Rosa Lambert — page 249: what you’re looking at

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

LC A OO Cm 238 ment upon the authors of the outrage. Again was it my lot to experience a wretchedness of mind which no language can deseribe: but I saw how uscless if was to attempt legal proceedings, and how utterly they would redound, if I did initiate them, to my own exposure and branding shame. I rose from my seat, and said to the Marquis, * You have triumphed, my lord—you have ae- complished the foulest crime that ever was ex- ulted in as a glorious achievement. I do not envy you your feelings. You have plunged another dagger into a heart that was already bleeding from recently inflicted wounds; your conduct is the basest of the base—the vilest of the vile: it is ashame beyond all abominationan atrocity be- yond all execration, Think not that you will prosper 4: “This is pretty language, my sweet one,” in- terrupted the Marquis, with an ironical smile: “but do you not calmly and deliberately think you would do better to accept my protection ? Let bygones be bygones ~ “Oh, no, my lord!” I exclaimed with the fiercest bitterness of accent: “ never, never shall the word of forgiveness be pronounced by my lip! There is a justice in heaven even for a lost and degraded one as I am,—more irredeemably lost, more profoundly degraded as [ am now become by your stupendous villany! Yes, my lord—there is justice in heaven on behalf of the meanest of God’s creatures! Listen to me for a few minutes longer—and I will tell you a tale.” “‘ By heaven, this is delicious!” cried Belmore ; “and your voice is so sweet I could listen to it for ever.” “A fortnight ago, my lord,” I continued, heed- less of the interruption, “I was riding over High- gate Archway, when I met a gentleman also upon horseback. You must have read the fearful nar- rative in the newspapers ” * What the deuce is she driving at?” said the Marquis, gazing upon me with astonishment not unmingled with apprehension: for he evi- dently thought that my intellects were disor- dered. “You must have read, my lord,” I went on to say, “that frightful account of the recent tragedy of the Archway. The gentleman on horseback was thrown over:—down, down he fell from a height of one hundred and twenty feet! His rending cries of agony pierced my brain: me- thinks that I hear them now. Ah, my lord! you gaze upon me in surprise aye, even with a srowing terror. Think you that there was no retributive justice in the circumstance of that man perishing thus miserably before my very eyes P— think you that it was a mere accident which took me to that spot—on that day—at that hour—at that minute P No, it was not a coincidence: the finger of heaven was in it! For that man was not unknown to me: his name was Andfew Win- ter; and by foulest treachery, two years back, he consummated an outrage similar to that which you have this evening perpetrated. Now, my Jord,” L continued, my voice rising as I spoke— my form drawing itself up—my eyes flashing— my nostrils dilating—and my feelings at the in- stant being those of an avenging prophetess,—- “now, my lord, regard that tale as a warning; and rest assured that though I may not be enabled — | — — Seer 6 e+ oe 60 er ees oe ROSA LAMBERT, — 2 —— —/— —_— ti A ee ee, -- personally to wreak such vengeance upon you as my heart craves and yearns for, yet that sooner or later you will perish miserably, and I shall be by to witness your doom. Yes, my lord, it will be so! Oh, there is a seeret voice speaking within me, telling me that it will be do! It is no random nor reckless assertion that I am making it is @ prophecy engendered by an awful and supernal inspiration |” My words and my manner, as well as my looks, produced upon the profligate young nobleman a much more powerful effect than [ had dared hope they would. His countenance, a few minutes before flushed with triumph, grew pale as death: | his lips quiveredhe had a seared and affrighted | look-—he was even horror-stiticken. He wincede« | he shrank—he cowered—he writhed, beneath thé | influence of my language and my bearing. He | spoke not a word; and I said no more, . {I readjusted my disordered appatel—deli- berately straightened my crushed bonnet—and issued from the room without experiencing the slightest hindrance or molestation on his part. I descended the stairs: and on reaching thé passage, the parlour-door opened, Mrs. Fanshawe appear- ing with a light in her hand. “What! so soon away, beauteous one P” she ex« claimed, her countenance which had at first struck me as being of such kind-hearted and matron-like placidity, now expressing an insolent leer, ‘Stand back, vile woman,” I responded; “ and let me escape from this den of infamy !” She blurted forth some abusive expressions: but I heeded them not—and do not choose to transfer them to the pages of my narrative. I gained the street: I was now perfectly calm and collected— but yet with a profound and despairing sense of a mighty wrong sustained. Nevertheless, I had the satisfaction of knowing that I had left the author of the outrage completely crushed, overwhelmed, and horror-stricken, by the terrible prediction which I had enunciated; and this was already a vengeance achieved. Such being my’ state of mind, it can be understood wherefore I was thus calm and how I was thus collected. I proceeded straight to the coach-oflice; and pretending that I had merely been to pay some visit which brought me to Woolwich, inquired for a respectable hotel. One was mentioned to me ; and it was at no great distance. A porter fol. lowed with my portmanteau : I reached the hotel, and at once retired to rest in the chamber with which I was accommodated. —————— CHAPTER XXXI. | MB. WELLESLEY: cf | | I po not purpose to trouble the reader with the various conflicting thoughts which agitated in my mind during the first hour that I lay down in bed, — and during which I vainly endeavoured to woo the approach of slumber. But at length sleep stole ee et gee. a upon me: if was however haunted by dreadful visions. . Methought that Beaumont suddenly stood be- fore me,—reproaching me with infidelities, and | sternly refusing to hear the explanations which L } oe