Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

See Se rr rr eee JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 21 father, whether there be not some means of saving | this boy until you produce documentary evidence the poor boy from a fate which he views with such | of a certain character,—amongst which must be horror.” the marriage certificate of your deceased sister with “ Well,” said Mr. Delmar, as if suddenly inspired |, Mr. Wilmot, so as to prove that Joseph was born by a thought, “I must take time, Mr. Lanover, to | in wedlock: otherwise you can assert no uncle’s decide upon the course to be adopted.” ‘claim upon him. Bring me such documentary “Oh! my heart’s gratitude is yours, sir—and | evidence, and I will no longer oppose your demand. yours too, Miss,’ I said in a tone which though} If you do not like this course, you have your fervent, was nevertheless so low as only to reach | remedy—you can apply to the proper tribunals— their ears. and I will meet you there. Now, sir, you have “What does this mean?’ demanded Mr. Lan-;| my decision; and it is needless to prolong this over, in a fierce voice. ‘* What need is there for | painful interview.” consideration? The boy is my nephew—I claim; “Oh, very well!” ejaculated Mr. Lanover, in the him, and I will have him.” harsh jarring sounds of his disagreeable voice— “Tf you put the matter in this light,” answered | now rendered more than ever disagreeable by the Mr. Delmar, “I shall assume the same high tone. | concentrated rage which was expressed in its Remember, sir, I have only your bare word for the | accents ; “I will make you smart for this! My claim you assert upon the lad: you have given me | attorney shall enter an action against you fa no documentary proof.” “Spare your threats, sir,’ responded Delmar, “This is truly ridiculous,” rejoined the hump- | sternly: “your lawyer can have the address of back, with a sneer. “Ask Mr. Jukes whether, | mine whenever he chooses.” when I sought him out at Leicester, I did not| “Then he will Send for it to-morrow,” rejoined already know everything concerning the lad—how | the humpback. “Come, Mr. Jukes—we will take he was entrusted to the Nelsons, and all about him. | ourselves off; and if there’s justice in England, I And how could I have known this, if I were not his | will have it.” relation ?” Mr. Delmar condescended to give no farther “It’s quite true, sir,” observed Jukes, address- | reply; and the two men quitted the room, the ing himself to Mr. Delmar. ‘“ Mr. Lanover knew | humpback banging the door violently behind him. all about Joseph; and he told me at once those | No sooner had they disappeared, than with feelings particulars respecting the boy’s birth which he just | of unspeakable relief I threw myself upon my now described to you. Joseph’s mother was Mr. | knees at the feet of Mr. Delmar and his daughter, Lanover’s sister-———’ and poured forth my gratitude as well as I was “ But still,’ interrupted Mr. Delmar, “I must | able. But my voice was half suffocated with the have documentary proof of these averments. It is} emotions that seemed to come up into my very a serious thing to surrender up a mere child like | throat; and the tears rained down my cheeks, this to a stranger.” They spoke to me in the kindest and most sooth- “What nonsense!” ejaculated Mr. Lanover. | ing manner,—Mr. Delmar promising that he would “Stranger indeed?—an uncle is no stranger. I| not consent to part from me unless forced by the am a respectable man, living on my means: you| strong arm of the law. I besought him to tell can inquire about me if you like. My house is| me whether he really believed that the law could Number —, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury. | be thus used as a weapon against me: whereupon I have a wife and daughter But why should I | he said that, feeling he should be wrong if he stand arguing here? I insist, sir, that you give | lulled me into a false security, he must reply to up the boy at once.” the effect that should Mr. Lanover’s statements Mr. Delmar made no immediate response. I/|be proved by documentary evidence, I must be was still erouching behind him, and therefore could | given up to him. Then I asked, with renewed not see his face: but I judged that it expressed a | agitation, whether Mr. Delmar apprehended that return of irresolution, because Edith flung upon | the evidence would be forthcoming? He rejoined her father another look of anxious entreaty on my | that it was impossible to conjecture. behalf. Oh, how I blessed her for it!—aye, I did| ‘But,’ I exclaimed vehemently, “do you be- so then and there, even amidst the whirl of my | lieve, sir, that he is in reality my uncle? How is terribly excited feelings. it that I was seized with so terrible a repugnance “ Yes, sir,” said Mr. Jukes, again putting in his | towards him ?” word; “it’s my duty to see the boy given up to * Without touching upon this latter point,’ his relation. He became chargeable to the parish | answered Mr. Delmar, “let us look at the whole of which Iam guardian; and I am bound to assure | proceeding calmly and seriously: for, I repeat, it myself that he is placed in the hands of one who | is better you should not be lulled into a false will prevent him from being thrown back upon us | security. My candid opinion is that Mr. Lanover at Leicester.” must be your uncle. The argument he used was a “Now I have made up my mind how to act,” | just one :—how could he possibly have become ac- suddenly observed Mr. Delmar, in a tone of firm | quainted with all the antecedents of your life decision. “ With respect to you, Mr. Jukes, I will | unless he were thus related to you? Besides, the send you a written undertaking by the post—an | story he told me of your birth, but which I need undertaking which my attorney shall draw up—to | not repeat to you now, was consistent and plau- save Joseph Wilmot from becoming chargeable to | sible. It is true that Mr. Jukes might have told your parish, or to meet all the costs if he should. | him all that he himself had learnt from Mrs. Nel- So you, sir, have nothing more to do with the | son, and which you one day overheard: but then matter. In respect to you, Mr. Lanover, I am a|comes the question—why should Mr. Lanover justice of the peace, and I will treat the case! claim you if he be not your uncle? why should ho magisterially. I decline therefore to deliver up| seck to burthen himself with your maintenance? a _~— CORNICE LOO@ S (CO) im