Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 180: 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. 167 him the greater satisfaction : but it was because I would not have you, my lord, incur the risk of | being accused of harshness éowards your daughter by this young man, her suitor, after you had ex- pressly assured me that you were willing to give your assent to their alliance. It is therefore a sacrifice of my own feelings which I am making for your lordship’s sake ; and whatsoever justice there may be (if any) in an accusation of harsh- ness, tyranny, or cruelty in proclaiming a refusal, it is I who will bear the brunt of all this. My decision is pronounced—the Lady Antonia must go back to her convent! And now not another word but let these young men withdraw !” “Oh, my Lord Cardinal!” exclaimed Fran- cesco, in a voice of most earnest appeal, “I be- seech your Eminence % | “ Silence !—my judgment is pronounced ! Y? ine terrupted Antonio Gravina in the sternest voice. “Hush! no more!” said the Count of Tivoli, advancing hurriedly towards Avellino and myself: “it is useless as well as indecorous to reason any farther with his Eminence. Deeply, deeply, under all circumstances do I ‘deplore the issue of this interview—but if cannot be altered. My word is pledged to his Eminence—and it must be fulfilled ! Let there be no more rancour between us, Avellino !———And you, my dear Mr. Wilmot, accept my hand as a proof that we are again friends! ‘What! the left hand ?” ejaculated the Count, starting back and drawing himself up haughtily. “Pardon me; my lord,” I said—“but I am wounded.” “ By the Saints it is so! ! exclaimed the Count : * your righé arm is in a sling! Why—how is this, that I did not notice it before?” “T mentioned that I was maimed, my lord,” I said, “ when your son ere now threatened 4 But in the excitement of the moment,” inter- rupted the Count, “I perceived it not. How hap- pened this P” “Last night, my lord,’ I rejoined, “there was a desperate outrage committed in a _ bye- street “ Ah!” ejaculated the Cardinal, suddenly rais- ing himself to a sitting posture on the sofa, “Was it you, young man—you, Joseph’ Wilmot But your name as my brave defender was not previously mentioned to me- id * Ts it possible 2” T cried : and then, as a sud- den reminiscence flashed vividly in unto my mind, I sprang forward, exclaiming; “A boon, my Lord Cardinal !—a boon I implore—nay, demand at your hands!” “A boon ?” echoed the high prelate, evidently smitten with the bitterest vexation at haying be- trayed the secret that it was he whom I had suc- coured on the preceding evening. “Yes—a boon, my lord!” I repeated with fervid excitement. “Your Eminence has vowed that what- soever boon I might demand at your hand “Mr. Wilmot, you must be mad!” interrupted the Count of Tivoli, who comprehended not a single tittle of all this: “The excitement of to- day’s scenes— perhaps the loss of blood, too, through the wound which you have received “No, my lord,’ I cried, “my brain is not turned—my reason is not affected, as you appear to imagine. I appeal to his Eminence-—” “Yes,” said the Cardinal, “this young. gentle- man speaks truly enough. The outrage of last night has been hushed up as much as possible by my special command; but in justice to myself I ‘must explain to you wherefore. I was returning from the tribunal of the Inquisition, where a secret examination had been taking place: I was unat- tended—on foot—and also in disguise. My path lay through a neighbourhood but little famed for its morality: it was there that I was attacked—it was there that this young gentleman displayed his chi- ° valrous valour—it was there that he received his wound in my defence. You can now comprehend why it was my wish to shroud the transaction from the public knowledge, and why Mr. Wilmot him- self would have remained ignorant of the name and rank of him whom he succoured, were it not that a most singular combination of circumstances has thus brought us face to face.” “But was not your Eminence aware of the name of your defender?” inquired the Count of Tivoli, in astonishment at all he had just heard. “No: it had not been communicated to me,” responded the Cardinal: “but no doubt in the course of this day I should have learnt it, through a certain channel with which Mr. Wilmot is evi« dently acquainted. Do not think ill of me, my dear Count,” continued his Eminence, “if I kept the circumstance unknown even to yourself: but so much scandal has of late years fallen upon the dignitaries of the Church, that it is impossible to exercise too much caution and moreover, there was the fear that the real truth of my tale might be unjustly suspected i * At least not by me, my lord!” responded the Count of Tivoli, who seamed to be somewhat hurt at so much want of confidence on the part of his august friend. “The character of your Eminence stands high above all suspicion; and a single word from your lips carries conviction with it.” “Thank you, my excellent friend,” said the Cardinal warmly, “for these assurances on vour part. Give me your hand—and be not offended with me. . You can now understand, perhaps, wherefore I received you in this darkened room, and why I chose that all these proceedings should take place here. My forehead yet bears the marks of last night’s rough treatment——” Oh, my lord ! if I had known it,” exclaimed the Count of Tivoli, “I should ha#e indeed felt delicate in intruding so much upon your presence and your time this day. But here is Mr. Wilmot waiting for the response of your Eminence.” * You crave a boon at-my hands, Mr. Wilmot,” said the Cardinal ; “and I remember well—in fact, it would be most ungenerous not to reiterate the full extent of the promise which I this morning conveyed to you—that whatsoever: boon you might ask that is consistent with my honour and dignity to grant “ My lord,” I said, sinking on one knee in front of the sofa, “T beseech your Eminence to yield your assent to the marriage of Francesco Avellino and the Count of Tivoli’s daughter !” “You unhesitatingly risked your life for me, brave and excellent young man,” said Antonio Grayina: “and I therefore dare not hesitate a single moment in granting the boon which you so« licit. It is accorded! Signor Avellino, kneel and receive my blessing !” Comicaoolks (CO)