The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

—= rc (LE THE YOUNG DUCHESS: OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. rr A a lp re mpnplisdiniumnisinemepnenge 51 ue Impossible ” returned Gaffney. “There is evidently something up, though the landlord don’t seem to suspect it. Mrs. Trevor, as she ‘calls herself, comes down first: then the Duke —or Mr. next “¢ Here he is!” ejaculated Peppercorn. “ Now’s the time, Tim !” The Duke of Ardleigh was hastening through the village in the direction of the Parsonage: he observed the two men loitering by the side of the road, but little suspected that they would have anything to say to him—until Tim Gafiney stepped forward, and touching his hat, said with a knowing look, ‘, How d’ye do, my lord ?” The Duke stopped short for a moment: he scrutinized Gaffney’s face—then he surveyed the countenance of Peppercorn ; but he could not re- collect. that he had ever seen either of them be- fore. He was confounded by being thus accosted by persons who evidently knew him. And the significant glance which had been bent upon him by Tim Gaffney showed how useless it would be to deny himself and thus perhaps provoke an Trevor, as he calls himself—comes -altercation. “Who are you?” inquired Herbert, speedily recovering himself. ‘““My name’s Timothy Gaffney, at your service, my lord ; and this is my friend Mr. Peppercorn —Jack Peppereorn I calls him—also at your Grace’s service.” The Duke felt infinitely disgusted at the half flippant, half familiar manner in which the fellow addressed him: but as he suddenly recollected that he had seen the two men lurking at the door of the inn when he had alighted, he at once per- ceived how absolutely necessary it was to pro- pitiate and to silence them. ‘Where have you seen me before?” he de- manded. * At Maidstone t’other day,” responded Gaffney. “YT was standing by when you bought a couple of horses of one Manning: Ah!” said the Duke. ‘ Well—proceed.” “Your Grace gave Manning a cheque; and when you was gone Manning says to me, says he, ‘Tim, should you like to see a Duke’s hand- writing ?—' Why?’ says I.—‘ Because,’ says he, ‘here it is; for that civil and polite young genel- man which has just bought the horses, is none other than the Duke of Ardleigh, and here’s his cheque upon his bankers in London.’—So that’s the way, my lord,” added Tim Gaffney, with a bow, “that I come to know you was the Duke of Ard- leigh.” | “Very well, my man,” said Herbert. ‘ Have you mentioned the fact to any one else ?”—and it was. with an indescribable suspense that the nobleman put the question. ‘‘Only to my pal here, my Jord.” “Good! It is a secret—and you two will keep it between you, because I shall reward you handsomely. How long do you purpose to stay at Southdale ?” “Why, my lord, we've a. little business which will keep us here till to-morrow morning perhaps,” replied Gaffney; “but if it suits your Grace’s pleasure that we should stay longer, till you have got time to talk to us for instance - ‘J will make time to see you presently,” in- terrupted the Duke. ‘‘ But you will not seem to — + know me—and above all things, be silent if you wish to be well rewarded !” “Mum's the word, my lerd:” and Tim Gaff-. ney, turning on his heel, strolled back into the village, accompanied by J ack Peppercorn. “My God!” mentally ejaculated the Duke, as he hurried along towards the Parsonage; “how the web of difficulties and embarrassments seems to be closing in around me! , At every step that I take it a appears as if I was destined to flounder deeper and deeper into an inextricable morass! Good heavens! what will be the end of it? Oh, when once we enter upon the path of deception, how many more falsehoods and duplicities must be adopted to sustain the first !” An expresssion of indescribable anguish swept over his countenance as these reflections passed rapidly through his brain; and then all in.a mo- ment he gave a cry of joy, for he beheld Ethel speeding towards him. She had left the Par- sonage in the precipitate manner which we have described s—and now on the part of the young Duke everything was forgotten—or at least almost completely absorbed, in the thought of straining that beloved creature to his heart again. “Ethel! dearest Ethel!” he exclaimed, ex- tending his arms to receive her. “No! no!” and as she stopped short within half a dozen yards of him, it was with a sort of horror that she made a vehement gesture to repel his advance. “Oh, my God, Ethel!” he cried, ‘ drive me not to despair !” “Despair?” and no language can convey an idea of the forlorn and desolate expression. that for a moment seized upon her countenance, which from having been flushed with excitement, sud- denly grew deadly pale. ‘ But here! take these! destroy them, I conjure you!” “Oh, what have you done, Ethel!” exclaimed the Duke, as she produced a folded piece of paper from her bosom. ‘My God! it is as I suspected! You have come to destroy the last trace——” ““Yes—the last trace of everything that can criminate you /” said Ethel, emphatically. “Not for worlds shall you run this frightful risk!” eried the Duke. “Ah! say you'so?”—and at the very instant when he was about to snateh the folded paper from her hand, she tore it into a myriad of the minutest fragments, and flung them into the stream which flowed by the road side. It was alk the work of an instant: it was done in the twinkling of an eye; and then, as if the whole concentration of tremendous excitement which the young lady had experienced were now sud- denly ended by the deed she had accomplished, she said calmly, “You are safe! Go—leave me! You have naught to appr ehend on the face of the earth !” The magnanimity of Ethel’s conduct produced such an overwhelming effect upon the Duke, that he burst into a flood of tears and: began sob- bing violently. A fearful remorse seized wpon his soui—a remorse that was likewise blended with a boundless love for that adorable creature. Oh, how his heart yéarned towards her! how he longed to strain her to his breast! | “My God, Ethel!” he murmured, “how utterly unwor thy of ali your affectionate interest have Ibeen! Do not go! do not leave me!” conniclooolk Colin