Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 208: 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. Earl of Eccleston. I accordingly rang the bell; and when the waiter made his appearance, I gave him my card, bidding him take it to his lordship. Two or three minutes elapsed, during which con- flicting and painful were the feelings that I experienced: but at length the door opened, and the Earl of Eccleston made his appearance. I rose up to receive him: he seemed confused and embarrassed; but, mingled with that expres- sion, there was a certain degree of surprise on his countenance, as if at the position in which he found me, and which was so much superior to that which I occupied when last we met, in Florence. “You wish to speak to me, Joseph ?” said his lordship, speedily recovering his outward air of self-possession, although from a slight tremulous- ness of his accents I felt, certain he was still in- wardly agitated. “JT have only to ask you, my lord, a single question,” was my response: and my own voice trembled with the excitement of my feelings. “ It is a question which 2 “Proceed, proceed!” said the Earl petulantly : “what question is it that you have to ask?” “Judging from many painful antecedents,” I rejoined, “the fear has been raised in my mind that your lordship is renewing, or sanctioning the renewal of those mysterious and unaccountable persecutions = | “Always this subject! always these accusa- tions !” muttered the Earl, a dark and gloomy look suddenly overspreading his handsome counte- nance. “ What is it that you mean now ?” “T can give no explanations, my lord,” I an- swered. “ Suffice it to say that my suspicions have been cruelly re-awakened 8 ‘*Did I not assure you in Florence,” asked the Earl, in a tremulous voice, “that I would not harm a hair of your head ?” * You did, my lord; and the assurance made a deep impression upon me—all the more so,” I continued, “ because it was emphatically reiterated by the Countess.” ; “ Then, what more would you have ®” inquired the Ear], somewhat impatiently: but as his looks suddenly assumed a different and milder expres- sion, and as his tone altered likewise, he said, “Pray tell me, without farther hesitation, why you have thus levelled another accusation against meP Is that man Lanover a «Yes, Lanover !” I exclaimed, in a paroxysm of excitement,—“ Lanover whose iniquities are again harassing me!” “Then listen, Joseph,” said the Earl, laying his hand upon my arm, and looking me steadfastly in the face, asif he were intent upon perusing every lineament of my countenance. “I take heaven to witness that your suspicions in respect to my- self are utterly unfounded! Itis true that I have seen this Mr. Lanover since you and I met in Florence—I saw him indeed about three weeks back at Leghorn : but our meeting was altogethe» accidental * “ And my name was not mentioned, my lord ?” I said, fixing my eyes searchingly upon the noble- man. He looked confused—he trembled visibly: I felt my cheeks turning pale anc then fiushing, from the effect of the suspicions that were flaming up in my mind once more: yt the Karl of Eccleston, 195 again recovering his self-possession, said with an air of frankness, “ Yes, your name was mentioned —but I declare most solemnly—by everything sacred—that no hostile instructions were issued ‘from my lips—no hostile intentions were hinted at by Mr. Lanover !” “My lord,” I asked, “is that man indeed my uncle P” “ Does he not persist in saying so?” ejaculated the Earl abruptly. “He does, my lord,” I responded: “ but there ig @ Secret voice within me which tells me that he is 20¢ /—and this same secret voice whispers that your lordship is enabled, if you choose, to clear up the hideous mystery which envelopes every- thing that concerns myself!” The nobleman turned aside for a few moments, during which he remained silent; and then abruptly reverting his eyes upon my countenance, he said, “ You will not tell me upon what ground you just now accused me " « And your lordship has not told me,” I inter- rupted him, “ what took place between yourself and Mr. Lanover when you met at Leghorn.” “T have yet to learn,’ replied the nobleman, drawing himself up haughtily, “that L owe you an account of my proceedings.” «Enough, my lord!” I saidcoldly. “ You may choose to remain silent upon that point—but you cannot prevent me from judging of you by your antecedents. However, there is a superior power which has hitherto protected me, and which will protect me still! Moreover, as I told your lord- ship in Florence, if Mr. Lanover dares to prosecute his machinations against me, I will invoke the aid of the law i , “Where is Lanover?” demanded the Earl abruptly. “I declare that I am ignorant of all that he is now doing: but if a word from me—if you think, I mean, that I could be of service to you in disarming that man, I will do all that lies in my power to shield you. Yes—by heaven, I will! Tell me where he is to be found—and he shall not hurt a single hair of your head !” I was about to observe that his lordship had just confessed the power to exercise a considerable influence over the humpback; but there was so much apparent sincerity in the assurances he had just given me, that I did not choose to revert to an angry strain, nor to adopt a satirical one. I therefore simply said, “I know not at present where Mr. Lanover is.” “T will tell you exactly why Lanover sought me at Leghorn,” resumed the Earl, after a few minutes’ reflection. “I repeat—and solemnly repeat my assurance, that our meeting was at first quite accidental in the street. He then called upon me at my hotel, and asked me to lend him a sum of money. I had not about me the amount he required ; and it was then too late in the even- ing to procure it from a banker on the circular letter of credit with which I invariably travel: Lanover could not wait until the following day— he was compelled to go elsewhere at once on pressing business, as he told me. What his busi- ness was he did not explain. He asked me ta make him a remittance to some town in the Papal States -Ah! it was Magliano—I remember !” “ MaglianoP—yes!” I ejaculated. “Proceed, my lord.” (e|O@QO) S (CO im