The Soldier's Wife — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

* -o 13 THE SOLDIER'S WIFE the result was, as a matter of course, Guilty.|appealing to his iwo female friends. “Brtno: The sentence which followed, was to the effect that Private Frederick Lonsdale should receive five hundred lashes for the crime of desertion. The prisoner was brought in—his sentence was made known to him—and while he bowed to the decision of the court, his’ lips were com- pressed for a moment with the bitterness of a heartfelt anguish and a withering sense of con- summate degradation. He was then taken back to the black-hole, with the intimation that the sentence would be carried out so soon as the proceedings of the court-martial shoulé have been approved of at the Horse Guards in London. It was about nine o’clock in the evening, and Colonel Wyndham, who, being an unmarried man, resided at his quarters in the barracks, was sitting in one of his apartments, drinking champagne with a couple of gay ladies of a certain character. He was a man a year or two under forty,—tall, rather good-looking, and very well made. He had a soldier-like appearance; and when not engaged in such questionable recreations as that in the midst of which we now find him, had a stern severity of look. Now, however, he was completely unbending: the dignity of his rank and of his social position was thrown aside; and he was enjoying himself—if the word enjoyment may be used in such a sense—as fully and with as much self-abandonment as the youngest of his officers could have done. He was telling some capital stories, too,—how, when he was a boy, he had run away from Eton—and how when he first entered the army, he was frequently in the habit of absenting himself without leave— but how, by means of the interest of aristocratic connexions, he had invariably escaped any un- pleasant consequences beyond a simple repri- mand. While thus vaunting his breaches of discipline in the presence of the two gay ladies with whom he was recreating himself, Colonel Wyndham never once reflected that he had that day condemned to a horrible punishment an unfortunate private soldier for his one act of} Colonel. desey tion! that won't exactly do though, when I come to think of it. Excuse me for a few minutes, and I will tell you all about her when I come back.” “Then mind and don’t be long,” said one of the gay ladies: “or else we shall come aud lock after you.” The Colonel laughed and rose from his seat* but as he proceeded to the room where Luey-— for she indeed the visitress was—had been de sired to wait, he composed his countenance ints its habitual severity of look. The moment he entered that room, the light of the candles beaming upon Lucy’s countenance, revealed to his eyes an amount of lov liness whieh far transcended all his expectations. The young woman was pale—very pale: but her pallor only rendered her all the more interesting— and her beautiful blue eyes appeared so full of a melting languor with the deep melancholy resting on them—and her lips, somewhat apart with suspense and an expression of half-entreat as the Colonel entered the room, revealed teet of such pearly whiteness, that Wyndham was quite struck by her appearanee. His looks settled upon her; and rapidly scanning her from head to foot, they followed all the outlines of a form modelled to the most symmetrical proportions—so that his pession was at once excited, and he was smitten with a desire to possess this beautiful creature. He did not however permit his feelings to be betrayed by his countenance, although the severity of his aspect became somewhat relaxed under the in- fluence of Lucy’s loveliness. ‘Who are you? and what do you require ot me?” he asked, affecting not to have the least idea who she was. “Tam the wife, sir, of that unfortunate young man Frederick Lonsdale :”—and as Lucey thus spoke in a voice clouded with grief, but stil! full of the most melting melody—melancholy’s own soft murmuring cadences—‘he tears gush- ed forth from her eyes. “Unfortunate do you call him?” said the “A crime wilfully committed, cannot be regarded as a misfortune that overtakes a W hile Colonel Wyndham was seated between|person in spite of himself.” the two ladies, quaffing champagne and telling them anecdotes—receiving in return their mere- {ricious caresses—his servant (one of the private soldiers of the regiment) knocked at the door; and on being bidden to enter, informed his master that a young woman desired to speak with him. “Who the deuce is she?” asked the Colonel. “She did not give her name, sir,” was the| your merey response; “as she said it was of no use: but|Colonel’s feet. “Ah! sir, if you only knew all the cireum- stances,” exclaimed Lucy, clasping her hands and looking up with tearful entreaty at the Colonel, “I am sure you would pity Frederick Lonsdale!” “And therefore I suppose you are come to intercede for him?” observed Wyndham. “Yes, sir: and on my knees do I implore !” eried Lucy, sinking down at the “T have heard, sir—alas, I have she begged and entreated a few moments’ in-|heard the terrible punishment to which he has terview. she is the wife of Private Lonsdale.” I think, sir—but I don’t know—that| been condemned; and it is greater than even in my most horrible misgivings I had expected. “Ah, by Jove!” ejaculated the Colonel; “I/I know that he must be punished—l do not pretty creature. Is it so?” “She is indeed, sir: and it was her beauty,|not obtain a moment’s attention, of which I have heard speak—as well as because} beseech she looks very unhappy—that made me think|the pena she must be Mrs. Lonsdale.” recollect that Redburn told me she is a sweet}ask you to pardon him altogether; because I am too fatally aware that such a request would But I do you Colonel Wyndham, to mitigate ty. You have the power—and I con- jure you to exercise it. Oh, sir! you behold “Oh, then I will see her!” said the Colonel.!at your feet a wife who is almost distracted; — “Shall we have her in here?” he exclaimed,|and if I had dared, I should have brought my GoOmic ‘ \ hy ’ t= \ “4 4 900ks.cor / Ne " ‘ 4 . ° * ooh : 4 +.) b ‘- a