The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 292: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTUERIES OF LONDON. duced to penury, or remain in affluencce—whether that poor palsied old man next door shall continue to enjoy the comforts of life, or be plunged into destitution! In a word, Ellon, my very existence is in your hands; for J will not live to witness all tho terriblo afflictions that my accursed folly will have entailed upon ourselves, as wellas upon others Ellen was so taken by surprise as these alarming revelations burst upon her, that she started back in dismay, and surveyed her sire with a look of such passionate grief, that he himsolf grew affrighted in his turn; and hastily approaching her, he led her to a soat, saying, “ For God’s sake, compose yourself, Ellen: you have need of all your firmness now !”— With a frantic gesture she besought him to keep her no longer in suspense, but to tell her the worst at once.—“I will not torture you, my love,” said the wretched man, standing like a culprit in her pre- sence, “Kuow, thon, that I hover on the brink of ruin, It isnot that I think bankruptcy dishonour- able: no—the most upright men are liable to mis- fortune, and cannot control adversity. But, were I to fail, as I am now circumstanced, I could not ‘ pavo my name from indelible disgrace, nor my pirt- ners and the Mitchells likewise from ruin !”— Speechless with horror and amazement, the young girl gazed fixedly on hor father as he spoke.—* But there are still means of saving me and tho others also,” he resumed, in a tone so broken that it indi- cated how difficult and how painful it was for him to give utterance to this prelude to an announce- ment which he knew must prove terriblé indeed.— “And those means?” demanded Ellen, recovoring tho uso of her own voice: for she saw that there was allusion to herself in her father’s words.— ‘Nerve yourself, my poor girl, to hear something very shocking to your gentle heart,” said Mr. Pom- fret.— I am nerved now,” she replied, her features assuming the sottled aspect of despair. “ But the means?” sho repeated, more impatiently.—* That you renounco Leonard Mitchell, and accept Mr. Gamble as your husband,” said tho wretched father, speaking with averted head. A shriek escaped Ellen’s lips—and she started wildly from her seat: then, staggering forward a few paces, she fell into her parent’s arms—not insensible, but sobbing con- vulsively, She had been prepared for some dreadful tidings: she was not, howevor, nerved to mect such a frightful destiny as that so suddenly offered to her contemplation ;—and she felt as if she must sink under tho blow. Mr. Pomfret bore her to the sofa; and, placing himself by her side, said all he could to console her :—no—not all he cou/d—but all he dared;—for he had not courage enough to recall tho words that had sealed her fate! We must, however, draw a veil over this afflicting scene. Suffice it to say that the noble- minded girl eventually came to the determination to sacrifice herself for tho sake of her father—yes, and for the sake of the palsied parent of her lovor also! There is a crisis in misery that is in reality despair, aithough it may have tho outward appcar- anco of resignation: and this was tho condition of the young lady, when she said to hor father, “I will not prove a disobedient daughter. I therefore con- sent to renounce Leonard Mitchell, and to becomo the wife of him who demands my hand as the price of the succour which he is willing to afford you in this embarrassment.” - Mr. Pomfret embraced her vith the most unfcigned ardour, and thanked her am the most touching torms for her devotedness; ‘ s .? 287 and, strango as it may perhaps appear, Ellen be- sought him that the sacrifice should be accomplished as speedily as possible. This is, however, invariably the case with a noblo heart that resolves upon the immolation of its best affections : the maiden feared lest selfish considerations should arise from delay, to turn her from her purpose ;—and she wasanxious that her self-martyrdom should bo performed heroic- allyand with a good grace. But, oh!in one short hour how changed was her pure soul: how bitter—bow in- tense was now the disappointment that succeeded tho golden dream she had cherished ;—how stern, and bleak, and cheerless seemed that world on which sho had lately looked as on a fair and sunny landscape, fragrant with flowers and beautiful with verdure. Yes—gloomy indeed is the earth, and worthless is existence, when viewed through the same mirror which reflects the heart’s ruined hopes and blighted affections ! But who was to break tho news to Leonard Mitchell? Ellen was not equal to that task: in- decd, she dared not seo him. She felt that if sho were to gaze again upon his handsome countonance —if she were to read despair in his eloquent cyes and listen to the passionate accents of his melo- dious though manly voice, appealing to her against the stern resolve to which circustances had im- pelled her,—she felt, we say, that sho should yicld, and that by so yielding she should fix her pavent’s doom. Mr. Pomfret therefore took upon himself the mournful task of imparting to the young man the disappointment that awaited him; and this was done the morning after the incidents which we hayejust described. The merchant threw him- self upon Leonard’s mercy, invoking him by all he deemed sacred not to seok to see his daughter nor dissuade her by letter from her holy purpose of self-devotion. At first the impotuosity of youth rendered tho lover deaf to all reason and to all en- treaties: but by degrees he appeared to receive a kind of chivalrous inspiration from the heroic ex- ample of her whom he adored ;—and he awoke to the necessity of consenting to that dreadful sacrifice, if only that his sire should not want bread in his helpless old age. He however begged tliat Mr. Mitchell might bo keptin the dark relative to ail theso occurrences, until Ellen should have become the wifo of Mr. Gamble—when it would bo too late to recall the sacrifice, and useless to repine against it. Moreover, Leonard resolved to break the news so pradiently to his father, that the effect of the blow occasioned by a son’s deep disappoint~ ment might be as much mitigated as possible; and to theso proposals Mr. Pomfret was only too will- ing to assent. And now, as another proof of Leo- nard’s devotedness to his afflicted sire, must be men- tioned the fact that, though bearing in his bosom a heart wrung almost to breaking, he still main- tained a calm exterior; and during the week which elapsed ere Ellen became the wife of Mr. Gamble, Mr. Mitchell beheld nothing strange nor suspicious in his son’s manner. - And at tho expiration of that week, tho sacrifice was consummated, The marriago was solemnised by special license, and with great privacy; and it was not known in Stamford-street until a late hour on the wedding-day that such an extraordinary alliance had taken place, By that time the victim- bride was far away from London—seated by the sido of her old husband in the post-chaiso that was boaring them to some country-place where they (C(O) (C DOO <S LL (SO)