Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 128: what you’re looking at

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JOSEPH WILMOT ; of a city where people were walking about in every direction. So I hurried on; and the next moment was rejoiced that I had not returned to the linendraper’s: for the gentleman, instead of re- accosting me, was no more to be seen. He had disappeared, I knew not how.” Charlotte Murray paused for a few instants: and then resumed her narrative in the following manner :— “A little distance ahead, in the street along which I was passing, stood a carriage. The coach- man was on the box: a livery-servant held the door open, as if expecting some one to issue from the shop at which the equipage was drawn up. At the yery moment that I was about to pass that carriage, a couple of ill-looking men seized upon me yes, actually and literally seized upon me . then and there, in the open street and in broad daylight; and thrust me into the carriage. It was all the work of a moment: but I shrieked out for assistance. Three or four persons who were passing, stopped short in evident amazement at the outrage: but just as the equipage dashed away, I heard one of the men say to the bystanders, ‘It’s all right! she is mad, poor creature, and going to an asylum.’—I had been thrust into the carriage in the manner described ; and was instanta- neously clasped round the waist by a person already seated within. A glance showed me that this was the gentleman who had already so molested me in the street. Burning with indignation, I com- manded him to let me go forth: but he only laughed at my anger,—assuring me that I was completely in his power, and that it was utterly useless for me to cry out, as it would only be thought it was a mad-woman being taken to a lunatic asylum. Neyertheless 1 endeayoured to put down the window: he seized my arms to pre- vent me—I struggled violently—dashed one of my hands through the glass—and cried for assistance. But the carriage went like the wind: the out- skirts of the city were quickly reached—and we proceeded along a road which I recognised to be that leading towards the Lodge. Exhausted by my struggles and my screams, I sank back half- fainting in the carriage: but quickly recovering my presence of mind, I changed to the opposite seat, and began upbraiding my persecutor for his vile, ungentlemanly, and unlawful conduct. He proceeded to assure me, with the coolest insolence in the world, that my reproaches were utterly thrown away upon him—that he was a man of fortune, accustomed to pursue his pleasures and his inclinations regardless alike of expense or of danger—that he had taken a sudden fancy for me —and as I had told him that I was not a lady, he would make a lady of me. Then he adopted a coaxing tone, and the language of cajolery as well as of entreaty,—beseeching me not to prove cruel towards one who would lavish riches upon me. But I scorned his adyances, vowing that I would sooner die than yield to his dishonourable propo- sitions. Meanwhile the carriage rolled rapidly along ; and I kept an anxious look out from my window, in the hope of obtaining the succour of any person whom we might oyertake or meet, I saw three or four straggling peasants, and cried out to them: but the equipage swept past like the wind; and finding it thus impossible to call suc- cour unto myself, I grew very seriously alarmed. OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 115 In a few minutes the carriage turned out of the road leading towards the Lodge and entered a bye-lane, which was only just wide enough to afford it a passage ; and if we had met any other vehicle, there must have been a dead stop. This was now my hope—but it proved futile; and the carriage, at length emerging upon a broader road, to which that bye-lane was evidently a short cut, proceeded at a still more rapid pace than hitherto. Some way-side houses were passed—an occasional cart or waggon—once a party of ladies and gen- tlemen on horseback: and every time I screamed out for assistance. But none was afforded; and my companion gave me to understand that all my cries and efforts to escape would be unavailing. To be brief, at the expiration of another quarter of an hour after we had emerged from the lane, the carriage stopped at a spacious but gloomy-looking red brick house, standing in the midst of huge trees by the road side. Here I was desired to alight,—my companion holding me by the arm to prevent my escape. The footman likewise stood near, evidently for the purpose of anticipating such an attempt on my part. The front-door of the house was opened by an old and cross-looking woman, having the appearance of a housekeeper, so far as I could judge by her dress, which was matronly and respectable. Without saying a word —but seeming as if she were perfectly well ac- customed to incidents of this nature, she began to lead the way up the staircase. I stopped short in the hall, and demanded where I was and by what authority I was brought thither? The young gentleman then gave me to understand that he was Sir Malcolm Wavenham—that this was a house in his possession—and that it was perfectly useless for me to offer resistance or expect succour, as the domestics would obey his commands to the very letter. Both angry and frightened, as you may readily suppose 7 “I can imdeed—the villain!” was the ejacu- lation that burst from my lips: for I was furious against the miscreant; not only in consequence of what I was now hearing, but likewise because I reflected that he could not even keep faithful to the unfortunate and perhaps too confiding victim whose image was ever uppermost in my thoughts. “T informed Sir Malcohn Wavenham,” pro- ceeded Charlotte, “that I was attached to the ser- vice of Lady Calanthe Dundas, then a visitress at Myrtle Lodge: at which announcement Sir Mal- colm appeared to be amazed for a moment 2 * No doubt,” I observed; “inasmuch as he was inyited to the dinner-party given last evening in honour of Lady Calanthe’s presence.” “I went on to assure him,” continued Charlotte, “that a rigorous search would be instituted after me, and that punishment would not fail to over- take him for the outrage which he was perpe- trating against me. At this he laughed,—observ- ing that in a day or two I should sing quite a different song, and express my willingness to be- come a lady at his expense, Again I repelled the prophetic overture with scorn ; and rushed towards the front-door, Sir Malcolm seized me round the waist, vowing with a tremendous oath that I should not escape him thus; and in order to avoid farther violence at his hands, I consented to go whithersoever the housekeeper was preparing to lead me. Iwas accordingly conducted up-stairs, E|NQO) SS ( (©)