The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 330: what you’re looking at

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

316 THE YOUNG DUCHESS; GR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. whose entire thoughts were accustomed to be riveted on money-matters, now found all his feel- ings and sympathies flowing into other channels —and he gave free vent to these emotions. At length, when some little degree of calmness was restored between the uncle and nephew, and the latter had resumed his seat, he said, ‘‘ You have taught me to call myself Edward Walpole. I suppose therefore that my mother was your sister ?” ‘*'Yes,” replied Seymour. ‘ She married a worthy gentleman named Walpole. You were their only child ‘And both died when I was very young ?” ' Seymour held down his head for upwards of a minute ere he answered the question ; and then he said, ‘‘ Your father died before you were born. His death was fearfully sudden—it was accidental. He was a great practical chemist ; and in making some experiment—alas! the story is a sad one, Edward !—he inhaled a subtle poison and was discovered a corpse in his studio. As you may suppose, terrible was the effect produced upon your mother. She was thrown upon a sick bed ~—you were born somewhat prematurely—and— and—a few days afterwards my poor sister was no more !” There was another long pause,—another inter- val during which there was a gush of emotion on the part of the young man who received this in- telligence from his uncle’s lips. What could be more affecting than to hear of one’s parentage after years of utter ignorance concerning it, and then at last to learn that so many sorrowful cir- cumstances were attached to the interesting topic! “‘ But do not ask me to tell you any more at pre- . sent,” resumed Mr. Seymour, at length breaking silence. “J know that a thousand anxious and suspenseful ideas must be agitating in your mind, and that you would fain put to me a thousand queries! You may even think that I ought not to delay an explanation which on my own ac- count I owe you I as your nearest surviving relative so long abandoning you-—” “Say not another syllable upon the subject, dear uncle!” exclaimed Edward Walpole fer- vently. ‘' Explain yourself when you choose—or never, unless you think fit! I shall be contented. And believe me, I will never never put to you a question that shall seem to be fraught with curiosity !” ‘Well, well, my boy,” interrupted the railway contractor, pressing his nephew’s hand, and speak- ing in a voice that was tremulous with emotion, ‘“‘we have said enough upon the subject for the present occasion—at least upon that particular point. Nevertheless, in process of time, Edward, you shall receive every requisite explanation. I will keep nothing back from you.—And now, to turn to another topic. Do you like living in these lodgings? Are the apartments handsome and cheerful enough ?” ‘Handsome and cheerful enough? What! for me who e ‘‘Nay—refer not to the past! think only of the present, Edward! I will supply you with sufficient means to enable you to indulge in all rational enjoyments a “You have already given me an earnest of your kindness, dear uncle! In one fortnight a com- plete edifice of luxury and splendour has been built up—horses, servants, plate, jewels , “Tt is nothing, Edward,” interrupted the rich capitalist, with a smile. ‘I do not want you to become extravagant nor profuse in your expen- diture; and I have seen enough of your good sense to be aware that: there is no danger of this. Indeed, I wish to accustom you to the enjoyment of wealth ; and I think I need not any longer hesitate to tell you that you may look upon your income as being about five thousand a year.” ' “ Rive thousand a-year!” repeated the young man almost confounded with amazement. ‘‘Itisa dream! But, Oh! how much good may I be enabled to accomplish with such a sum!” ‘ Be rational in your charities, as in every thitig else,” observed Mr. Seymour. ‘ And now, Edward, that you know the extent of the resources upon which you may rely, you can at your leisure form plans for your future mode of life. If you do not feel comfortable in these apartments, take a house in London or a villa in the suburbs ” “A house! a villa!”—and the young man seemed lost in the dazzling and bewildering light which a discourse of this sort shed around him. ~ “ Well, well,” said Mr. Seymour, “there is plenty of time for you to think over these matters. By the bye;-be careful in forming friendships amongst the young men of the West End——-” ‘‘T have formed none yet,” responded Walpole. “ But you will, in process of time—yes, with young men of rank and station ” ‘*No!—Oh, no!” murmured Edward, in a half-stifled voice: and then he looked as if he were choking, while the blood having mantled on his cheeks for a moment, left them deadly pale. “My dear boy,” Seymour hastened: to ex- claim, “give not way to those ideas. And now let me touch upon one more topic—and this I must confess that I am about to approach with some degree of difficulty ’ ‘Oh, why, dear uncle?” cried the young man: ‘‘why should this be the case? There is nota command you could utter that I would not obey! —there is not a syllable of counsel that you might give which I should refuse to follow !” ‘‘dward, you now know-that Iam your uncle,” continued the capitalist, ‘‘and you will naturally expect to be introduced to my wife and children —that is to say, to your aunt and cousins.” ‘It would give me infinite pleasure,” answered the young man, with mingled meekness and joy: ‘but still—if there be any inconvenience—or if you hesitate . “T do not, Edward! morrow.” ‘ To-morrow ?”—and the animation of happi- ness appeared upon the young man’s countenance. ‘An aunt! cousins! Oh, to be recognised by one’s kindred—and to call them such !”—and he clasped his hands with a sense of ineffable thank- fulness. ‘““'Yes—to-morrow you shall see them,” pursued Seymour. ‘‘ But—but—there are reasons—you cannot altogether understand them now—you will know them better at a future time, when I give you those full and unreserved explanations whfch I have “already promised. ‘You need not tell me your reasons for any line of conduct that you may suggest, uncle. You You shall see them to- COMO YN Wn) SE a Colin