The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

weave 262 swear to you that I do not lie. Before another day has passed Lord Raymond will be at your feet, Yeu are in his house—alone—unprotected. There is not one among the whole household who would raise a hand to save you, no matter what insult, what doom was yours.” “ You would ?” The woman laughed. ‘‘J—no, no ; unless you accede to my wishes Iwill be the first to stand by and glory in your ruin, I will aid him in destroying you. Mark we well, he loves you—fiercely—madly, and he cannot, cannot marry yon, for I am his wife!” Ettie started back in complete astonishment, ‘* His wife !’’ “ Yes, his wife—his wretched wife ; tendered mad, and fierce, and desperate by his evil doings. I am the relic of what was once a quiet, gentle girl, Iam a tender plant grown to a robust tree—hardened, rendered impregnable by suffer- ing and long-concealed emotions. Look at me! could I ever have been beantifal ?” Ettie looked at her in some curiosity as she spoke these words. The eyes, even now, were dark and piercing ; the mouth red; the lips white; the bust mag- nificent ; the hair which wandered over it, glossy and bright. “‘ Yes, yes,” said Ettie Leslie, “you are beau- tiful now.” “Yes, with a dark and strange beauty ; but he hates me—me, who, even now, hideous and dis- figured as he ig, worship him. { can save you, girl, from his polluting touch ; but remember, every word I say must be obeyed.” ‘Speak on, then,{and let me know [your conditions,” “Iwill. In the first place, you must leave this place at once,” “ Willingly.” oad a the second place, you must leave Eng- ‘ Leave England ?” “Yes, girl, that is one of the conditions—a necessary one.” ‘Then, I cannot—I cannot accede to it," returned Ettie. igs dark woman seized her fiercely by the ‘‘ Not accede to it!" she cried. “And do you know the result ?” : ¢ — ‘The result will be disgrace, ashame, dis- honour! Know you that yon will be the toy, the plaything of an hour, and will be cast aside to be laughed at and scorned by every honest woman! You must and shall go !” Ettie burst into a passionate flood of tears, “TIT cannot go,” she answered. “I cannot leave my father and Harold Fordyce,” “What name was that yon uttered?” cried the dark woman. ‘Harold Fordyce, replied Ettie, ‘Is he your lover ?” He is.” ‘Then, I have farther n " “OF hin " ews for you. “ Yea, of him, He is here in the power of Lord Raymond, in & loathsome underground vault; he 1s doomed to death, for he has no food, and his lodgings are so full of rats and the Young Apprentice,” THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, vermin that if he faints they will suck the life- blood out of his living body. Consent to fly, and, so soon as you are safe, far beyond the reach of my husband, I will release your lover, and in the meantime I will give him food to sustain him.” ‘ And my father ; where, where is he?” asked Ettie, eagerly. ‘IT know not. I cannot pretend to save and protect all. Iwill save you now, but I shall send with you a strong escort to see that you are not again seized, and to be sure, moreover, that you really leave England.” The young girl wrung her hands in despair and sorrow. “Why, why,” she cried, “should I be com- pelled to quit this country, which holds within it all that Ilove, all that I hope for, because this villain, Raymond, seeks my ruin and dis- honour? Oh! madam, I cannot, I cannot go, and leavo my father and my lover, too, to perish.” “I swear to preserve your lover,” returned Lady Raymond, eagerly. “Yes, yes ; but some misfortune may prevent the success of your stratagem, while I am here to aid you and protect him. Knowing asI do that within a few yards of me, perhaps, my love is dying of want and misery, what womanhood should I have left within me—what of heart should I have left in my bosom if I fied from im ?” Lady Raymond stamped fiercely upon the garden path. She was mad with uncontrollable jealously. She saw in the young and gentle girl before her an involun rival. Ettie Leslie, as she well knew, was passlon- ately loved by Lord Raymond, and was now comepletely in his power. She saw herself driven from his heart for ever by this girl, and she was willing to make any sacrifice to prevent such a consummation. Jealous as she had been of her infamous and perjured husband, she even now imagined that she possessed a little corner in his heart; whereas, in very truth, he had long since cast her out, and, under the plea of necessity, had kept her a complete prisoner. ‘What is to be done?” she cried. ‘‘I can save you no other way.” Then a new and agonising idea fisshed through her jealous brain. She seized Ettie Leslie savagely by the arm, and held it as in a vice. “Girl,” she exclaimed, “are you deceiving me, after all ?” “Deceiving you! In what?” asked the ar- mourer'’s daughter, in surprise. ‘Do you love Lord Raymond? Are you pre- tending this hate for him? Do yon wish tamely to submit to shame and dishonor ?” A deep blush overspread the face, the neck, and the tremulous bosom of the young girl, as Lady Raymond uttered these insulting words. She dragged her hand away. ‘You insult me—you outrage my best feel- ings !” she cried, “It is bad enough to be here, helplessly, hopelessly in the power of a villain, without being obliged to listen to such insults from a woman. Leave me, madam ; heaven has protected me before, and will protect me again.” CO GOVE OOO eS