Rosa Lambert — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

ROSA LAMBERT. a rative.” “Tt needs but a few more words to complete it,” said Caroline. “I besought Horace Rockingham last night to save me from distress ; and when he smiled, methought superciliously, I upbraided him bitterly as my betrayer—my deceiver—the worker of my ruin! A fiendish expression appeared upon his countenance: my upbraidings grew more vio- lent—I was reduced to despair—I even vowed ven- geance against him, He flung insulting taunts at . me—declared that he had never loved me—that I had served as a toy and a plaything—and that if ever IL dared cross his path again But I waited to hear no more. Maddened—frantic—wild with frenzy, L rushed away, not knowing nor caring which direction I pursued. My rapid erratic foot- steps led me towards Waterloo Bridge; and as I ‘beheld the double line of lights marking the span of the river, and the gates at the entrance of the bridge, I stopped suddenly short. A frightful idea had flashed to my brain. Oh! beneath the arches of that bridge rolled the waters in whose dark depths lay the one pearl that was priceless for me now— oblivion! ‘To escape from the hideous miseries which had enmeshed me—to fly from a world in which, though so young, I had experienced so much bitter sorrow—the opportunity was at hand! The idea, at the first instant so frightful, became the next moment one to be clutched at greedily. Yes—I was bent on suicide. My brain was in wild confusion; and yet it had a horrible clearness. I said to myself, ‘I must pass tranquilly and quietly through the gates at’ the entrance; or else my design will be penetrated; I shall be stopped and sent to prison.—But ah! a thought struck me. The toll! With as much desperate suspense as if it were in search for the means to purchase a penny roll to save myself from starving, I plunged my hand into the pocket of my dress. There was just one penny there One single penny! I had not known that I was even so riche A moment before I had trembled lest poverty would even prevent me from committing suicide—at least at that particular bridge. Oh, it was Satan himself who had hidden that one coin in the depth of my pocket, so that it should escape my search when I wanted to buy 98 “T will explain presently, Finish your nar- bread, but should come ready to my hand when I purposed to pay the toll which led to the path of contemplated self-destruction!” “Unhappy girl!” I could not help exclaiming. “But, Oh! that miscreant Rockingham! A few pounds —nay, even a few shillings, might have turned all your thoughts into another direction. But go on—go on.” “Assuming as collected an air as possible, I paid the toll—passed through the gate—and felt that there now remained but one barrier to be crossed —the parapet of the bridge—ere I should obtain rehef from all my earthly cares. wild and fearful exultation in the thought: I quickened my pace—in afew moments I ran—I was now afraid lest some sudden scruple should arise and with the strength of an outstretched invisible hand hold me back. I heard the sounds of some equipage approaching: 1 felt that if I suffered the moments to glide by, I should repent —I should recoil from the meditated deed. To leap upon the parapet was the work of an instant : There was a° CC rr the equipage came up—some one rushed forward — to hold me back—there was frenzy in my brain— desperate was the bound 1 took—and then—— Q horror!” Quivering and shuddeving so that the bed again shook beneath the unhappy girl, she pressed her hands to her temples, covering her eyes with the palms as if to shut out a terrifie object from her view, “Say no more, Caroline!” I exclaimed: “ think no more of what is passed! That chaise which came up, was the one that bore me: the man whose hand was stretched out to draw you back, was the postilion,” “And heaven has sent me a friend in you!” murmured the poor creature,—“ you whom I hated, and against whom I cherished an im- placable vengeance! May God forgive me. If I hated you deeply, I now love you ten thousand- fold: if I longed to work you an injury, I would now lay down my life to prevent a single hair of your head from being harmed!” “T know it—I know it, Caroline,’ I said, taking her hands and pressing them in my own. “T understand full well your strange impulsive nature: all your feelings are in extremes < “Miss Lambert,” she answered, fixing her eyes upon me with a deep earnest gaze, “I now love you as if you were my sister: but I hate Horace Rockingham with an intensity as strong as my worship for him was once potent. Ob, to be re- venged on that devil in an angel shape !” “And you shall be reyenged, Caroline !” I re- joined impressively. | “Revenged! What mean you?” she ejacu- lated, her looks suddenly brightening up, so that her eyes flamed and a hectic colour glowed upon her sunken cheeks. “Just now,” I said, “you were struck by a question which I put as to your father’s Christian name ; and but a few minutes have elapsed since you were again surprised that I should have ex- pressed myself as able to comprehend wherefore Horace Rockingham was so terrified—for it was indeed terror that he experienced last night—lest you should throw yourself at your father’s feet and tell the name of the villain and all his vil- lany. Now, Caroline, the means of vengeance are in our hands. Isay owr hands, because I also, after everything you have told me—but more on my brother’s account than on my own—have a terrible reckoning to take with that being whom you so well describe as a devil in ange! shape. Were I other than I am, and did such lips of mine dare speak of holy things, I would even say that there is the finger of heaven in all this—and that by preterhuman intervention if is given io me to bring about the hour of retribution for Horace Rockingham.” “Oh, explain yourself—explain yourself, my dearest friend!” cried Miss Seymour, almost wild with the excitement of vindictive hope. : “ A few words will suffice,” I answered. “ Yes- terday—and only yesterday—was Mr. Rockingham, senior, introduced to your father to obtain the loan of a sum of money to save him from ruin!” “ Heayens, if this were. possible!” cried the old usurer’s daughter. ve ,; “Tt is possible! It is more than possible—it 1s true,” I responded. “All this has been brought - Vee ‘fi om “a?