The Soldier's Wife — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

THE SOLDIER'S WIFE. 78 child te piace it at your feet aiso, that its inno-|Lucy, speaking with the strong excitement of eent presence might plead in unconscious elo-/her feeling, “I can ac'‘ieve that end—if by go quence for its father!” ing forth in the rags of beggary to drag my “Come, come—rise up,” said the Colonel; and |self and my child through the streets and itn taking Lucy’s hands, he raised her from her/plore alms, I could diminish but by a single suppliant posture. “There! now sit down—|stripe the horrible punishment that awaits my and we will talk the matter over.” husband.—how cheerfully, Oh! how cheerfully Lucy thought there was kindness alike in his|would I do it!” words and in his manner; and hope began to} “ Ah! you would make any sacrifice ?’said the warm her heart. She did sit down—for she/Colonel. ‘“‘Do you not sjieak somewhat rashly i felt faint, and ill, and exhausted from the ef-jor is your love for your husband indeed se fects of mental anguish, sleepless nights, and'strong that—” an inability to take a proper quartity of food| “Any sacrifice short of dishonor!” exclaimed through almost utter loss of appetite, although|Lucy: and she felt a species of shock at the she was still giving its natural nourishmentjidea that her words had been somewhat too to her child from her bosom. She looked up literally interpreted. into the Colonel’s countenance ; and again| “ But what if the only means of obtaining elasping her hands, she tried to speak : but her/a mitigation of your husband’s sentence—” feelings overpowered her, and she could not at} “ Enough, Colonel Wyndham !” ejaculated the moment give utterance to a word. the terrified Lucy; for it was now no longer “You know,” said the Colonel, “that your|possible to mistake the meaning of the looks husband is condemned to receive five hundred | which were fastened upon her. lashes ¢” She rose from her seat, coloring with indig- Lucy groaned in the bitterness of her spirit/nation, yet half broken-hearted ; and she was and wrung her hands with hysterical despair, |moving towards the door, when the Colonel then again she clasped them, crying, “ For God’s|exclaimed, “Stop a moment, Mrs. Lonsdale ! sake, be merciful, sir! be merciful !” If you really love your husband as you say—” “You are, then, very much attached to your; “I do, sir—I do—heaven knows how fondly I husband?” he said, devouring her with his re-|love him!”’—and Lucy did stop short: for it gards, and yet still so masking his features |instantaneously struck her that what the Colo- with a calmness of aspect that she comprehend- |nel had just now looked and said, might only ed not the real meaning of his leoks. have been to put her affection to the test. “Oh, sir! he is my chief happiness in this} “Then if your love be so great,” he at once world!” exclaimed Lucy with impassioned vehe-|rejoined, “there ought to be no sacrifice which mence. “If he were taken from me, I should |you are unprepared to make. Come, Mrs. Lons- die. Not even our child would prove a solace |dale—do not be so over-particular. I have the or a link strong enough to bind me to exist-|/power to mitigate ore husband’s sentence—I ence!” can reduceit one-half—yes, even to less than “Ah! then you love your husband so very jone-half—and I will do so but upon one dearly !” said the Colonel more drily and stern-|condition.” ly than he had yet spoken; for it struck him| Lucy knew not whether she heard aright, or that he had no chance of success with such a/if she were putting the correct interpretation wife; but at the next instant another idea oc-|upon the words which she did hear: and she curred to him, suggesting that in the very depth|gazed upon the Colonel in a sort of bewilder of this extreme love of her’s there was a hope for|ment. himself—and he accordingly said, as if in aj “It rests with you,” he said—“ entirely with musing tone, “ Well, it 2s in my power to/you, to what extent your husband’s punishment mitigate this sentence, although the case is a|shall reach :’—and as he thus spoke, he took bad one. You see, it is not the mere fact of|her hand and pressed it, at the same time gaz- desertion, but that of remaining away from the|ing upon her in a manner which could no lon- regiment nearly eighteen months—” ger leave her in the slightest doubt as to hia “ Ah, sir! but the circumstances were so pe-|real meaning. | culiar,” exclaimed Lucy, the flame of hope} “No, sir—no—never!” she cried hysterical- burning still more brightly in her heart. “Fre-jly, as she snatched her hand from his, clasp. derick was attached to me: our faith was plight-|_ ‘“‘One word, Mrs. Lonsdale!” said Wynd ed to each other. He learnt by accident that|ham, placing his back against the door of the my father sought to compel me to wed another |apartment. —and in his despair he fled from the regiment.| ‘ Not another word, sir! Let me go! Good Having once taken that step, how could he re-|heavens, that I should have exposed myself to turn# Oh, Colonel Wyndham! believe me—|this!”—and she sobbed convulsively. believe me—this is no ordinary case! Itis}| “Yes, but you must hear me. You know not replete with extenuation for Frederick !” perhaps the circumstances that may attend this | “And you love him so fondly,” said the|flogging—” Colonel, again fixing his eyes devouringly upon} “Ah!”’—and Lucy gasped in the agony of Lucy, “ that you are resolved to leave nothing |suspense, in the dread that some fresh horrors unattempted to procure a mitigation of his|awaited her in respect to her unfortunate hus- sentence }” band. “Oh, sir! is it not my duty to doallIcan| “It is by no means probable,” Wyndham for that purpose? Believe me, Colonel Wynd-|went on to observe—and he spoke rapidly— ham, if by any sacrifice on my pa~t,” continued!‘ ‘hat your husband will be able tc endure the CONIC OOOKS.€)