The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 382: what you’re looking at

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

368 the young man of interesting appearance who now stood before him. “Tt is not altogether an agreeable task which I have to perform, Mr. Ponsford,” said Walpole, taking the chair that was indicated by that gen- tleman; ‘and I could have wished that one of maturer years and of a larger experience in the world might have acted as my substitute on the present occasion.” ‘‘ Pray be explicit, Mr. Walpole,” said Ponsford, “and in as few words as possible come to the point.” ‘You must permit me to remind you,” resumed ; Walpole, ‘‘of an episode in your life which dating some seventeen years back Pp “Ah!” ejaculated the Squire, giving a sudden start: ‘to what do you allude?”—and it was with a visible effort that he strove to tranquillize and compose the feelings which had become so suddegly agitated. ; “It is not for me, Mr. Ponsford, to read you a lesson of morality—— no, nor yet.to act as the champion of one whose wrongs are of so old a date m ‘You-allude, Mr. Walpole, to a certain indis- cretion on my part. It is impossible I can mis- take your meauing! But for what purpose have you come to recall to my mind one of those inci- dents which from their very nature it were desirable to blot out of a man’s life?” | “Tf I mention the name of Lady Amesbury,” continued Walpole, ‘‘it must be sufficient to prove not merely that I am well acquainted with all the details of that episode in your life, but also that I am now an accredited agent coming direct from her ladyship.” “Yes, yes! I know that she to whom you allude, married General Amesbury. Years lave elapsed since I heard anything concerning her—unless in- deed it were the intelligence that she was left a widow 7 ‘“‘ And has it never occurred to you, Mr. Pons- ford,” asked Walpole,—‘“has it never suggested itself to your feelings to make an inquiry relative to the offspring of that illicit love of yours?” ‘““ By heaven, yes, Mr. Walpole!” exclaimed Ponsford; ‘‘ I did make such inquiries—and more than once too! But why these questions ?—to what is all this discourse to lead ?” “To a piece of intelligence which by Lady Amesbury’s desire I come to impart.” “If it be, Mr. Walpole,” rejoined Ponsford, “that the poor child is dead, you come somewhat late to make the announcement.” ‘“‘ And how did it at any time reach your ears?” asked Edward. “From the only source to which I could apply for any information at all upon the subject. It must have been three or four years ago that I ad- dressed myself to that source—and then I was told that the child was dead.” “‘ And if she were now alive, Mr. Ponsford,” in- terjected Walpole, ‘‘she would be in her seven- teenth year.” “‘ What, in heaven’s name, do you mean?” ex- claimed the Squire. ‘Why thus allude to her ? Your words, Mr. Walpole, are calculated to en- gender a strange idea in my mind—but yet it is impossible! Warren could not have been mistaken! —and as for wilfully deceiving me, such a thing is altogether out of the question!” THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. “Mr. Warren has deceived you,” exclaimed the young man impressively :—‘“‘ your daughter lives! she is now clasped in the arms of her mother !— but, alas! Death seems to be following close upon her track—and this is the reason wherefore 1 am here’ to make an announcement which Lady Amesbury deemed it her duty to convey unto you.” | Ponsford listened with the stupor of astonish- ment to the details of this intelligence: and then suddenly rising from his seat, he approached his visitor, saying in a voice that was low and tremu- lous, “Is it possible, Mr. Walpole —tell me, is it possible that one whom I believed dead, yet lives 2” : ‘She lives, sir—she lives! But heaven only can tell how long she may be spared to the mother unto whose arms she has been restored !” “Or to the father,” added Ponsford emphati- cally, ‘who now likewise yearns to fold her to his heart !” ‘“Do you really mean, Mr. Ponsford,” asked Walpole, “that such is the state ot your feeling ?” ‘Most solemnly I declare it to be!” was the impressive answer. ‘ You may think, Mr. Wal- pole, that I am not a man capable of entertaining such kindly sentiments—judging me from my antecedents, you may suppose—and naturally so —that I am callous as I was formerly treacherous —hard-hearted as I was once perfidious 7” ‘Now I do really know by the terms in which you are speaking,” exclaimed Walpole, alike affected and delighted, ‘‘that all good-feeling is not extinguished in your heart! I shall therefore return from my embassy with more satisfaction than I experienced when entering upon it; and I shall be enabled to assure Lady’ Amesbury that the father of her child is not altogether indifferent to that child’s welfare !” “Heaven forbid !” exclaimed Ponsford. ‘The time was, Mr. Walpole, when I should have treated your mission with indifference —perhaps scorn and contempt—and when I should even have deemed it an impertinence that you came to address me on such a subject. But now, on the contrary, I thank you! I am an altered man. It is not altogether the weight of years upon my brow that has made its pressure felt upon my heart: but it is that circumstances have combined of late to convince me that there is a heaven to take cog- nizance of misdeeds committed upon earth, and that sooner or later there must be retribution for all wrong-doing. Oh, if I were to enter into particulars,!”— and for a moment Ponsford wrung his hands bitterly. ‘But no, no!—this cannot be! Suffice it for you to know, Mr. Walpole, that the heavy hand of affliction has been laid upon me, and that within the sphere of my own family circle I have been made to experience a terrible chastisement for much of my past wrong- doing. If I now tell you this, it is to prove with hew much sincerity I proclaim my contrition— my deep, deep contrition — for the stupendous wrong which in times past I inflicted upon that tender, loving, and confiding creature who now bears the name of Lady Amesbury! Go to her, therefore —tell her all this—and ask her whether I may be permitted to throw myself at her feet, and likewise whether I may share with her the privilege of embracing the child of our illicit and fatal love ?” » COMO YN Wn) Colin