Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 354: what you’re looking at

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

JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 84) a] CHAPTER LX&ITI. FAMILY MATTERS. It was about three o’clock in the afternoon that I was summoned to the library, where I found Sir Matthew Heseltine and his niece seated together As I made my appearance, the Baronet rose slowly from his chair—fixed v on me one of his pecu- liar looks, but in which there was no longer any mistrust—and without speaking a word, he walked forth from the room. I remained alone with his niece; and she at once bade me be seated. I should here observe that though but little more than a fortnight had elapsed since I had conducted her, pale, emaciated, and careworn, to her uncle’s house at Reading, a considerable change had taken place in her appearance; for if affliction has the power to make speedy ravages upon the human frame, so in like manner has the sense “of happiness the power to renovate all that has been marred and to revive beauties that were fading. Amelia Leslie was again looking something like her former self, as I had known her in the recent and best days of her loveliness at the white cottage near Bagshot: her form no longer appeared emaciated—and a casual observer would not have seen that the traces of late woe and haggardness were still upon her cheeks. “Sit down, Joseph,” said Mrs. Leslie, treating me rather in the light of a friend than of a depen- dant, and with that subdued softness of manner which showed the sentiments cherished by a grate- ful heart; “I have important subjects whereon to converse with you. But first let me tell you some particulars relative to my husband and myself. On that evening when with so much admirable magnanimity, and with such true Christian feel- ing, you became the means of reconciling me to my uncle, I passed an hour alone with him,—dur- ing which we spoke of many things. You may be well assured that your name was frequently mentioned by my lips; and I think you know sufficient of me to be equally certain that I ex- pressed myself in such terms as your noble conduct deserved. You are aware of all the eccentricities of Sir Matthew Heseltine : but you do not know him so well as I. He has conceived a friendship bordering upon affection for you: he loves you, I believe, with a warmer feeling than for many and many a long year his heart has experienced to- wards any human being. However, that such is really the case you will presently have sufficient proof in the confidence which my uncle purposes to repose in you, and in the delicate mission with which you will be entrusted,—a mission, Joseph,” added Mrs, Leslie, “ which I am certain you will gladly undertake—for it is entirely consistent with the generosity of your disposition.” Sir Matthew’s niece paused fcr a few moments —collected her ideas—and proceeded as follows :— “During that hour which I passed with my uncle on the evening of our reconciliation, he sketched out the course which it was desirable under all circumstances should be pursued by my husband and myself. Sir Matthew could not con- sent to see my husband: nor dared I make the slightest endeavour to alter his determination on this head. But he wished to have me to pass a few days with him at Heseltine Hall—not only | that our reconciliation might become the more complete, but that he might have sufficient leisure to counsel me for the future conduct of Howard and myself. He placed in my hands, ere I left him that night, a sum of money for our immediate purposes; and it was understood that after my husband’s emancipation from prison, we should proceed to Liverpool to make the arrangenfents re- quisite for our departure to the United States. These preliminaries being carried out, according to my uncle’s views, I came to pass a few days with him. To-morrow I leave Heseltine Hall to rejoin my husband at Liverpool; and within a week we shall quit England—perhaps never to return. We go to another clime, where under our real names our identity with the criminal Foleys of our native land may be concealed,—and where we may hope to carve out another and a better career for the future. My uncle has liberally provided for us: we have every chance of success—every desire to achieve it—and every inclination to become worthy of it.” I was deeply touched by this language which flowed with a real and unaffected pathos from Mrs. Leslie’s lips. The tears were trickling down her cheeks: but hastily brushing them away, she continued as follows :— “You know not, Joseph Wilmot, how much good you have been the means of accomplishing, and how much good is yet to be achieved through your instrumentality. It was heaven which threw you in my uncle’s way, that by your agency his heart might be touched, and better feelings than those which he has long experienced should be awakened within him. The sympathy which you displayed on behalf of my husband and myself, at a time when you knew us only by the name of Foley, and when neither you nor my uncle had the remotest suspicion who we really were,—failed not to make its impression upon him. Then, on finding that by a truly providential combination of coincidences he was brought through your agency to discover who we were, he seemed to feel as if God himself were speaking to him through the medium of all these strange and mysterious circumstances. It appeared as if Heaven’s warning voice were whise pering in his ear, enjoining him to bestow forgives ness wheresoever his wrath had hitherto lain heavily ; and that Heaven’s finger pointedly and unmistakably indicated a new path into which he was to turn. Much as his feelings had been warped—deeply as long years of cynical seclusion from the world had changed his natural disposition —he nevertheless could not possibly remain inac- cessible to those heavenly manifestations, nor refuse |to obey them. Therefore, under the influence of these new feelings—or rather I should say of those naturally good ones which, having long slumbered, were now re-awakened into wholesome vitality— —his resolve was promptly taken. He decided upon returning to the home of his ancestors, and likewise upon awarding his forgiveness where it was so much needed. And now you understand, Joseph, under what influences my uncle came back to Heseltine Hall. Everything I have just been saying is but a necessary preface to the im- portant revealings I am about to make.” Again Mrs. Leslie paused for a few moments to collect her thoughts: but she soon continued in the ensuing strain :— “You are already aware,—for I know that Sir —— ee JOO (C Ss (CO) AA