Rosa Lambert — page 255: what you’re looking at

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

————-—— + ee But I stopped suddenly short: the tears flowed from my eyes—suffocating sobs rose up into my throat ; for I was about to speak of a future whence my shuddering looks recoiled. It was not a mere blank —it was blackness which thus appalled them ! “You will go into seclusion—you will retire from the world?” said Ielix Wellesley in a gentle voice. “AmTI to understand that I now see you for the last time? No, no—do not tell me this! If you loved another, and in the weakness of that love had forgotten all you owed to Captain Beau- mont, my lips would never have given utterance to that which I am about to proclaim. But it is dif- ferent. I gather from all you have told me that you love no other—that you have been a victim— and that you bear not in your bosom the fruit of a willing amour. Then hear me! There is one who loves you, though you may love not him that one is before you he kneels at your feet— he tells you that he loves you in spite of every- thing !” “Rise, Mr. Wellesley—rise,”’ I said; “I conjure you to becalm! It isgmpossible I can remain in- different to this touching proof of affection on your part. But listen to what I am about to say. To- morrow I go hence; and for the next six months must I be as one dead unto you. If however at the expiration of that time I am still a being of this world,—and if you wish to hear from me— tell me where a letter will reach you, and I will write.” “Oh, a thousand thanks for this promise !” ex- claimed Felix, seizing my hand and carrying it to his lips with a still more gushing enthusiasm than any he had previously displayed. “ Rest assured that six months, or six years hence, my feeling towards you will be the same as itis now. No— not the same!—it will be stronger! Once more I[ thank you; and Oh! I shall look forward to the term of this period of separation with hope and con- fidence.. Here is my address:’’—and as he spoke he laid acard upon the table, for he had risen from his knees at my bidding. ‘“ But one word more, dearest Rose,” he went on to say,—“ for you must permit me thus to address you—one word more! Will you not suffer me to act at once as your friend? will you not accept ff “No, Mr. Wellesley,’ I interrupted him, my looks expressing my thanks; “I cannot. I know what you were about to say: butas I have already made up my mind to take a small sum from the ample resources which Beaumont has placed at my disposal, I shall adhere to that course. Accept my gratitude all the same. And now leave me. Six months hence you shall hear from me ig “ And before that period, if circumstances will permit ?” responded Wellesley softly. “ But, Oh! should illness overtake you, and you require a friend—-a companion—one who will minister unto you all possible attentions—summon me at once to the place of your seclusion—I entreat and im- plore that you will do so!” “Wow can I possibly answer in a negative to language so kind--so generous? Farewell, Mr. Wellesley —farewell, Ielix Ife embraced me—and IL did not withdraw my lips from his: he pressed my hand to his heart— and then hurriedly quitted the room. I rose early on the following morning; and ne ee eee a i inten e——aas ee ae a see ROSA LAMBERT. summoning the servants one after the other into my presence, dismissed them with a month’s wages and a liberal gratuity in addition. Alleging no reason for this sudden step, I gave them each a written character, and assured them that I should write most favourably of them all to Captain Beaumont,—so that if in future they needed any reference to him they might unhesitatingly make it. Ina few hours I was alone in the house with my own maid, who had not as yet taken her depar- ture. In the meantime [ had written a letter to Beaumont, frankly detailing to him every incident that had occurred to me since his departure—the villany of Haverstock as well as of Lord Belmore —and the circumstances which had induced me to take the measures 1 was now adopting. I as- sured him that I had vowed and yearned to re- main faithful to him, and that I should have done so in fact as I had in thought, were it not that I was rendered the victim of so much abhorrent treachery. I expressed a heartfelt gratitude for all the generous kindness I had experienced at his hands, and assured him it was with bitterest, bit- terest anguish I had found the hope of some day becoming his wife blasted all in an instant. I ex- plained the measures I was taking in respect to the house and property, and referred to a book which I had regularly kept to elucidate the posi- tion of financial matters up to that date. I made a duplicate copy of this letter,—sending one to the Admiralty that it might be transmitted along with the next despatches sent off to Captain Beaumont —and the other I forwarded to his navy-agent, to remain in this gentleman’s hands in case by any accident Beaumont should return to England before the former letter could reach him on the ocean. Thus was ended this most painful duty,— a duty which cost me many scalding tears and racked my heart with a thousand tortures. By the time my task was completed, a house- agent whom I had sent for from Islington, arrived at the villa; and as I knew kim to be a highly respectable man—he being the same who had ori- ginally let Beaumont the house—I had no hesi- tation in trusting him with the business which I am about to explain. I surrendered up into his hands the keys of the villa, desiring him to place some respectable and confidential person in charge, so that the furniture should be properly taken care of against Beaumont’s return. IL likewise bade him sell off the horses,—authorizing him to retain the proceeds as payment for the rent as it should fall due. In a word, I handed over all my own responsibilities to this agent, who undertook the trust and promised to execute it faithfully. The maid was most anxious to accompany me,— offering, as Frances had done on a former occasion, to serve me without wages: but I represented te her that I had voluntarily reduced myself to com- paratively humble means; and she took her leave of me with tears in her eyes. That same afternoon I removed to an hotel; and on the following morning took my place in a coach for Dover, with the intention of proceeding to France. But happening at the inn where I took up my temporary quarters, to read in a Kentish Guide-book that Sandgate—a town which lay along the coast at a distance of some half-dozen miles— was a pleasant, healthy, and retired little place, I repaired thither. Resuming my proper name of —_———-s Eomicbooks (ele)