Rosa Lambert — page 347: what you’re looking at

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

—— ee eae mepemmee eo me 8 me RT 1 OF RT Oe! ee eee tee. ewe em ee eee 306 ere the bank-notes from his hand: but stepping nimbly 8 ees em —_—_—- _ aside, he tossed the former upon the table, and thrust the latter into his pocket. I sank down upon the sofa, bewildered how to act. A gross fraud had been perpetrated upon Sir James Thornley; not for an instant could I think of profiting by it—but on the other hand, how could I face him and explain what had been done? Would he believe me? would he give sredit to my account of how his own letter to me had fallen into Edwin’s hands and had suggested the stratagem P or would he not rather think that I myself was a party to the cheat for the purpose of providing for a paramour? While I was thus painfully reflecting, I heard the carriage drive away: and then Kdwin exclaimed with another triumphant laugh, which was likewise tinctured witha sardonic malignity, “There, Rose! now you are so committed with the old nabob that you must remain with me.” My first impulse was to overwhelm Edwin with reproaches: but a second thought prompted me to ascertain from his lips precisely how the matter stood, in order that I should be the better able to shape the course which I had now to pursue. Assuming therefore a calm demeanour, I said to him, “Since you have done this thing, Edwin, it cannot be recalled : I hope you may not have to repent it. But tell me what it is that you have done—and what your plans now are?” “With pleasure, my dear Rose,’ he responded, since you begin to talk reasonably. In the first place, then, I rose very carefully, so as not to awake you, a little before six o’clock ; and I penned a letter in your name to the worthy nabob. I dare say the writing was deficient in that graceful fluency which characterises your own: but still it was not a bad imitation of a lady’s hand. In the second place, I sent- off the footman with the letter, and likewise with special instructions,— chiefly to the effect that if questioned by Sir James, he was to assure him that.I had not re- turned home. The scheme has succeeded, as you perceive : for the letter brought a thousand pounds, which I have got safe in my pocket. Ah! I had almost forgotten to say that I despatched the groom on some pretext into Cowes, so that you might not send,off your own letter—which would of course at once open old Sir James’s eyes to the fact that some trick had been played him, and he would come dancing down here before we could get com- fortably off. As for the departure of the carriage, the footman—previously instructed by me—has just been out to tell the coachman that you find it impossible to complete your arrangements for re- moval to Newport to-day, but that you are sure to be at Albion House in the course of to-morrow. As for that letter there,”—and Edwin pointed to the one which he had tossed upon the table,-—“ it is merely to notify the pleasure with which the remittance is made, and the joy with which the old nabob will presently welcome you. But you can read it for yourself,” “ And now, sir, what are your plans ?” I asked. “Sir P” he echoed, turning abruptly round upon me. “Why, you don’t mean to say, Rose, that you intend to maintain that air of miserable squeamish punctiliousness which you affected last night? You must take me for an idiot if you think L was blind to the fact that it was a mere te le ET el ROSA LAMBERT. “Som OS et ON — cloak for your determination to throw me over- board on the old nabob’s account: but I have out. witted you. Your game is spoilt in that quarter; and now, as it is a simple affair of tit for tat, let the past be forgotten—let us be good friends onee more—and away to London to enjoy ourselves. You ought to take it as a proof of love on my part, that I have actually played you a trick in order to keep you with me.” | “ Now listen to me, Edwin,” I said, rising up from the sofa and firmly confronting him. “ You have obtained a large sum of money on the plea of paying debts, not one shilling of which do you pur- pose to liquidate; and this is accumulating dis- honesty upon dishonesty to a degree that is posi- tively shocking. Not for another hour can we remain together! If you stay beneath this roof, I shall leave it: if you leave it, I shall remain until by some means or another I have settled with the creditors. Now, sir, what is your decision ? It is utterly useless for you to attempt either cajolery or coercion: I am not to be moved by the former, nor to be intimidated by the latter.” But Edwin nevertheless attempted both: indeed he appeared to me to have become within the last few hours quite a changed character—or else he must formerly have worn the mask of an impene- trable hypocrisy. I treated him with cold disdain: not one particle of esteem had I remaining for him —not one scintillation of compassion! On the contrary, I was now most anxious that he should dis- appear from my view. Ultimately he decided upon the alternative of leaving me in possession of the villa; and we parted without even so much as shaking hands, The instant he was gone, I sate down and wrote a letter to Sir James Thornley, explaining every- thing that had occurred, and throwing myself en- tirely upon his mercy. A carrier’s van passed by the house at two in the afternoon, on its way to Newport; and by this means of conveyance did I send my communication in the form of a small parcel. I thought it most probable that if the nabob intended to take any further notice of me after what had occurred, and if he put any faith in my statement, he would immediately come himself to make sure that things were all right this time. I therefore dressed myself in a costume that best became me,—taking considerable pains with my toilet, and setting off my charms to their utmost advantage. But the evening passed away ; and though there were plenty of rings at the gate and knocks at the front-door, yet they were only to herald the applications of creditors, and not the advent of Sir James Thornley. The servants— with the exception of the footman, whom Edwin had doubtless rewarded liberally —looked more gloomy and suspicious than they had even done on the preceding day—but they said nothing: they knew I had despatched a letter to Newport, and they doubtless thought it expedient to await the result: for though they were unacquainted with the contents, yet from the circumstances which had occurred they might naturally suppose I had some good reason and some hope in addressing Sir James Thornley. The evening passed away; and hecame not. I thought to myself that perhaps he might be ab- sent from home, not expecting me until the morrow—or perhaps he had written and I should Ya (Elo) (E cS (ele)