Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

_— i ee ee Ee re ‘~~~ eeeneeeereeeteeeeeelesslslSSsSSSSSS SL T s 306 you have discovered that it zeas a pretext :’—and the wretched humpback grinned at me fiercely, chuckling horribly with his harsh jarring voice at the same time. “Then Lord Eccleston has been with yow like- wise !” I exclaimed; “and the work of deceit and treachery is still progressing, though that of per- secution be over. Mr. Lanover, I did venture to entertain the slight hope that I should find you in a better condition of mind. When you think of all you have ever meditated or done towards me, you ought to shrink from the idea of your own astounding wickedness; and you ought alse to be amazed at the immensity of the forbearance which IT have shown you. How many times could I have invoked the aid of the English law against ou!” a Yes, yes,” grinned and chuckled the hump- back; “but you loved Annabel, and for her sake you would not injure me. Do you think I was not secure and safe in that conviction? As for Lady Calanthe’s secret, I kept it as long as it suited my purpose, according to the compact which you and I made some time ago: but the other day, when I cared no longer what Sir Matthew Hezel- tine might know in respect to myself, I wrote and told him all your villany in that quarter.” It was with a fiendish pleasure that Mr. Lanover reiterated this painful intelligence—for he saw that I winced under it : but I exclaimed, * Villany, sir ? No! I was not guilty of villany! My conduct was the indiscretion—the weakness—the folly of an inexperienced boy. But enough of that! I regret that even for an instant I should have sought to justify myself at the expense of the de- ceased young lady’s memory.” ‘No doubt you are full of consideration in that respect !” interjected Lanover ironically. “T know not what advantage Lord Eccleston can have promised you,” I said, “in keeping the veil of mystery hung over the past: but if ever there were a moment, Mr. Lanover, when you ought to relent towards me, it is now that you yourself experience the pressure of misfortune’s iron hand, and that your conscience ought to seek to soothe itself by performing an act of justice. I know that there are mysteries enveloping me,—mysteries which, judging by all the circumstances of my life and by the conduct of others towards me, must be of a very extraordinary character. That the day will Sooner or later come é “Never, Joseph—never!” ejaculated Lanover with the most violent emphasis and the fiercest expression of countenance. “If you could show me ten thousand advantages im telling you all I know, I would not do it—because I hate you! For I tell you that you have crossed my path; and since the day I first knew you all my schemes have failed—all my projects have gone wrong. I am doomed to imprisonment: but you shall be doomed to the continued ignorance of that which you would give half your life to know. Tell me,” he demanded abruptly, “can you procure me a full pardon? have you interest sufficient with the Count of Livorno to obtain that decree which shall throw open these prison-doors ?” “Not for worlds would I make such an un- reasonable request!” I exclaimed. “ What! for my own selfish purposes should I seek to obtain the reversal of a sentence which has vindicated the 1? . tS hs sss is __steeeneeeeensens JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. $$... outraged laws of an entire community? Besides, the Count of Livorno himself “You need say no more,” interrupted Lano»yer, with a scornful bitterness of tone and look. “TI full well anticipated what your answer would be. Think you therefore that while you refuse to do that which lies in your p>wer, I will breathe a single syllable which shall be a revelation to your ears? Not so. Depart—leave me! You find me ina dungeon: but my spirit is still the same as you ever knew it. And now begone!” I waited not for another bidding to leave the wretch’s presence, but [ at once issued forth from his cell, as much grieved and pained at the thought that human nature could display so much ran- corous wickedness, as at my own utter failure in making upon the man any impression con- ducive to my views or interests. He had said that though immured in a dungeon, his spirit was still the same. words! He was a toad sealed up in a block o marble, existing upon its own venom! I walked away from the prison exceedingly dejected. My worst apprehensions were-in every sense confirmed. From Dorchester I hai gleaned nothing: Lanover was less than ever inclined to draw aside the veil that covered the origin and sources, the reason and the motives of all those cireum- stanees which so intimately concerned me; and the only intelligence I had obtained was the con- firmation of my fear that my secret in respect to Lady Calanthe was betrayed. As I walked through the streets, pondering gloomily upon all these things, I experienced so sudden an indisposition that I felt the necessity of entering a shop for the purpose of sitting down. It happened to be a chymisi’s establishment which I thus entered; and bethinking myself of the necessity for some excuse, I asked for a bottle of soda-water. There was a vertigo in my brain—a dizziness in my vision; and [ did not therefore immediately re- cognise a personage whom the chymisi was serving with something at the counter. But on hearing my voice, he turned abruptly round; and then T perceived that accident had thus thrown me in the way of the Earl of Eccleston. This circumstance quickly recalled me to my- self: but the Earl had taken my hand before I had an instant to deliberate how I should behave towards him. Then he snatched up—with exceed- ing precipitation, methought—a small bottle which the chymist had that moment wrapped in paper ; and he consigned it to his waistcoat-pocket. I asked for the soda-water; and the beverage re- freshed me considerably. The Earl remained in the shop: I saw that he meant to wait until I left in order to have some conversation with me; and I was anxious to know what explanation he would give of his conduct in respect to Mr. Dorchester. We issued from the shop, and walked along the street together,—a dead silence existing between us for the first few minutes. At length the Earl said, “ You looked exceedingly ill and pale and careworn when you entered the shop.” * And no wonder, my lord,” I answered: “for I again find you enacting the part of a persecutor, —that part which both yourself and the Countess vowed should never more be performed towards me !” “What mean you, Joseph ?” inquired the Earl, Gaoo How true indeed were his