Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

204 Pickwick Abroad. for a short time, a sudden reverse will one day most certainly over- whelm him? O Henri, what does all this mean? My mind, already too deeply wounded—I do not mean to reproach—has strange mis- givings—my heart is replete with sadness. Pardon me for having re- capitulated the contents of your letter; but my affection for you, Henri—and, oh! you know I have loved you as never yet woman. loved, Henri—I have cherished your image in my heart from the first moment of our acquaintance—I have nursed you in sickness—I have smiled in the midst of grief to dissipate the dark clouds that hung over your brow—I have supported your indifference, your neglect, and your occasional cruelty. May I not, therefore, say that my affection for you has alone dictated this hasty scrawl—that my love, my deep— sincere—unchangeable love—must plead as extenuation for the tenour of this letter. ‘‘ In haste, your most affectionate wife, | “EMILIE D’ARLY. ‘Rue Neuve des Mathurins, No. 20.’’ . ‘‘ And what is his lordship’s pleasure?” said I, as de Limeul re- ceived the affecting epistle from my hand, ‘‘T)’Arly meditates some crime !” exclaimed de Limeul hastily. ‘“‘Or rather he means to essay his luck once more at the gaming- table,” I observed, with all due submission and respect. ‘‘Dumont, I thought you were more cunning,” cried the secretary : ‘¢ wherefore this sudden arrangement for a prompt departure 2? Where- fore this determination to have recourse to some desperate measure to re-establish his fallen fortunes ? and why should he be so anxious to bear with him to a foreign land the moneys of which he hopes Fortune may put him in the possession ?” ‘‘True,’”’ said I, ashamed of my own want of penetration. “Do you know Monsieur D’Arly 2” enquired the secretary. ““T do,” was the reply. ‘* How 2” said the secretary. ‘“‘ His nightly haunts are the gaming-houses in the Palais-Royal: I have frequently seen him playing heavy stakes in those dens.” “Will you take upon yourself to watch his motions, and ascertain the nature of the resolutions he may have adopted to retrieve his late losses ?’’ said the secretary. ‘“¢T will, Monsieur de Limeul,’”’ was my reply; and he waved his hand as a signal of dismissal. So soon as I had issued from the gloomy walls of the Prefecture, I returned with all possible haste to my lodgings in the Faubourg Saint Antoine, and having doffed my uniform, assumed the plain clothes of a sober and quiet citizen. I then proceeded to the Palais-Royal, and ascended a steep stair-case leading to an extensive suite of apart- ments on the first floor. An 1ill-looking fellow gave me admittance, and inquired the nature of my business, which having explained, F was ushered into a small cabinet where sate the genius loci, in all his lory. ; He was an individual of about forty years of age; but untimely wrinkles were traced upon his cheeks. His eyes were dark and sunken ; his features were pointed and angular; his looks were suspi- Gomicbooks.com |