Rosa Lambert — page 259: what you’re looking at

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

248 —— —— I walked about for another hour in order to compose my looks and thoughts: the former set- tled into a sort of desperate satisfaction akin to a sardonic triumph—the latter into a forced and unnatural hardihood. In this frame of mind I returned to my lodgings; and the servant on opening the door, said, “If you please, ma’am, a gentleman called just now and was very anxious to see you. He gave the name of Captain Beau- mont. I told him that I thought you had gone to walk across the fields.” “Thank you—TI have seen him,’ and composedly uttered response. { ascended to my chamber, put off my walking apparel, and arrayed myself in one of my hand- somest dresses; for I had a presentiment that Felix Wellesley would be with me in the course of that evening, and my mind was made up to give him in every respect the most welcome and gratify- ing reception. I looked in the mirror: the ex- citement of the scene with Beaumont had left a dlush upon my cheeks—but it enhanced my beauty ; and never did I seem more truly beautiful. I descended to the parlour—dined with a good appetite—and said to myself, “ Now I am indeed —— , ROSA LAMBERT. offered to establish one wheresoever it might suit me to reside. I told him, after some little ro- | flection, that I should prefer living in London; and he at once assented. He promised me car- riages and horses; and vowed that nothing would afford him greater pleasure than to anticipate even my slightest wants, and do all he could to promote my happiness. Finally it was agreed that he should take up his quarters at an hotel ‘for that night; and that I should join him at | Dover on the following day: for’ inasmuch as I was my coldly had hitherto passed at my lodgings as a respect- able married lady whose husband was abroad, I did not choose to throw off the mask just at the last hour of my residence there. We separated soon after ten o’clock,—he repairing to the hotel, and I retiring to rest for the last time in that chamber which I had occupied for upwards of six months, After breakfast on the following morning, I gave the landlady due notice that I was going to leave her in the course of the day; and I went out to make some few little purchases at a linen- draper’s. Having bought what I required, I was issuing forth from the shop, when I perceived a beginning to escape from the maudlin influence | miserable-looking wretch, clothed in the rags of of those exquisitely refined feelings which have hitherto continuously vibrated in my heart, and which, by being so easily acted upon, have at times produced me so much unhappiness. susceptibilities have hitherto proved too keen: my soul has been a sensitive plant—and it shall be so no longer. To-day commences a new epoch in my existence. I said the same when my interview with Fortescue at Hastings drove me back again into the path of error: but I had not then ex- periences so bitter as those which I have since acquired—and therefore I relapsed into delicate sensitiveness and susceptibility. Now I am stronger!—now my soul has put on additional armour—and it shall never be cast off again!” I took up a book, and read it calmly and col- lectedly until about eight o’clock,—when a loud summons at the front door resounded through the house; and I said to myself as I coolly laid aside the volume, “ This is Felix.” Hasty footsteps were soon heard ascending the ntairs—the door was thrown open—and the next instant I was clasped in Wellesley’s arms. How rejoiced was he to behold me!—how rapturously did he strain me in his embrace! Then he sat down by my side—surveyed me with mingled love and admiration—declared how beautiful I looked ——and embraced me again and again. In his wonted enthusiastic manner he poured forth his gratitude for the fidelity with which I had kept my promise in writing to him; and he assured me that he loved me more thanever. He depicted in glowing colours the joy and delight with which he had received my letter in the morning; and it was evident that he had lost no time in making his preparations to hasten and join me. beggary, dragging himself along at a little dis- tance; and though his back was towards me, yet the thought, as startling as it was horrible, smote My | me all in an instant that it was none other than my brother Cyril. At that very moment he turned round—he beheld me—and the recognition was complete: for Cyril that tatterdemalion mendicant really was! I made him a hasty sign to follow me at a distance; and issuing from the town, I passed on to a spot where we could converse without incurring the risk of observation. Cyril speedily came up to that spot; and while he contemplated me with evident satisfaction—in- asmuch as my appearance seemed to assure him that I was enabled to afford the pecuniary suc- cour of which he stood so much in need—I on my own part looked at him with the saddest feelings. He was haggard and pale—his eyes were sunken— his form was thin and wasted—he seemed but the ghost of his former self,—he who was once so handsome and so elegant! “Well, Rose,” he said, “so we meet again—eh ? but under queer circumstances so far as one of us is concerned :’—and then he broke into a wild, reckless, devil-me-care laugh. “How did you become free ?” I inquired. “You may fancy it was not a very easy thing to achieve, while constantiy watched in the hulk or on shore by sentinels with Joaded muskets. But from the very first I was determined to escape; and as you sec, I have done it. You remember that when last you saw me in Newgate, I desired you to tip me as much of the ready as you had about you ; and you managed to pass me fifty pounds through the bars of the grating where we talked. Ah! by When the first gush of ardour on the part of | the bye, you behaved uncommon well, Rose, all delix Wellesley had somewhat subsided, we began to discuss our plans. Ie told me that he pos- sessed about three thousand a year, left him by his deceased father—that he was entirely his own master, having no relatives whom he cared to consult or feared to offend in whatsoever pursuits he might adopt, He had no settled home, but oe eo © “ Ah, how indeed?” he ejaculated. Ce -— ——V wa A rm rere * hee - ————ee ePID PM OO et tt EAE through my troubles. What a blessing it is to have such a sister as you, who by her good looks 1s enabled to keep herself afloat in such prime condi- tion.” “But your escape, Cyril?” I said, my cheeks flushing far less at this gross allusion to my de- graded state, than they would have done but a | cComicbooks (ele)