Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 389: what you’re looking at

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

| | | “" eo. —— ee ee = 376 oe —_—_ = JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. evening; and dinner was on the point of being served up. We sat down to table: my hostess was mournful and taciturn; and it was not until after the meal that I got her to speak in respect to the funeral. I then learnt that it was to take place at a neighbouring village—that Mr. Lanover had made all the arrangements with the under- taker previous to his departure—and that the ser- vice would be performed by an English Protestant minister residing, at Boulogne, and who would come thence for the purpose, according to such notification of the day as the undertaker would give him. | “There are many strange coincidences,” ob- served Mrs. Borthwick, “im all the occurrences which have recently taken place. To think that the Earl of Mandeville should have* accidentally engaged your own uncle in an affair wherein you yourself had been so deeply concerned! And then too, that another accident should have led you hither But tell me, Mr. Wilmot, something about this uncle of your’s. He is a respectable man—is he not? although his appearance is so much against him. Of course I know that he was once connected with an eminent bank, and that at the time of its failure his conduct did not appear in a very good light. But that was very long ago; and since then, I believe, he has struggled on to obtain an honourable livelihood ?” “He is no doubt a very active man in every- thing he undertakes,” was my response: and in- deed I had good reason to speak thus of himn— though my words might certainly have admitted a double interpretation. “He is'active, no doubt,” said Mrs. Borthwick, putting the more favourable construction on the answer I had given her: then, after a few in- stants’ reflection, she observed, “I will tell you why I questioned you: but of course I am speak- ing in confidence. The Harl of Mandeville has a - ‘very large family; and his expenses have of late years exceeded his income. In plain terms, he has contracted some rather’ serious liabilities,—the difficulty of which is enhanced by the conduct of his eldest son, who has likewise become involved in debt. Mr. Lanover is to be employed in nego- tiating with the creditors for a settlement. That activity which you have eulogized, added to his business-habits and his aequaintance with mone- tary matters, rendered him in Lord Mandeville’s estimation the most fitting person to conduct the business of which I have spoken. Of course, Mr. Lanover is to be handsomely remunerated.” ‘Then rest satisfied, ma’am,” I exclaimed, “ he will do his best to earn so liberal a reward.” “Tam glad that you have given me this assur- ance,” said Mrs. Borthwick. ‘“ But the next time you see your uncle, you need not mention to him that I questioned you on the subject.” “It is by no means likely,” I rejoined, “ that I ~ shall see him for a long, long time to come,—inas- much as it is my purpose to remain upon the Con- tinent for a couple of years.” I am now about to bring this chapter to a hasty conclusion. I remained for four days at the chateau, the funeral taking place on the fourth: for according to the laws of France, interments are precipitated, and are not left to the opfion of sur- viving relatives in respect to the interval they may be delayed, as they are in England. I followed ae —_—.-- —_— erg oOo the remains of the hapless Calanthe and of my poor boy to the grave hollowed for their reception in the picturesque little village cemetery a few miles distant from the chateau. I will pass over thé anguish of heart which I experienced when be- holding the two coffins lowered into that grave, and when hearing the dull heavy sound of the earth thrown in upon them. In the night fol- lowing the ceremony I took leave of Mrs. Borth- wick—walked as far as the high-road, followed by the footman, who carried my luggage—and obs taining a place in the mail-coachas it passed along, pursued my journey to Paris. © . ES CHAPTER UXxX., PARIS. | ON arriving in the French metropolis, I took up my quarters at Meurice’s Hotel,—which, though a very fashionable and expensive one, I nevertheless selected for the reason that it was chiefly fre- quented by English visitors. The first week was spent in the inspection of all the public buildings ; and I thus occupied myself from morning till night, in order to escape from those distressing thoughts which on account of recentoccurrences were but too apt to arise in my mind, It is not however my intention to spin out my narrative by chroni- cling all the various impressions made upon me by the sights I behe}d and the places I visited: suf fice it to say that the favourable opinion I had pre- viously formed of the French metrepolis, by the descriptions gathered from books, was fully realized; and I did not wonder at the pride with which Frenchmen were wont to talk of their sove- reign city. It was my custom to dine every day at the table @héte of Meurice’s Hotel ; and I soon found that my sobiety was courted by three or four dashing, gaily dressed English gentlemen, who drank a great deal of champagne, and talked very much of their towm-mansions and country-seats in England—their studs of hunters and racers—their hounds—their aristocratic connexions—and so forth. It however occurred to me that they were not precisely what they wished to be taken for; and without being absolutely rude, I gave them no encouragement towards an intimacy. I refused to join their wine-parties in the evening: I also declined the invitations which they gave me to accompany them to the theatres, the cafés, and the places of amusement. I noticed that this conduct on my part was one day observed by an English gentleman whom on this occasion I saw for the first time at the table @hote, and who, as I subsequently learnt, had only arrived at the hotel in the morning. He was a singular-looking person enough. He wore a brown wig, and large green spectacles, with glasses at the sides as well as infront ; so that I concluded his eyes must be very weak. Every particle of hair in the shape of beard and whiskers was scrupulously shaven from his face: his complexion was very florid, and of so peculiar a tint that if it had been on the cheeks of a woman, I should unhesitatingly have pronounced it to be rouge. He dressed very smartly, and by his appearance o cm a ‘ ' GOMIGDOO <S (CO)