Rosa Lambert — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

ROSA LAMBERT. 69 (eae nc A A IME WY) ly a RC a SUA a Nr ee licacy and propriety of sentiment, I consider it as wellto; If Alvanly’s letter had brought tears to my eyes, convey the positive assurance that everything you have | Fortescye’s conjured up smiles to my lips—save in your possession is entirely your's, and that you would | 24 oxcept with regard to that sentence in which really offend me, and yeritably convert mo into anenemy,'| y gave me to understand that the wound Gus- i turn any little trifle which I | : Same Sere (0, StLomey tas xf tavus had received was somewhat more severe i “ | it fs ita Ma lad than he himself had represented it. Still, however, ‘* And now farewell! When we meet—whichwemust there was every reason to hope that no more necessarily do, more or less often, in places of public | serious consequences would ensue; and with this I resort—favour me with an acknowledgment of the bow | solaced myself. As for all the rest of Reginald’s which with frankest courtesy I shall make to you; and ‘note, I was pleased by the delicate manner in let us not fear to look each other in the face fora mo-| 1).-01 po suggested the most suitable arrange ae apie’ Jas We CAmrexchangs giles. 88) wants to ba carried out, and in which he evidently 9 9° “GUSTAVUS ALVANLY.” | advised a speedy removal from Jermyn Street, so that 1 might not be subjected to any annovance from the effects of Mrs. Harborough’s jealousy. I hastened to transmit an answer, thanking Reginald for his kind communication—assuring him that I left every arrangement to his discretion—but that I should like to remove in the evening, if in the : interval he would let me know the address of my language. The tenour of the epistle was altogether | now home. I hinted as delicately as I could, that liberal, as well as handsome in its assurances; and | it would perhaps be better for him not to visit me I wept as I reflected that he had been wounded ‘during the day in Jermyn Street. Having sent on account of me—but I sincerely hoped that the | of this note, I at once gave instructions to my injury was as trifling as he represented it. Scarcely | arvants to commence packing up my things; and had I somewhat recovered from the emotions ex- |] pade Frances inform Mrs. Harborough that I cited by the billet, when a second note was intended to leave in the course of the evening. brought up ; and the handwriting of the address The domestics were evidently surprised at this Miles immediately recognised by me as Captain | sudden resolve on my part: but as my orders were Fortescue’s. It contained the following lines :— accompanied with the intimation that they were « No——, Pall Mall, | to follow me to my new place of abode, there was ¢ Dearest and best-beloved Rose, no other feeling beyond that of mere curiosity J lose not a minute, on my return to my lodgings, | which they need entertain on the subject. I re- to convey the assurance that I have escaped without | flected whether I ought to write a note to Mr. injury. Alvanly behaved like a man of honour as well as | Alyanly in acknowledgment of his billet: but I of courage. Shots were only exchanged once; and my | came to the conclusion that it was better not—for bullet penetrated his left arm, which by his position was ; : s exposed more than it ought to have been. The surgeon | °% the first occasion that we should happen to whom we had with us, immediately extracted the bullet, | Meet: ib would be eo for me to convince him by and pronounced it to be his opinion that the bone was | the affability with which I acknowledged his salu- uninjured, and that the wound would heal speedily. Not | tation, that I harboured no ill-will against him, being overcome with faintness, and having his right arm | and accepted the terms on which he proposed we a ies en, rey oes ae Slr af acne were thenceforth to stand towards each other. ee ee a Pee ecared Him- | «" Being now relieved irom @ state of the cruellest self satistied—and shaking me by the hand, said these nibs ous with regard to the duel—and looking for- words : ‘I bear you no ill-will, Fortescue. The laws of or E honour are complied with; and the past can be for- ward to the pleasure of enjoying the society of a gotten. You possess the love of a very beautiful and | “40 whom I really loved—I was” speedily enabled. well-conducted girl: I sincerely hope your connexion | tO shake off that indisposition with which I had risen in the morning. Ihad more than one motive may contribute to the happiness of you both.’—Thus spoke Alvanly ; and we left the ground in our respective | for having written to Reginald, requesting him not to visit me during the day: I was not merely equipages. 4“ ia als, dearest Rose, ea ohn of ramet ie fly | afraid of a scene with the brazen-faced Mrs. Har- Oo you: but my; appearance in Jermyn Street at so ; early an hour might perhaps lead to suspicions in a cer- eee eeien " fe ois phen re als TSN a tain quarter, and produce unpleasantness. Will the | *©°P W} NAG ete len Og oe at three ocloc following arrangements be acceptable to you ?—that [| 1" Hyde Park. Accordingly, at about half-past shall immediately secure you suitable apartments in an | two 1 entered a hackney-coach and proceeded to agreeable quarter of the West’ End—that all prelimi- | the Park,—going thither alone, and dressed with naries shall be settled to-day—so that you may remove | as much plainness and simplicity as my elegant thither either this evening or the first thing to-morrow | wardrobe would permit. Shortly after entering es ore they rumour of the) dyel'can bavebeen | the Parle) I alighted from the vehicle—ordered it well whispered abroad. Rest assured that every atten- to wait for me—and repaired in the direction of tion shall be paid to your comforts in your new home, : : A line, informing me whether you approve of these ar- the bridge. Consulting my watch, I found that it rangements—or whether you have other commands to | Wanted five minutes to three; and I accordingly signify—will afford me infinite pleasure. walked about until the exact hour for which the “Accept a thousand kisses, sweetest, dearest Rose, | appointment was made. Then I returned to the from bridge; and loitering there for a minute or two, “Your ever affectionate, beheld a lady, closely* veiled—but of the same ‘* REGINALD FORTESCUE . . : i — ith t P.8, By the bye, I forgot to mention that my height as Lady Lucia—advancing slowly with the bankers are Messrs. Cox and Greenwood, Craig, Court, air of one who hile ia search of Se Siege = She Charing Cross, and that I am forthwith going thither to also was dressed in as unpretending a manner as direct that your cheques are to be honoured.” possible. She was of rather tall stature—tinely I was much affected with this letter. It was entirely characteristic of the writer’s disposition, which was a strange medley of good feelings and worldly- minded notions — generous tendencies, blended with the unscrupulousness of the man- about-town—delicate feelings conveyed in flippant tt | ! EOMMICE OCC) <SuG (@)