The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 394: what you’re looking at

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

We should observe that she had seen Ashborne for a few minutes on the preceding day, when an inquest upon the deceased was held at the house ; and he had attended to give such evidence as was required from his lips. But on that occasion nothing more had taken place betwixt the young lady and him, beyond the expression of condo- lence and sympathy on his part, and from her own lips the assurance of gratitude for the atten- tions he had shown throughout the serics of de- plorable occurrences. They therefore were but little better than strangers to each other; and as the first violent ebullitions of Selina’s grief had by this time subsided, she was enabled to contem- plate with more attention the young man whose near relationship to her deceased sire she at that moment was so far from suspecting. She re- ceived him with that lJady-like courtesy which she knew so well how to demonstrate: she bade him be seated—she apologised for having kept him waiting—and she likewise bade him excuse the non-appearance of her mother, who was too much afflicted to receive any one under existing circumstances. “At the same time, Mr. Ashborne,” added Selina, ‘‘my mother desires me to express her deepest gratitude for all that you did the night before last.” “ ‘Would to God, Miss Casey,” exclaimed the young man, with fervour, “that I had only made a little more haste to enter the house! I might have prevented the crowning iniquity! But the ways of heaven are inscrutable—and it was doubt- less decreed by providence that I should tarry and linger until it was too late!” ‘“Mr. Ashborne,” said Selina, after a pause, during which the young lady seemed to be medi- tating painfully and uneasily, ‘‘ I am glad that I have an opportunity of speaking alone to you for a few minutes. You must have thought that certain occurrences the other night wore a very strange aspect; for I understand,” she continued, with a blush suffusing her cheeks, ‘that you were in my chamber when I was brought back to con- sciousness—you now know to what I allude—l mean those documents which had been tossed out of my writing-desk ” ‘Miss Casey,” observed Osborne, ‘‘I should not certainly have ventured to intrude upon the sanctity of family secrets by the display of any impertinent curiosity on my part: but inasmuch as you have of your own accord broached the subject, I do not hesitate to admit that the scene to which you allude made a deep impression on my mind.” ““T asked my mother to tell me all that took place in your presence : she told me to the best of her recollection—and therefore I saw that you heard and saw enough, Mr. Ashborne,”’ pursued Selina, faltering and hesitating at every word, ‘to enable you to comprehend that there were certain deeds which I had abstracted—purloined —stolen, if you will : “Do not use harsh terms, Miss Casey!” inter- rupted Ashborne, with warmth. “Little as I know of you, I nevertheless already know you too well to believe that words of so stern an import can be properly applied to yourself! There must have been strong and powerful reasons which in- duced you to conceal those documents from your father.” re —E THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. ‘‘-Yes—reasons the most powerful,” responded the young lady, who was evidently labouring under much inward agitation. ‘‘ But I need scarcely tell you, Mr. Ashborne, that it was not my purpose to deprive my father of his property altogether. No, no!—the amount was too serious and the crime would have been too great! I had certain aims to accomplish; and when those were achieved, I should have thrown myself at my father’s feet and confessed everything. Yes—I should then have restored the papers and besought his pardon. That such was my intention, you may readily believe, Mr. Ashborne; for if it were otherwise, 1 should not have kept the documents in my possession—I should have destroyed them altogether !” “The proof is indisputable,” replied Stephen : “but even without it, your word would be suf- ficient to convince me.” ‘“‘Ah, Mr. Ashborne,” resumed the young lady, ‘“ you are generously considerate towards me; and I hope that I am not altogether unworthy of the kind construction which you are thus disposed to put upon the case, even before you are made acquainted with all the circumstances. And be- lieve me, it was for no insignificant purpose that I abstracted those documents from my father’s office! And, Oh! I know that there was a mo- ment when he suspected me! Yes—he suspected me! for he adjured me by everything sacred to swear unto him that I was not the accomplice of Launcelot Osborne in that theft! Aud I did swear—because it was the truth! I had no ac- complice—I acted by myself, wholly and solely. Thus, without perjury, I swore that Launcelot was not my accomplice—and 1 have every reason to hope that my father believed me!” Stephen Ashborne listened with an interest that deepened into amazement; and as Selina ceased speaking, he said, ‘‘ You are alluding, Miss Casey, to family matters which are but little known to me, for though it is true I did hear some rumour to the effect that you were tc accompany the Hon. Launcelot Osborne to the altar - ‘Yes, yes—I was speaking as if I fancied that you already knew everything !” exclaimed Selina. ‘Confusion and agitation prevail in my mind! Forgive me, Mr. Ashborne, if my explanations are not more coberent and intelligible.” ‘‘ Alas, Miss Casey,” said the young man, “‘it were impossible that I could do otherwise than feel how great and manifold must have been your trials! But in reference to those documents— the value of which, as I judged from something that your brother said when he found them upon the table the night before last, is of the enormous amount of sixty thousand pounds - “ Nominally, Mr. Ashborne—nominally,” inter- jected Selina, with an almost hysterieal nervous- ness of manner. ““T do not understand you,” said Stephen, with another look of surprise. ‘Oh! one must not speak ill of the dead— especially of one’s father! But still—but still truth compels me to express my belief—nay, my conviction—that the unfortunate Lord Trentham was compelled to pay dearly for the sums that he borrowed and the accommodation that was granted him.” “Now, I understand you, Miss Casey. In plain terms, the sums that were originally lent by your COMO YN Wn) | Colin