Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 335: what you’re looking at

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322 JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS GF A MAN-SERVANT. S$ eeseeeSeeeeeeeeeeseseseesesSSsSSssSssssssseeses Livorno. I likewise wrote to my friends in Rome; the landlord had come forth to speak to me. I and then I made my preparations for a journey | affected to be particular only in ascertaining that on the following morning. After an early breakfast, I took a most affec. tionate leave of the Count and Countess of Livorno, and entered the post-chaise which was to bear me away from the Tuscan capital, eee CHAPTER CXLV. MILAN. I was in total ignorance of the direction which the Earl of LEccleston’s carriage had taken on leaving the neighbourhood of the cemetery the night but one previous: but the Count of Livorno had managed to ascertain for me that the post- chaise hired for the use of the Countess, was to convey her ladyship to Milan, whence it was to be sent back to the hotel at Florence. I had there- fore resolved to proceed to Milan; and though my mind was intent on business of the utmost im- portance, yet was I by no means sorry to have an object in visiting the capital of Lombardy. The distance from Florence to Milan is about a hun- dred and seventy miles; and thus at the rate of Italian travelling, and allowing for stoppages—but by journeying all night—I felt that I might calcu- late on reaching my destination on the following morning. At the two or three first stages out of Florence I made inquiries relative to the Harl’s chariot and the post-chaise in which the Countess travelled : but I could hear nothing of either of those equipages. I can scarcely aver that I was disap- pointed at this—inasmuch (as I have said in a former part of my narrative) there were three or four roads from Florence to the Apennines, which had to be crossed in order to reach Lombardy. It was therefore quite probable that the equipages just alluded to had taken a different route from that which I was pursuing. At all events, I re- garded it as a certainty that the Countess of Ficcleston’s destination was really Milan; and I therefore concluded that she must be going thither to rejoin her husband, or that she would in that city receive tidings concerning him. I experienced no adventure worth relating during my journey from the Tuscan capital to Milan; and I reached the latter city at an early hour of the morning which followed the day of my departure from Florence. My plan of proceeding was settled in my mind, so far as circumstances would permit. I knew that I had a deep game to play and that I must exercise the greatest caution ; for that if the Harl of Eccleston should by any accident discover I was on his track, and likewise suspect the motive, he might spirit away Lanover to some place whither I might never be enabled to trace him. Therefore, on arriving at Milan, it was absolutely necessary to avoid the chance of putting up at the same hotel where the Earl might have already taken his quarters,—supposing that he was really there. I concluded that he would gotoa first-rate hotel: I therefore resolved to stop at an inferior one. But even when the chaise drove up to the door of a hostelry of such a nature as I had explained to the postilion, I did not alight until he could afford me comfortable accommodation: but I managed to elicit from him that no guests of any importance were staying at his house. I then quitted the vehicle, and took up my quarters at the establishment where I thus alighted. When I had partaken of breakfast, I sent for the landlord, and said to him, “Iam a perfect stranger at Milan; and I have a little business to manage of somewhat a private and delicate nature. I need the services of some one who is trust- worthy, active, intellisent, and discreet. I care not what I pay in the shape of wage for such an individual.” “My own son, Signor,” replied the landlord, “will gladly and faithfully serve you. Though not more than twenty, Leo has a rare intellizence for his age. As for his discretion, Signor, if you enjoin him to silence relative to any business you have in hand, he will not breathe a syllable even to his own father and mother.” “These are good recommendations,” I observed ; “and you may rest assured that your son shall be liberally rewarded. I may perhaps remain some little time at your house rt “‘ Enough, Signor !—you shall have no reason to complain of your accommodations. Speaking of Leo, you will find him a veritable treasure: for he understands French perfectly—he has a smattering of Hnelish ‘< “Indeed!” I exclaimed: “then he will be all the more useful :’—for it occurred to me at the instant that Leo would possibly have to insinuate himself amongst the Karl of Eccleston’s domestics, in order to prosecute his inquiries. “ Let him come to me at once.” The landlord retired; and in a few minutes Leo made his appearance. I found him to be a good- looking young man, of middle stature, and slightly made. His countenance was remarkably intelli- gent: his manners were agreeable. I spoke to him in French, and discovered that his father had by no means exaggerated the fluency with which he conversed in that language. Having delivered myself at some length in respect to the fidelity and the zeal which I expected to characterize his services—having also given him a few gold coins as an earnest of my liberality—I addressed him in the following manner :— “Tt suits my purpose to discover whether the Earl and Countess of Eccleston are now sojourning in Milan. This you must first ascertain. If they are, you must endeavour without loss of time, to learn their intentions and their future proceedings, —how long they are going to stay here—whither they are next going—and likewise whether they have any one travelling with them besides their servants. specially is it important for me to dis- cover whether there is at Milan, either with. the Eeclestons or elsewhere, an Englishman of whom I will give you the minutest description.” I then proceeded to describe Lanover: but I did not mention his name—for I felt assured that wherever he might be he was travelling under a false one. Leo listened to me with the greatest attention: I gave him a few more minute details in respect to the task which he had to perform ; and he then left me. I should explain that my object in seeking to learn whither the Hcclestons DOOKS (CO)