Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 176: what you’re looking at

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ae —_--- +--+ eee ee ee ee JOSEPH WILMOT 5 OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 163 seeret so profoundly involving the honour of your family, should have been brought by accident to my knowledge.” “You speak fairly, young man,” said the old nobleman; “and you can judge full well wherefore I have put so many questions. Yes—the honour of my family is indeed in your keeping !” “ And solemnly do I declare that the secret shall be kept!” I exclaimed. “I will tell your lordship who and what lam. Iam an orphan—friendless too—dependent upon my own industry for my bread; and my situation in life is far humbler than you perhaps may imagine.” “You are a good youth,’ said the father, pat- ting me caressingly on the back; “and I must do something for you.” “ Nothing, my lord!” I quickly returned: and I certainly felt somewhat indignant that not a syllable in the shape of apology was offered to me by his son for the outrageous treatment I had receiyed and the diabolical menaces of which I had been made the object. ; “Yes, yes,” continued the father, drawing forth his pocket-book and taking thence a number of bank-notes: “I must make you a little pre- sent———”’ “What?” I exclaimed; “as the price of keep- ing a. secret P’—and I shrank back, “No, my lord: if I consented to be bribed, you would have no faith in my honour and good principle; and as I do not wish your daughter to tremble at. the idea that her secret will ever be whispered to the world by me, the best proof I can give of my integrity, is to refuse everything in the form of bribe or hush-money.” “ But you will swear, Joseph Wilmot—you will swear solemnly and sacredly,” resumed the old nobleman, “that you will not reveal a single tittle of what has taken place here to night ?” ** Hear me, my lord,’’ I responded. “You be- hold not before you a young man who is given to idle gossiping, or who has a morbid inclination for scandal. I do not know your name—TI have not the slightest idea beneath whose roof I stand at this moment: I leave Cheltenham in a day or two—perhaps never to return. At all events I pledge myself sacredly and solemnly not even to inquire who lives here. During the brief space that I may remain in the town, I will direct my walks in quite a contrary direction. If I meet your lordship or your lordship’s son, I will not ask who you are. Now, have I satisfied you even more than an oath could do, that you have to deal with one who is incapable of a derogatory and contemp- tible action ?” “Yes, yes,’ answered the old nobleman, still very much excited; and very different too in his treatment of me from what he had been a little time back. “But are you sure that I can be of no assistance tu you ?”’—and he still held the bank- netes between his trembling fingers. No, my lord—none!” and I at once moved owards the glass-door. Eugene accompanied me forth : but we now took the most direct way towards the iron gate. There the younger nobleman, taking me by the hand, said, “I hope that you bear me no ill- will pa? “ My lord,’ I answered coldly, as I withdrew LLL Ct A Ctl tea after the dreadful menaces which you levelled against me, and which show you to be capable of the darkest deeds.” Thereupon I hurried away—and was already at a considerable distance from the house, ere I recol- lected that I knew not which direction I was taking. I was completely at a loss how to regain my lodgings, I had been to a part of the town— or rather to a mansion on the outskirt of it—with which I was previously unacquainted. I however sought the nearest streets; and by inquiry, at length arrived in parts that were familiar to me,— so that at last I reached my lodging just as the clocks were proclaiming the hour of eleven. Need I add that I went to bed with a heart unfeignedly rejoicing at the issue of an adyenture which at one time had appeared to threaten all my fondest and dearest hopes with utter destruction ? I faithfully kept the promise which I gave to those noblemen, whose names were utterly unknown tome. J made no inquiries with a view to dis- cover who they were: I rambled not in the direc- tion where I conceived that the mansion must lie: and throughout the day which followed that even- ing of many incidents, I saw nothing of them in the crowded streets of Cheltenham. Neither didI behold Lady Calanthe: if I had, I should have avoided an encounter; for I vowed within myself that I would not again risk the chance of proving, eyen though involuntarily, unfaithful to my be- loyed and worshipped Annabel. In the course of the afternoon I received a message from Mrs. Robinson, to the effect that I was to prepare myself to depart with her on the following morn- ing: and punctual to the instructions thus con- veyed, I was at the coach-office at the appointed hour. My new mistress was evidently not too well off; as she had no carriage of her own, and did not travel post. Herself, the ayah, and the two children occupied the interior of the stage,— myself and a lady’s-maid riding on the outside. As the coach passed through the town, I suddenly beheld a well-dressed female waving her handker- chief to me; and instantaneously recognised Char- lotte Murray. She was looking admirably well, and seemed delighted to have caught even that transient glimpse of me: for the equipage was rattling quickly along, and there was no oppor- tunity for us to exchange a single word. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE GOVERNESS. ‘ THE town of Ryde, picturesquely situated on the northern shore of the Isle of Wight, is opposite Portsmouth,— the channel, known as Spithead, lying between. I need not pause to describe the beautiful scenery of the island which I now visited for the first time—nor to speak of the fine effect of the shipping viewed from the town, in the neighbourhood of which the residence taken for Mrs. Robinson was situated, My first impression that she was not particulariy well off, was con- firmed when I found the house was but a small one, and that the domestic establishment consisted my hand, “it is impossible I can think well of you | only of the lady’s-maid, the ayab, myself, and a re me me OL SL a Tr NS S ee eS ee —e LLL LC LC <SEGO CORNICE LOO