Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

—— 270 seated, exclaiming, “ Have you heard the intelli- gence P” “ T have heard nothing particular,” sponse. ‘‘ What has happened ?” “ Signor Leone—the unfortunate young man,” replied the Corsican,—“ a mere youth—Oh, it is horrible—he is murdered !” ‘Murdered !” I echoed, starting back in horror. «What? that amiable young man who seemed in- capable of injuring a soul!” “ Yes—he is murdered!” ejaculated the Corsican gentleman. “He was found ata late hour last evening amidst the ruins of St. Bartholomew it «“ Amidst the ruins? Good heavens!” “Yes—but thank God, his assassins are disco- vered !” was the Corsican’s quick response. “ They are two Greeks , “Two Greeks ?”—and such a deadly chill smote me that I might have been knocked down with a straw. “Ah! you may well be horrified,” continued the Corsican, “ when you think that one whom you so recently saw in the enjoyment of vigorous life, has been thus suddenly cut off by the hand of assassination !” “ But two Greeks?” I faltered out: for I was well nigh lost in mingled horror, distress, and amazement. “Are you sure that they are two Greeks ?” “ There is not a doubt of it,” replied the Corsi- ean. ‘They had been shipwrecked—they were staying at the same farm-house as Signor Leone ts “ Good God! is it possible?” I ejaculated: and I was just on the very point of proclaiming that I was my re- had been shipwrecked with them, when the thought } suddenly flashed to my mind that it was possible 1} might be unpleasantly questioned in respect to the character of the lost ship and of the Greeks: I therefore withheld the precise words I was about to utter—and said, “But I was staying a day or two in that very neighbourhood! It was there that I met Signor Leone; and the two Greeks themselves are likewise’ known tome. From all that I have seen of them I should consider it im- possible But then I stopped short, as a sickening idea that it must all be too true arose in my mind. What if Durazzo and the page had been inter- rupted by the presence of Leoue in the midst of the process of removing the treasure? what if Leone had threatened to expose them, or even to give them into custody? and what if Durazzo, goaded to desperation by this suddon recurrence of evil fortune, had dealt the young man an assassin- blowP Alas, it did indeed seem as if circum- stantial evidence were damnatory against him, and that his faithful—perhaps too faithful dependant had become implicated in the crime! Yes, the idea was both horrible and sickening: for what would now become of the wretched Leonora? *Do you know the circumstances,” I inquired, in a tone full of mournfuluess—and I felt that my looks were of a kindred expression,—* do you know the circumstances of this most terrible tragedy P” “1 know nothing more than the few details I have given you,’ answered the Corsican. “ihe tidings were brought to Leone’s lawyers by a mes- senger from the town that is nearest to the scene JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. of thetragedy. We shall know everything in the course of the day; because the prisoners will be conveyed in chains to Ajaccio.” “And yet it appears to be a dream!” T said: “for those Greeks are quite young—one indeed a mere boy; and it seems absolutely impos- sible , “Tam afraid,’ answered the Corsican, “ that you will find it all too true. It must indeed ap- pear astounding as it is horrible that of three per. sons with whom you have lately been thrown in contact, one ig murdered and the other two are his murderers.” I was indeed both horrified and astounded. I felt the necessity of being alone for a short period to compose my feelings, if such composure were possible: I accordingly withdrew to my chamber, and sate down to reflect on everything I had heard. Durazzo a murderer! Ab, though he had been a pirate, I could scarcely reconcile it with my ideas of his character that he should now become an assassin !—though he had spilt blood in the midst of battle, I could barely comprehend how it was possible he could have taken life as a murderer ! And yet how could I doubt the tale which had reached my earsP Alas, alas! I thought within myself, that Durazzo should have come to this— that for the sake of gold he should have yielded up his soul to Satan—and that the mere boy of a page should Lave become implicated in so terrible a deed of turpitude! G TINS CHAPTER CXXXIV. THE MURDER. Aw hour afterwards I found myself walking in the street; and I really had no recollection of how I got thituer. IL could not for the life of me remem- ber coming forth from the hotel—much less of in- wardly expressing the volition to issue from my chamber. I was under the influence of a sort of consternation: a stupendous dismay appeared to sit upon my soul. To think that that young man, Constantine Durazzo Kanaris, who presented such a perfect model of masculine beauty, should be doomed to the axe of the guillotine—that he should die branded with the foul crime of murder—ard that he should leave his Leonora to the heart- breaking misery that must be her lot—all these appeared eventualities the bare contemplation of which stupefied and appalled me. I was proceeding slowly along a street without taking the slightest notice of any single object —as much alone as if rambling amidst the awful soli- tude of a desert—when all of a sudden [I heard many loud ejaculations; and I was startled into a degree of consciousness of what was passing around me. I perceived a crowd collecting in the street: a glance at the houses showed me that the casements were thronged with faces ; and all eyes were turned towards the extremity of the thoroughfare. There were the tramplings of steeds and the sounds of weapons, mingled with the heavy rambling of waicels ; and behold! seated in a post-chaise were Durazzo and the yuung page, together with a couple of yendarmes ; while a pirquet of the same police rode by the side of the vehicle. I averted —-— OOO) “S (E()