Rosa Lambert — page 355: what you’re looking at

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

Phe a ee Oe erent ore) ty RE EEE PR OR OE EAE 8 OD ER Be NO es ee BAA RNOSA LAMBERT. half my fortune to recall that blow—I would in- deed !” “ But if I forgive you,” I said, “ will you like. wise promise that you will not henceforth make me the object of your ill-humour? I tell you very candidly that I had no wish to go to Ryde: I went thither merely to get out of your way; and if you had been amiable I should have re- mained with you, as I had hitherto done since your illness commenced.” Sir James Thornley made me all kinds of pro- mises and pledges: he seemed so thoroughly hu- miliated—so grieved and contrite, that I ended by suffering myself to be appeased,—as indeed almost from the very first I had intended to do: for with all its drawbacks and disagreeables, my position as the mistress of that splendid establishment was not one to be inconsiderately resigned, nor to be abandoned without some very powerful reason. Thus we made our peace; and for the next fort- night Sir James Thornley managed to curb his temper—though I perceived that it frequently cost him a somewhat painful effort to do so. I had now been two months under his protec- tion: it was drawing towards the close of March— and the fine weather was coming on. I began to take horse exercise every day for a couple of hours; and, as I have already said Sir James seldom rode, I went out attended by a groom. One day, the weather being exceedingly beautiful, I rode in the direction of the coast in the neighbourhood of Ryde. The sun was shining brightly—the sea was only gently agitated with the breeze—the white gulls were sweeping over its surface—and a stately steamer was pursuing its way towards the pier at Ryde. Just at the spot where I caught sight of that steamer, the land went gradually shelving down towards the shore: but on my right hand it rose with an equally graduated ascent, forming a frontage of cliffs. The scene was so beautiful, that I resolved to ascend the height in order to embrace and enjoy it the more fully, as well as to woo the breeze which blew more freshly up there. T know not what it was that took possession of my steed, usually docile and quiet,—whether it were that I pulled him round somewhat too abruptly, or that he caught sight of some object which fright- ened him,—but certain it was that he grew restive. I gave him a severe cut across the shoulder; and away he bounded up the ascent with the speed of lightning. We were far too near the edge of the cliff for the position to be a pleasant one; anda horrible terror seized upon me-—yet not to such an extent as to make me lose all presence of mind. The groom dashed after me: but the sounds of his horse’s feet made my own steed fly all the more madly. I therefore vehemently beckoned the groom to keep back; and when the noise of that pursuing animal was no longer heard, I redoubled my efforts to drawn my own in. But all in vain! —and now as the summit of the eminence was reached, I instantaneously became aware, to my ineffable horror, that the decline on the other side of the brow terminated abruptly with a precipice, towards which the animal was dashing as if it were frenzied or blind. I caught sight of a human form rushing towards me: I shrieked for help— and throwing myself off the horse’s back, was caught in the arms of the individual whom I thus beheld. Almost at the same instant the steed, as ——— LLL LPL LD AD OS LPR OE NS CS a NS a aly — $F NN eee tiene a ——-. if perfectly satisfied with having got me off his back, stopped short: but it was within a few fect of the precipice that the animal thus saved itself, I did not faint: but I closed my eyes to shut out from my view the abyss from which I had so narrowly escaped being precipitated. My bosom heaved with long-drawn and convulsing sighs ; and I gasped for breath. It was nearly a minute be- fore I could venture to open my eyes again; and then there was such a dizziness in my brain that all objects appeared to be whirling rapidly round. At length I was sufficiently composed to disengage myself from the arms that sustained me, and to breathe a few words of thanks to the individual for his kind succour. I found him to be a young gentleman of not more than two-and-twenty— very tall, slender, and well made. He was not merely good-looking too, but handsome, though with somewhat delicately-formed features: his complexion was fair—his brown hair curled in thick clusters—and his blue eyes expressed the deepest interest as he gazed upon me. He was dressed with that kind of fashionable negli- gence which gentlemen by the sea-side are often wont to adopt: but there was a certain distinction in his mien anc general appearance that bespoke gentle breeding. “Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked, in a tone which was soft and harmonious; and his parting lips at the same time displayed a beautiful set of teeth. “ There is a cottage near —permit me to escort you thither—you can sit down to compose yourself a draught of water perhaps would help to restore you yi He was holding the bridle of my horse as he thus spoke: the groom had come up in the mean- time—and the man was as pale as death; for he had expected that I should disappear from his view down the frightful precipice. I thanked the young gentleman for his kind courtesy—but assured him that I was rapidly recovering my self-possession, and in a few minutes should re- mount my horse to return home. “Will you permit me to lead the horse for you towards Ryde P” he asked: “ for I know that after an accident of this kind, a lady is naturally more or less timid—and the animal itself, having once dislodged you from its back, may prove vicious.” “ Again I thank you for your courtesy,” I said: “but Iam not afraid to remount my horse. He is usually docile enough—and something must have frightened him. Besides, I do not live at Ryde if “At Cowes perhaps?” suggested my new ac- quaintance. “TI shall esteem it an honour and a pleasure to walk by your horse’s side—if you will permit me ?” “TI thank you,” I answered, with a smile: “ but I live at Newport.” “Tt happens that I shall be there to-morrow,” was the young gentleman’s rejoinder, promptly given: but it was with some little degree of hesi- tation he added, “If it were not indiscreet—if you would not deem me offensive—I should crave per- mission to call and assure myself that you have sustained no farther inconvenience than now ap- pears from the accident P” ” “Tf you call at Albion House,” ZI answered, “and inquire for Miss Lambert, I shall be enabled © to renew the assurance of my gratitude for your wee. ee ee ee ee es ee | Pree Aa ow wree al _ = oo ee Cee tee” Ce ee Genres oe En eae aS eS e8. ees eee “a -comicbooks.co al ee i * ‘eo 4 c & - a el ge