Rosa Lambert — page 370: what you’re looking at

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

ROSA LAMBERT. “T am now ready to set out,” I said ; member that if half-an-hour elapses after I shall have crossed the threshold of Albion House with- out my re-appearance ie “Then I and Thomas will unhesitatingly storm the stronghold,” responded Ilderton, “ and rescue the captured knight-errant.” T now issued forth from the hotel,—one or two of the servants whom I met evidently taking me for some visitor whose entrance they had not pre- viously observed. As I passed through the streets, I fancied that every one was staring at me; and I at first felt awkward and confused. I knew not exactly what to do with my arms: at one moment I stuck my left hand on my hip and flourished the riding-whip with the other; and then I endea- voured to swing the left arm in a nonchalant fashion, still flourishing the whip with the other hand. In so doing, I happened to give an elderly gentleman a somewhat sharp cut across a nose of rubicund hue and bulbous proportions,—whereat he flew into a rage, exclaiming, “ You insolent young coxcomb, I'll have you up before the magis- trate!” Well,” thought I to myself, “he takes me for one of the sex whose apparel I have assumed :”’— and I felt more confident beneath my disguise. A little further on I overtook and passed two very pretty young ladies who were walking toge- ther; and I overheard one say to the other, “There’s an elegant young gentleman, Mary Jane! Pll be bound he’s an officer !”’ “To be sure he is, ’Tilda dear,” was the re- sponse: “ you can tell easy enough by that love of 2 moustache.” My confidence augmented—my awkwardness and embarrassment had almost compietely worn off. As I continued my way, I met an elderly dame with a black coal-scuttle bonnet on her head, and a large market-basket on her arm; and quite forgetful of those rules of politeness which, with my assumed sex, I ought to have observed, I coolly took the wall of ner, the narrowness of the pave- ment compelling the poor old lady to step into the gutter. “Well,” she exclaimed, surveying me slowly from head to foot with an air of angry reproach- fulness, “if a young gentleman like you doesn’t know manners, I am sure I ean’t conceive who ought! For shame on you, sir!” “Really, my dear madam,” I answered, in a somewhat foppish voice, but rendering my intona- | tions as masculine as I possibly could, “I beg you ten thousand pardons. The truth is I am troubled with absence of mind: but I am immeasurably grieved to think that I should have behaved so rudely towards a lady of your evident respecta- bility.” The old dame, who looked like the widow of a retired publican, was greatly pleased at the com- pliment ; and she said, with a smile which dis- played one tooth and a half—being all that remained of the front array in the upper jaw,— ‘““There’s not much mischief done, sir; and I’m sure I can forgive so nice a young gentleman as you prove yourself to be.” I was just on the point of making her a most graceful lady’s salutation, when I luckily altered it to a masculine bow—and pursued my way, say- ing to myself, “ Well, really, after these experi- ‘and re- | 309 ments, I think that my disguise must be com- lete.” A little farther on whom should I encounter but Sir James Thornley’s confidential valet ? Here was an opportunity of putting my disguise to the completest test: I could not resist the temptation ; and accordingly stopping him, I said, “ Pray can you inform me which is the nearest way to Albion House ?” “To be sure, sir,” he answered, with the pro- foundest respect: “for I belong to it. Go straight on, and you will reach it in ten minutes.” “ Ah! you belong to it,” I said, staring hard in the man’s face; for I saw that he was surveying me with some degree of attention; though not at all with suspicion,—and therefore I concluded he was thinking to himself that so far as my profile went I.bore some likeness to a certain Miss Lam- bert of his acquaintance. me whether I shall find Sir James Thornley at home P—for I have a little business to transact with him.” “ Yes, sir,” replied the valet: “I left him at home not a quarter of an hour back,” .. ~ “Thank you,” I rejoined: and I continued my way in a leisurely, nonchalant manner. _ Ilderton and Thomas were to follow in about a quarter of an hour, so as to be in the neighbour- hood of Albion House in case of detection and ill-usage in respect to myself; and I thought it probable enough they might fall in with the valet. Therefore the moment I was out of his sight, I quickened my pace in order to reach my destina- tion and get the business over as quickly as pos- sible,—so that the valet might not have time, in case he did espy Ilderton and Thomas, to run back and inform his master that he thought there was something suspicious going on. As I ap- proached Albion House, I beheld the nabob issue forth from the front garden-gate, evidently with the intention of taking a little walk. This was precisely what I wished, inasmuch as it saved me from the danger of entering the mansion and thus becoming exposed to the eyes of any of the female- servants, who would be the most likely to pene- trate the disguise worn by one of their own sex. Sir James Thornley was supporting himself with his gold-headed cane ; and as I drew nearer, I saw by his looks that he had been ill! since I left the | house,—which certainly was not surprising, con- sidering how any adverse circumstance operated upon his irascible temperament—and considering likewise that he might possibly have passed some time in the garden, deprived of his dressing-gown, ° and exposed to the night air, on the occasion when I and Thomas left him bound fast to the tree. “IT beg your pardon, sir,’ I said, walking straight up to him, “but would you have the kindness to inform me if this is Albion House ?” “Yes, it is,’ he replied, * Whom do you want ?” “Merely a little business with Sir James Thorn- ley,” I said. “Thank you for the information :” —and I turned away, affecting to be utterly igno- rant that it was the nabob himself whom I thus encountered. “Stop sir!” he exclaimed. Thornley.” “Oh! you are Sir James Thornley,” I observed, now putting on the fiercest look I could possibly “T am Sir James «Perhaps you can tell — ee | 6)(0)) (C(O) CS (EO)