Rosa Lambert — page 350: what you’re looking at

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

ROSA LAMBERT. 339 served up in that sponging-house. <A small napkin, looking as if it had been washed in coffee- dregs and mangled with a garden-roller, was spread at one corner of the table: a knife with a green handle, and a fork with a yellow one (originally of three prongs, but now only of two, the centre one being broken)—a pewter salt-sellar, containing a compound which looked as if pepper had been mixed with some coarse yellowish granulated material—a little. japanned pepper- box—a brown mug—and a blue pitcher,—these constituted the splendid array. Then the girl disappeared for about half-an-hour; and at length came back, holding in one hand a plate containing a great thick under-done mutton-chop, swimming in its own greasy drippings—and in the other hand a cheese-plate containing two thin slices of dingy- white bread. Having placed these luxuries upon the table, she went into the bed-chamber and brought forth an enormous stone jug, whence she filled with water the blue pitcher that stood on the table: and doubtless not thinking it worth her while to take the trouble to carry the pitcher back again, she deposited it behind my chair. IT could not touch a morsel of the meat—my heart heaved against it: but I ate the bread and drank some of the water. I did indeed long for a little wine to mix with it; but the state of my finances would not permit such an indulgence. Presently the girl came to take away; and a few minutes afterwards the sheriff’s-officer’s wife made her appearance to ask whether 1 wanted anything more at present, and when I would like to take tea? I said that I would have some tea in an hour: and I thought I might as well venture a hint that she had not given me my change out of the sovereign. _ “Oh, the sufferin, mem ?” she ejaculated, again bridling up somewhat, as if indignant at what she doubtless eonceived to be my meanness. “ Why, there’s ten shillings for the rooms—three shillings dinner—that’s fourteen—ninepence bread—that’s fifteen—tuppence taters—that’s fifteen and six— two shillings fire—that’s eighteen—threepence writing-paper—that’s nineteen and three—and sixpence the boy to take the letter to the post— so that makes exactly the pound.” I saw how useless it was to remonstrate with the harpy: but I could not help heaving a sigh at finding myself in the power of such an extortioner. She left the room: tea was brought up in an hour; and the beverage refreshed me. At length, wearied and worn out both in mind and body, I went to bed; and notwithstanding my aversion to its ap- pearance, I could not possibly combat against the sense of fatizue—and as it was the cold month of January, I could not sleep outside the bed-clothes. Let me pass over the disagreeable thoughts that agitated in my mind ere slumber stole upon me; and let me not dwell upon the cold shivering misery, the sickening at the heart, and the deep feeling of despondency which I experienced when awakening in the morning in that horrible place. For all the earlier part of the day I endeavoured to while away the time with an old Court Maga- zine, which the woman of the house lent me: but as it was in a ‘filthy condition—greasy, dog’s- eared, and dilapidated—moreover, as the contents tiemselves were the most awful trash ever put ‘nto print, the study of that work was very far from an engrossing occupation. Let the reader now fancy me seated, at about half-past two o’clock, at the wretchedly spread table,—vainly en- deavouring to coax myself to eat a mutton-chop which I had insisted upon broiling for myseif,— while the dirty drab of a girl, who seemed to have taken rather a fancy for me, officiously brought me in a sprig of evergreen which she had culled from the garden, as if she thought that the sight of that sprig would be some indemnification for the loss of the superb shrubs which had graced the garden of the villa whence I had so recently been borne” away. Yes—there I was sitting in a desponding mood, when the door was suddenly thrown open; and the woman of the house pompously announced Sir James Thornley. “Come along with me!” he said: “you have had engugh of this too much, too much, my dear Rose !”’—and he patted me on the cheek. His words made me all in a moment aware that I was restored to freedom; and the tears gushed forth from my eyes. The old nabob appeared much affected ; and muttered something which gave me to understand that he had not long been aware of my position. I lost not a moment in putting on. my bonnet and shawl to accompany him down stairs. His carriage was waiting at the door: we entered—and the equipage rolled away. An ex- planation on his part was promptly given. He had been much surprised and annoyed when his car- riage was sent back from Sidmouth Villa, with merely a verbal message communicated through the medium of the coachman: indeed he had al- most fancied that there must be something wrong, —not merely because he had formed a better opinion of me than to believe me capable of dis- honesty or of wanton discourtesy, but likewise be- cause his coachman had told him that my footman had given his (Sir James’s) letter containing the money to a young gentleman who rushed out to receive it. Yet notwithstanding his suspicions, the Baronet was determined to wait till the mor. row. That day passed—and I did not make my appearance at Albion House according to promise. Accordingly, in the forenoon of the day in which I am now writing, Sir James Thornley sent a confi- dential domestic across to Sidmouth Villa, which was found to be shut up and the servants all gone. There was an old woman in charge of the premises; and she gave the information as to what had be. come of myself. The confidential domestic re- turned to Albion House with this intelligence; and at the very instant he alighted from his horse at the front door, the carrier’s boy arrived with a small parcel, for the non-delivery of which at the proper time he had to apologize,—alleging that it had been overlooked on the part of the carrier him- self. That little packet contained my letter of explanations; arid thus at one and the same time Sir James Thornley learnt from his domestic where I was, and from my letter the particulars of Edwin Lushington’s consummate villany. I cordially thanked the Baronet for the interest he had displayed on my behalf, and the haste he had made to relieve me from prisonage at the sponging-house. In reference to Hdwin Lushing- ton’s conduct, he spoke lightly enough of the thou- sand pounds of which he had been swindled,— observing with a smile that it was perlaps all for the best, inasmuch as the strong feeling of indig- 245 ee 2 wr a oe en er Le NE a en, A ee ee ——— —— \ \ CONNIE MOOOlK<S (EO)