The Soldier's Wife — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

150 ments whith other human beings are allowed to display? You are not married, Colonel Wynd- ham—-but if you were, you would understand all that is now passing in my mind. Indeed, as a gentleman—as a man of the world—you must kuow what I teel; you must comprehend it! I have a wife whom I love, and who has been an angel to me i ‘“Come, come—we don’t want any poetic rhapsedies,” interrupted the Colonel. ‘ You are excited—and I think not altogether with your feelings. But, notwithstanding, I am prepared to make every allowance. Now, Lonsdale, this matter must be hushed up.” ‘“Hushed up, sir? Never!’ ejaculated our hero, stamping his foot upon the carpet in a race. “But I say that it must, though,” answered the Colone); ‘and for your sake—or rather for your wife’s—as well as for Captain Red- burn’s.”’ ‘Kor my sake!” exclaimed Lonsdale, scorn- fully and indignantly. ‘Is my silence to be purchased by the promise of a gentler treatment for the future? No, sir, let me continue a marked man in the regiment—let me remain subjected to every species of petty tyranny and annoyance—let me even be tied up again to the triangle and scourged almost to death—then, when the wounds are healed, let me be tied up again, and so on again and again, as often as you will—but tell me not that I must consent to any compromise in this matter! Ah, and you said for my wife’s sake also ?—what could be the meaning of that expression? Does the black-hearted villain dare for a moment hint that she proceeded to that house of infamy by her own consent ?” ‘“T have listened to you with more patience than I thougt myself capable of displaying,” answered Colonel Wyndham; ‘because for the third time I tell you I am making allowances for your feelings. But don’t tax that patience too far—or I shall cut short our colloquy and place you under close arrest. I don’t want to threaten you unnecessarily; so take warning.’ Lonsdale literally groaned in spirit as he lis- tened to these words. No sympathy for the private soldier !—no real compassion for the out- rage he had received in the person of his wife! —merely the cold assurance that an allowance was made for any excitément he might display. —hut even tiis accompanied in the same breath with positive menace | “ We were talking about your wife, Lonsdale —and I repeat,” continued the Colonel, ‘that for her sake it would be better this should go no further. Captain Redburn would be certain to say that she had met him of her own free will “Then, sir, he would lie liko a foul-hearted Villain that he is!” vociferated Lonsdale, his eyes Jiterally flaming with rage. “Silence, sir! J will hear no more of this,” exclaimed the Colonel sternly. “I tell you what Captain Redburn would say, and I don’t know whether it would be true or not.” “It would be false, sir—false as hell itself!” ‘ “~, . cried our hero, utterly unable to subdue his ex- citemeut ee ,__, nnn THE SOLDIER’S WIP. - “Well, it might be,” observed Wyndham, cool by. ? & great many men think their wives agons of virtue, when perhaps they are not al- together such angelic creatures.” “Do you, Colonel Wyndham,” asked Long- dale, his voice suddenly becoming low and hoarse, and his countenance white as a sheet,— ‘do you throw out any aspersion upon my wife’s character ?”—and his fist was clenched while he leant partially forward as if ready te,’ spring upon his officer, shorkd a word come trom his lips or a look glanc. from his eyes cal- culated to threaten the reputation of Luey Lons- dale with insult. ‘For my part I know nothing about your wife,” responded Wyndham, superciliously and almost contemptuously ; while he did not chuvse even to appear to take notice of the menacing attitude that Lonsdale had assumed, “I only tell you what Captain Redburn is certain to say whether true or false; and how can it be 2s- proved? ‘The woman who, as you allege, en- ticed your wife to her house, would not confess that she had done so, but would tell a tale w corroborate Captain Redburn’s; and I ean assure you, if there was an inquiry, that tale would be believed.” Thus speaking, the Colonel lighted another cigar with a piece of paper that he rolled up in an apparently careless manner, and applied to the wax candle. Lonsdale did not notice the circumstance; he was thunderstruck by the tremendous amount of iniquity thus displayed to his view. ‘The idea had suddenly occurred to him that the Colonel had already hear A the history of the evening’s transactions from Cap- tain Redburn, previous to his own arrival—and moreover that the individual who had retired to the inner room, might be Gerald himself. Fre- derick saw that his wife’s honour was indeed ip the hands of an unscrupulous villain. Not for a single instant did he suspect her purity or doubt her virtue; not for a moment did he be- lieve that Lucy had of her own accord met Ge- rald Redburn. to the fact that a tale might be told to prove that she was a consenting party; and the wo- man who had beguiled her, would no doubt give evidence corroborative in that sense, noves ut- terly false. But he could not shut his eyes © ‘“ Well, Colonel Wyndham,” said our hero, in — the low deep voice of despair, ‘I see that Ihave nothing to expect at your hands. Give me back that note which warned me of the conspiracy. I will endeavour to find out the writer---and per- haps he may afford evidence in proof of my ver- sion of the story.” ‘Oh, certainly |—take back the letter,” said the officer. ‘‘ But, dear me! where is it? By Jove, I recollect! I must have lighted my cigar with it.” “Ah!” ejaculated Lonsdale, now completely econvineed that the Colonel was in league with Gerald Redburn to hush up the matter; and again did a boiling rage flood his entire being with a stream of lava, running along every nerveand fibre—pouring through every vein and artery. “Well, 1 am very sor ry,” said the Colonel coolly ; “but it can’t be helped. It was alto- gother an inadvertence on my part.’ it i oN 1g y) (E(0) v.00 “Or PP ' ye