Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 364: what you’re looking at

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

a a arn LA EOLA ALE LLL LL EL LL ALL LAIN JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. Sol has but one child now living,” returned the lawyer. |in the first imstance, nor enter into any ex- “J thought she had more. But I knew very little indeed -about this family: it was only from time to time that their name came across me,—thus showing me that they were resident in the metro- polis; and on each such occasion I communicated to Sir Matthew what little I had learnt. But being well aware that it was a very sore subject, I was eareful.to allude to it in my letters as dis- tantly and as gently as possible; and if I made any such allusion at all, I can assure you it was with the best possible motives. I thought it better to keep his daughter as much in his memory as I dared * “T understand you, sir!” I exclaimed. “Your conduct was most generous. You always looked forward to the possibility of a reconciliation.” “That was precisely my hope, Mr. Wilmot,’’ returned the solicitor; “and now I am about to see it accomplished. Yes—the inquiries which I of course instituted with all becoming delicacy, and in a manner to prevent the objects of these inquiries from knowing that they were being made I allude to the lady and her daugh- ter-— “You have not, then, seen them, Mr. Ten. nant ?” I inquired. * No—not yet. But I expect to see them every moment,” he added, looking at his watch. “I sent a note last evening, requesting them to favour me with a call at half-past eleven this forenoon,— merely intimating that it was on a subject of the utmost importance. But I was about to tell you that the inquiries have proved perfectly satis- factory; and Sir Matthew Heseltine will have every reason to be proud of his daughter and granddaughter. The breath of scandal has never tainted their reputation; and though the man hunself is far from being all that we could wish, yet the neighbours with one accord speak in the highest terms of his amiable wife and charming daughter.” “And their name, sir?” I inquired: “ what is it? For, as you may perceive—though entrusted with this important mission—a great deal of mys- tery has been observed.” “Oh, that is just like Sir Matthew Heseltine !” exclaimed the solicitor. “If, for instance, the 3? Inquiries had proved unfavourable, I was strictly enjoined mot to mention the name and abode to you at all. I dare say Sir Matthew fancied you would go and see them all the same; and that you were quite capable ef hurrying them off with you into Westmoreland, even in defiance of the instructions I should have given you to the con- trary. You see, Mr. Wilmot,” added the lawyer with a smile, “ what it is to have a character for too much generosity. And that character seems to be your’s.” “J thank you, sir, for the compliment,” I an- swered: “ but fortunately there is no need in the present case for the exercise of a false generosity ——after the admirable character you have given me in respect to these ladies.” “They will be here immediately, no doubt,” said Mr. Tennant; “and you shall have all the pleasure and satisfaction of communicating the in- telligence which awaits them. This much is your due;—and it was precisely because such was my impression, that I did not call upon them mysélf planations in the note I transmitted them last evening.” “And their name, sir P” T again said. But at this moment the door of the private office was thrown open; and a clerk announced, “ The two ladies, sir, whom you expected.” The two ladies entered the room; and an ejacu- tion-of mingled joy and astonishment burst from my lips, as I at once reeognised Mrs. Lanover and Annabel, CHAPTER LXV. THE JOURNEY. EJACULATIONS of surprise too—aye, and of plea- sure likewise—were re-echoed by Mrs. Lanover and Annabel; and the next instant my hands were clasped warmly in their own. In the rapture of my delight at thus encountering the angelic object of my heart’s devoted love, the business which had brought me to London vanished from my recollec- tion like a dream of no moment; and all my thoughts were thrown into the whirl and confusion of an intoxicating joy. How beautiful did Annabel seem !—what a per- sonification of exquisite feminine loveliness! A subdued and modest joy was dancing in the soft- ness of her large azure eyes: the rich masses of her golden hair, floating down by the side of her fair cheeks and escaping beneath her bonnet, shone as if with a glory. A smile of happiness was upon her vermilion lips, revealing the pearls within. Her form had taken the developments proper to her age: but it had lost none of its exquisite sym- metry, and little of its sylphid lightness. She had grown taller—she had reached her full height : she was all elegance, grace, and loveliness. Her mo- ther, who was now about forty years of age, ap- peared to be in better health than when I had last seen her five years back—and certainly much better than when Annabel had spoken of her as being stretched on a bed of sickness at the time I en- countered the charming girl in Dr. Pomfret’s house at Salisbury. Mr. Tennant was himself stricken with amaze- ment on perceiving that I and the two ladies were no strangers to each other. But now all in a mo- ment flashed back to my mind the recollection of the business for which I was there; and I ex- claimed, “What marvellous mysteries are these ! what wondrous coincidences! Is it possible, Mrs. Lanover, that you are Sir Matthew Heseltine’s daughter ?” “Yes, yes—it is so!” she cried, suddenly seized with a powerful agitation. ‘“ What means the question, Joseph ?” “Ob, my dear madam!” T exclaimed, “such tidings of joy—such happiness—for you, and for Annabel also But compose yourself,” I said, subduing my voice into a lower and gentler tone; for I saw that a sensation of faintness was coming over Mrs. Lanover; and I conducted her to a seat. “ Mother—dearest mother,” said Annabel, in the soft soothing music of her clear pure voice, “nerve yourself for whatsoever intelligence is about ElOOO) cS (CO) in