak, pale, and subdued in spirit, put on his best clothes, and wag soon on his way to Dame Worthington’s, It was past the time for dinner. He saw by the light in the pariour tliat some one was there ! The door stood ajar, He went into the passage, and noiselessly entered the parlour ! - At the harp sat Clara, and behind her Augustus Fumbleton, Esq., who was pressing her to sing, She hesitated much, and begged to be excused, As there were no other persons present, her beau impudently attempted to kiss the player, But this was more than Charley could bear. He quietly advanced, knocked Fumbleton aside, and kissed her himself ! Clara’s surprise was great ! She gave a little scream, rose from the music- stool, and embraced Charles unreservedly. Fumbleton, Esq., perceived at a glance that he was not at all wanted, and considerably “out of place.” Like a wise youth, he vacated the apartment very expeditiously, and was never reen ahere more ! It was some moments cre Miss Clara was re- leased from the strong arms of Mr. Charles, and even then he seemed much loth to part with thie mass of curls which had nestled so affectionately and confidingly around his neck. But her little seream had been heard by Mistress Haylark, who, in maternal anxiety for her fair, accomplished, and only child, quickly arriyed upon the scene, puffing and blowing, und, discovering the true state of things, gave a second edition of her daughter’s little seream, and sank upon the capacious sofa completely exhausted with her efforts, michboo (E(0) (E(0)