Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

nny items mee tee, —— JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 165 do not wish to be troubled in this respect: I am|/ guise her handwriting, I tore open the billet. too great an invalid and my spirits are too low, to permit much interference: but it is the girl’s respectful and deferential style that I like. She candidly explains that she has no testimonials to transmit—but throws herself upon my kind and generous consideration.” . “She could not possibly have done better,” ex- claimed Mrs. Brownlow. “I am sure I am already prepossessed in favour of this young person from what you have been saying; and I do not wonder that you should be so likewise.” “Tt is quite natural,” added Miss Brownlow ; “and Mrs. Robinson will be doimg a charitable action by taking such an unpretending and re- spectful applicant.” “ After all the good advice you have both given me,” observed my mistress, now growing fatigued with the length of a discourse which had had no pause to afford her a rest,—“I should be wrong not to decide in favour of Matilda Palmer. I will therefore write to her to-morrow.” Here the conversation upon this subject dropped ; and when discourse was revived, it turned upon other topics. I could not help thinking that Mrs. Robinson’s conduct in the selection of a governess argued either a most ingenuous simplicity, or else a very wrong-headed disregard of all ordinary precautions on her part: but I had my suspicion that the real reason wherefore she decided upon the young lady who had no testimonials to offer and no references to give, was because she hated trouble, and was too indolent to write a number of letters to ascertain the genuine character of the recommendation, or to inquire for whatsoever in- formation might be given by the referees. On the following day my mistress gave me a letter to take to the post; and I saw that it was addressed to Miss Palmer, at some street in Camden Town, London. Three days afterwards—and at about noon—I was issuing forth from the garden-gate to go into Ryde for some purpose, when I was struck by the circumstance of a boy, belonging to the poorer class, following me.at a short distance, and looking as if he were either watching me or wished to speak tome. I walked on, glancing behind every now and then, and saw that he was still following me. I stopped—and he stopped likewise: I went on—and again he advanced; so that I could no longer entertain the slightest doubt that he was in reality following in my footsteps. I therefore turned suddenly; and confronting him, asked, “Do you want anything with me ?” He looked back: we were now out of sight of the house; and with a mysterious air, he said, “Ts your name Joseph Wilmot ?” “Tt is,’ I answered, wondering what on earth the lad could have to do with me. “This is for you, then,” he abruptly rejoined : and thrusting a note into my hand, scampered away with such speed towards the town that I quickly lost sight of him. The note which he had left in my hand, was directed to Mr. Wilmot ; and the writing, though evidently disguised, was of female delicacy and fluency. I recognised it not: but the first thought that struck me, was a joyous one. I fancied it might be a communica- tion from Annabel; and without pausing to re- fiect why she should think it necessary to dis. Its contents, which I perused with no small degree of astonishment, ran as follow :— ** October 7th, 1838. ** This evening the governess will arrive at Oval Villa. She is not unknown to you; and circumstances have compelled her to take a feigned name. You are con- jured not to give vent to any ejaculation of amazement, nor to betray any surprise, when you first encounter her. Every generous feeling which you possess, is earnestly appealed to on this point. Be completely on your guard: time and opportunity will present them- selves for explanations; and these shall be freely and frankly given. Reflect that the reputation of her who pens these lines, will be in your keeping; and that if by word or look, you betray her secret, her immediate expulsion from Mrs. Robinson’s house will become in- evitable. Again, therefore, are you solemnly adjured to exercise the strongest control over your feelings !” No wonder that I was stricken with amazement on reading this mysterious billet; and as I walked on to Ryde, I marvelled to myself who the writer could possibly be. I bethought me of all the young females I had known at all corresponding. with the age of the expected governess ; and though I could point to several, yet the circumstances of” none were at all similar to-those in which she alleged herself to be placed, as I had heard ex-. plained from the lips of Mrs. Robinson. But might not those circumstances be as fictitious as, it ap- peared, the name of Matilda Palmer itself wag?‘ This question naturally suggested itself: but for the life of me, I could not settle my thoughts on any particular individual as the one who was play-. ing this strange and unaccountable game. I stopped and studied the handwriting of the note: but it was so completely disguised that even if I should have known the original in its natural fluency, I could not identify it with this altered style of penmanship. | But other reflections now gradually entered my mind. From the very first I had thought my mistress wrong in taking a governess without proper testimonials and references :—should I now become an accomplice in the consummation of what I had too much reason to suspect was an imposture and a cheat ?—though to what extent the intention might reach, or wherefore it was practised at all, I was utterly unable to conjecture. I was at first. inclined to retrace my way to the villa and show the billet to Mrs. Robinson: but then it suddenly: struck me that the writer might possibly be An- nabel, who, driven by paternal tyranny from her- home, was now seeking to earn the bread of an honest industry. Still, methought, she would scarcely have written in so mysterious a style— unless if were to render her communication as guarded as possible, through fear of not. being able to rely upon the messenger to whom it was en- trusted. Finally, after well weighing the matter in my mind, I resolved to wait until the evening, and see who the governess should really prove to be, and what explanations might be given by her. It would then be time to act, if a sense of duty should compel me to take any positive step in the matter. | . I hastened on towards Ryde in the hope of over- taking the boy who had thrust the note into my hand: but he had evidently far outstripped me— and I saw nothing of him. Having acquitted myself of the mission with which I was charged, I | COUM Giyoo S (CO iin