Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 31: what you’re looking at

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18 JOSBPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. when, almost heart-broken, I knelt by the side of that couch, sacredly and fervently promising that whatever her last instructions might be, they should receive the completest fulfilment,—she 1m- plored me to leave my property at my death equally between our two surviving children. These, as you know, were Clara and Edith. I gave a solemn pledge to that effect: indeed, such would have been my intention even without that last imjunc- tion of my poor dying wife. My will has been made in that sense; this writing-desk contains it, and not for worlds would I make the slightest alteration in its provisions. Now perhaps, Augus- tas, you begin to understand to what end these explanations are to lead: for if year after year I am thus called upon to advance large sums in support of your extravagances, you will find that tie share of my property which is to devolve to Clara, will be woefully diminished. All the money hitherto advanced—including even the ten thousand pounds which formed her dowry—has been duly taken into account; and it is so much the less that you will have to receive when it shall please heaven to remove me hence. Now, Augustus, you com- prehend the exact position in which, as my elder daughter’s husband, you are placed. If you have no regard for Clara’s welfare—the welfare of your own wife—it is my duty to take measures to ensure her against that eventual distress which will in- evitably be brought about by the course you are pursuing, unless you quickly and effectively reform your conduct. But having given you these explanations, I will afford you one more chance. You shall have the two thousand pounds which your present necessities demand: but if with this knowledge of the exact position wherein you are placed with regard to my will, you again call upon me for pecuniary purposes,—rest assured that, painful though such a course would be for me, you will meet with a stern refusal. Now we will say no more upon the subject; and I will write you a cheque for the sum you require.” There was another pause; and as I supposed the painful scene to be altogether at an end, I no longer thought it necessary to leave the museum. I felt sorry at having remained there during a discourse of so entirely a private and domestic nature: but I had been rendered an unwilling listener—and it was utterly impossible to close my ears against a conversation which through the glass door was so plainly audible. “ Accept my best thanks,’ said Mr. Mulgrave, doubtless as the cheque was placed in his hand: “and rely upon my promise to retrench. I will now take my departure and settle this unpleasant business as quick as possible: for I am really afraid I shall find an execution in the house when i get home. By the bye, as one means of re- trenchment, I will get rid of the under-footman and take a page in his stead: it will be much more economical. JI suppose you have made up your mind to keep that boy waat’s his name ?” “You mean Joseph,” said Mr. Delmar—“ the lad you saw the other day P” “Yes,” replied Mulgrave. “I think you might just as well let me have him 7 “No, Augustus,” interrupted my kind master— and his response relieved me from a feeling -of acute suspense which had suddenly seized upon me; “the boy is happy here—he is a good boy nn I too—and I mean to keep him. Perhaps 1t may sooner or later be discovered who he really is: the mystery of his birth may be cleared up;—and should it transpire, as there is every reason to suppose, that his parents (if living) move in a genteel sphere of life, I should be sorry if he were to be handed over to them otherwise than as one who had effectually escaped the temptations, the snares, and the vices with which the mctropolis abounds. So I am resolved to keep him,” “Oh, of course!” ejaculated the Hon. Mr. Mul- grave. “I only thought that if you really had no use for him, I could take him off your hands. But as you seem resolved to keep him, well and good: and I am glad of it—for he is really a nice boy, and I felt much interested in him.” Mr. Mulgrave and Mr. Delmar then quitted the library together; and it appeared perfectly clear to me that my master had not supposed me to be in the museum. Indeed, if he had remembered at all the task entrusted to me, he most probably thought that I was down in the servants’ hall during the preceding scene: but it happened that the dinner was later there than usual on this par- ticular day, and the bell to summon the servants had not as yet rung. It began to ring a few minutes after my master and Mr. Mulgrave had issued from the library: and I lost no time in re- pairing to the servants’ hall in obedience to the summons. When dinner was over, I returned to the museum: but Mr. Delmar came not back to the library during the afternoon; and I found that he had taken Miss Edith out for a walk. The next tyme he saw me—which was in the evening— he said nothing to show that the thought had in the interval occurred to him that I might have been in the museum while that painful scene was passing with his son-in-law ;—and of course I said nothing upon the subject. Nor did I mention to a single soul what I had thus overheard. Three or four days passed, and my work in the museum was concluded to the entire satisfaction of Mr. Delmar. One afternoon, as I was up in my chamber, I observed a hackney-coach rumbling along the carriage-drive towards the entrance of the mansion: but I did not perceive who alighted, as the window of my room was on the side of the house, and commanded not a view of the front. I had just finished putting on my livery, when Edward the footman entered my chamber to tell me that I was wanted in the parlour down stairs. It was unusual for me to be thus specially fetched ; and the recollection of that hackney-coach flashing back to my mind, I was instantaneously struck with the idea of something wrong,—but I knew not what. I asked Edward wherefore I was wanted? He did not know; but said that two strange men, whom he had never seen before, and one of whom was a humpbacked dwarf, were with Mr. Delmar. They had however given no name; and he was utterly at a loss to conjecture what their business might be. He saw that I looked uneasy, and said something to cheer me: for he was a very good- natured man, and I had become a great favourite not only with him, 7" also with the other ser~ vants. I lost no time in descending to the parlour ; and I remember that my heart palpitated and I felt a feverish kind of nervousness: for notwith- standing Edward’s cheering words, the dread of I, COMmicaoolks (CO) im