The Soldier's Wife — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

174 moment glassy and dead as was their wont— but they were suddenly animated with the glare of a reptile. “None of your nonsense, Aunt Jane,” said Gerald coptemptuously, “ Dear me, don’t stare at him tn that way, Miss Redburn,” eried her ladyship to her sister- in-law. “ You positively frighten mel Sir Archibald—Sir Archibald bi “Well, my dear—leave Jane alone—I see her never mind her. Come, Gerald, go on with your narrative. You were telling us,” observed the Baronet, “that you came up at the moment when Lonsdale was abusing Lang- ley——” “ Yes—calling him all the scoundrels in the world, Of course I was preciously annoyed at such a breach of discipline; and I interfered. I dare say I did call Lonsdale some name : but that’s common enough on the part of us officers towards the privates—and nothing Is thought of it. So, then Lonsdale struck me a blow that almost knocked me down; and drawing his bayonet, he made a desperate assault on Lang- ley. {[f it hadn’t been that some other soidiers came up at the time, I think murder would have been done. Well, doesn’t the scoundrel de- serve anything he may get for it? That’s what I want to know.” “ Of course you have done your best to mur- der him,” said Aunt Jane. “Murder him!” ejaculated Gerald. “ What the deuce do you mean by such an expression as that?” “T mean just what I say,’ responded Aunt Jane: and still was her countenance absolutely ghastly—still were her eyes shming with a sinister, reptile-glare, that was enough to make eave shudder. “Well, lll be banged,” exclaimed Gerald, feeling an unaccountably disagreeable sensa- tion stealing over him, “if I can make you out at all to-day, Aunt Jane , “Oh! don’t mind her,” interrupted the Baronet, “she means no harm—you know it’s only her way. By-the-bye, is Langley’s wound dangerous ?” “Not very,” answered the Captain, “ The bayonet pierced right through the fleshy part of the arm——” “ Pity that it did not pierce deep down into the heart,” said Aunt Jane—“ aye, and not only of Langley—but likewise of another whom | could nanie.” “My dear, my dear,” interposed the Baronet angrily, “this is too much—l really can’t per- mit——-” “Who cares for what you either permit or gainsay ?” demanded Miss Redburn, now turn- mg her sinister looks and her corpse-like counte- pance towards her brother. “She's mad—stark staring mad,” whispered Gerald to his father: “ there’s no doubt about it—and I really, really am afraid she means to do me a mischief.’ “ Pooh—nonsense !” said the Baronet, rT My dear mater,” he continued, addressing himself to THE SOLDIER'S WIFE “Well, indeed |” ejaculated Aunt Jane, with a fiercer bitterness than ever before. “ What should make me unwell? ~ Do you know—eh t no—you don’t—and no one here knows. But | T know aye, and there is another not far off, who knows likewise! Yet no matter-—ne matter !’—and now she looked as if frenzy were seizing upon her brain, and there wag such a stranve wildness in her air—such a cat like fury in her gaze that she was absolutely frightful to behold. At this moment the door opened, and Mr, Arden was announced, The reverend gentle man, upon entering the room, immediately pers ceived that something strange had taken place; because his first glance, falling upon Miss Red- burn, showed him that horrific expression of countenance which we have just endeavored to describe, and which still lingered as the reetor made his appearance. Mr, Arden gave a start —stopped short—and was seized with a strange confusion, mingled with alarm: but almost in- stantaneously recovering himself, he said, “ Per- haps I am intruding—I am afraid that I am.” “What nonsense, Arden !” exclaimed the Baronet : “you know perfectly well you never are ap intruder here. Why should you think go ?” “TI suppose because he saw Aunt Jane show- ing off,” observed Gerald, with a spiteful look at Miss Redburn. “Dare not to insult me, you miserable hound !” was Miss Redburn’s fierce ejaculation then turning towards ‘the rector, she said in a milder manner, but still with considerable bit- terness in her accents, “ We were talking just now about the state of my health; and I asked them what they knew of my being well or un- well? But you, Mr. Arden, are acquainted with my secrets—are you not? Yes: you have been my spiritual consoler !’—and it was a wild and ironical laugh that Aunt Jane sent forth ringing through the room, “ By heaven, she really is mad—she must be mad!” said the Baronet aside to his wife. “TI do positively think that Gerald was right when he said so. See how strange she iooks |” “Are you talking about me? cried Aunt Jane: “are you. talking about me, Archibald ? If so, say it out aloud—speak it boldly—let- Mr. Arden hear But whatever you do, I would advise you to prevent this son of your's, —for | will not call him nephew,—from insulting me again; or I will make him repent it. Dog, 1 could kill you !’—and terrible was her look as she flung those words at Gerald Redburn., “Well, I certainly shat stand this any longer,” said the Captain, again becoming fright- ened: “it is carrying the joke too far ;’—then in an under tone to his father he added, “ If you don’t lock Aunt Jane up, she will do sumebody a mischief.” : With these words he was about to leave the room, when Lady Redburn called him back, saying, “ Don't go, Gerald. Surely you can re ‘main and pass the day with us ?’—then per: 7 Biss Redburn, “ perhaps vou had better retire ceiving that Aunt Jane had become trang a litde to yourown chamber—I don't think you ” are very well touday—— once more, and had seated berself in a winde lrecess, her ladyship added, * L don’t think GOMUGE JOOKS.