The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 262: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET, 197 now his heart beat with all the varied emotions produced by hope and suspense. Five minutes elapsed—and a footstep ascended the stairs leading towards his room. Pierre hurried to the door, and an elderly man, dressed in deep black, entered the apartment. ‘¢ Your name is ” began the stranger in a mild and pleasing tone. ‘‘ Pierre Michel,” immediately answered the anxious father. “T thought I was not mistaken,” said the other. “I presume you are acquainted with the object of my visit?” “To lead me to my son—to tell me news of him whom I have sought with so much perseverance !”’ ‘“‘ Then follow me,” cried the stranger; and he led the way into the street, where a chaise was waiting. Pierre Michel and his guide en- tered the vehicle which immediately drove away at a rapid rate through the streets leading towards the eastern extremity of Paris. In order to pursue the thread of this narrative properly, it will now be necessary to return to Henri Alvimar and his beautiful wife Pauline. During the absence of the old man in Paris, they looked anxiously each day for the arrival of the government courier with the letters and dispatches from Paris; and on two or three occasions their anxiety was relieved by the receipt of news from him in whose safety they felt so deep an interest. At length all tidings ceased—and he returned not home. Day after day passed, weeks flew away; and he neither came nor wrote. Henri could not help associating’ the mysterious dis- appearance of the son with that of the father; and he resolved to devote himself to penetrate the mystery which, by snatching away two members of a family, had left the others in a state of such dreadful suspense. Pauline, whose grief knew no bounds, implored her husband to allow her to accompany him in the meditated search after those whom she so tenderly loved; and this desire was complied with. They repaired to Paris; and, having installed themselves in a comfortable, but secluded lodging, entered in their turn upon those inquiries and researches in the success of which they seemed to have embarked all their hopes of happiness for the remainder of their years. | Were we to dwell upon the numerous measures adopted by Henri Alvimar to obtain some clue to the brother or father of his beloved wife, we should far exceed our limits in this episode. We’must therefore sum up in one word the result of several years of unwearied research and persevering inquiry: we must in one sentence dispose of the incidents ef a considerable section of human life; and in the most concise man- | ner possible, we must record the simple fact, that seven years passed away since the moment when Henri and Pauline arrived in Paris, and that at the expiration of this interval they appeared to be no nearer Gomichbooks (E(0)