Rosa Lambert — page 239: what you’re looking at

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

“9 vi Oe nem ee ee LOL LLL ALE LEAL ND A OL A DE A A CT TT Ce Te NI I yt tty le, a Al. i. eat ly te ROSA LAMBERT. — ee ee ee said: “he of course will spread the scandal every- | what has occurred. But I think you would do where P 1b.” “ Not in that coin, my fair cousin,” answered Haverstock. “The best proof of our sincere desire to manage matters with all due secrecy and delicacy, is to be found in the plan which I sug- gested as a means of convincing the Marquis of my success. No—I would pledge myself for him as well as for myself, that if you really wish the business to be hushed up, it shall be so, But why not accept my protection? You may as well after all that has occurred ‘s “ Never, Sir John Haverstock! You may ex- pose me—you may persuade your noble friend ”— and I accentuated the word printed in italic—*“ to expose me likewise: but you shall not coerce me into living with you! Would you know my opinion of youP” “ Assuredly, if it will afford you any gratifi- cation to proclaim it :’—and the Baronet still spoke with a heartless levity. ’ He owes me a grudge—and he will pay | well, Sir John, to take some measure to prevent her from visiting me for the future. It would be impossible for me to conceal a certain feeling whensoever your name should be mentioned by her lips in a word, I would rather see your sister Joanna no more, You wield a potent influence over her—that is evident enough. Use it, then, for the purpose which I have named,” “ Well, if you wish it, the thing shall of course be done,” replied Haverstock; “though at this moment I don’t see how the deuce it is to be managed—for Joanna has conceived such an affec- tion towards you As “You must manage it,’ I said peremptorily. “TI will even put the subject in another light. Are you so infamous and so base—have you s0 little regard for your pure-minded and virtuous sister—that you could suffer her to continue the friend and companion of a woman whom you your- self have plunged more deeply down into the yortex of shame, degradation, and dishonour f “Well, well,” said Haverstock, “I suppose it “You may as well become acquainted with my sentiments,” I rejoined. ‘But let me convey | must be as you dictate. Now, what is the use them in the shape of questions. What think you | of your continuing to wear that cold fierce look? of a man who employs his own pure-minded sister I really thought matters would take a different to become his agent in the carrying out of a/| turn + scheme of stupendous villany? What think you “Will you spare me any farther discussion P” of the man who could throw his sister in the way | I asked: “have you not injured me enough? are of the woman whom he has vowed to defile?! you not satisfied with what you have done? will What think you of the man who could take advan-| you tell me what frightful injury I have been tage of the moment when that said woman is guilty of towards you, that you should have plunged into the bitterest affliction on account of | marked me out as the victim of bitterest perse- a criminal brother? What think you of the man cutionP In a word, Sir John Haverstock, will who could deliberately and in cold blood calculate | you act at once in the manner that I ere now that his nefarious opportunity would be afforded by the mental and physical exhaustion produced by the dreadful distress of mind experienced by his intended victim? Ina word, Sir John Haver- stock, what think you of the man who when his crime is consummated, can treat it with the most heartless levity and parade it as a subject for self- glorification and triumph P” “Perhaps you will allow me to answer you, my fair cousin, by means of a few questions likewise— as this appears to be a style of discourse fraught with special gratification to yourself. What think you,” proceeded Sir John Haverstock, “of the woman who having been the mistress of divers persons who are known—and doubtless of several others who are not known—nevertheless plays the prude with such cool effrontery (4 “Sir, your language proclaims you to be a mean and paltry coward, as your deeds have already shown you to be a black-hearted villain! Now,” I continued, “if you have the slightest particle of generosity left, you will apparel yourself without delay—you will draw the veil over your counte- nance—you will descend with me to the hall—you will refuse the apparently pressing invitation which I will give you to breakfast—and you will take your departure, Will you do all this?’ I demanded, “If not, you may as well at once pro- claim to all my domestics the full measure of your villany.” “And about Joanna?” inquired the Baronet, who was all this time surveying me with an air of insolent and half-mocking triumph. “ Do as I have suggested,” was my response, “and your sister shall remain in ignorance of! defined P” “T will, if it pleases you,” he said. “Of course I don’t want to provoke you unnecessarily, my fair cousin.” “Tt is somewhat late to think of showing me mercy,” I rejoined: “but still there is this mercy which you can display—and I crave it at your hands.” “You must help me, then, with some of these articles of female raiment,” he replied, laughing ; “or else I shall go forth so awkwardly dressed that your servants will penetrate the disguise. Just put my apparel as it ought to be; and trust me for assuming such a feminine gait and so sweetly mincing’ a pace, as well as such elegant gestures, that the imitation of my sister shall be perfect.” | I at once acceded to his request,—though I would have laid my hands with equal pleasure upon a coiled-up snake. He endeavoured to win, by his own looks, good-humour up into mine, and to force a smile from my lips: but my manner continued cold as ice—the expression of my coun- tenance changed not from its glacial rigidity. In a few minutes his toilet was completed; though for my own sake I rendered it as femininely per- fect as I possibly could. We descended the stairs together : fortunately we encountered none of the servants; but when we reached the hall, I gave him an apparently pressing invitation to remain and partake of breakfast,—of course addressing him as Joanna; and all this I did that I might be overheard if any of the menials were nigh enough to catch what was said. He acted in ac- cordance with his promise,—assuming his sister’s ee A EE ES A AS SS TT (Ele) 900 <S: