The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 154: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 151 presently. I must confess your narrative has sensibly touched me.” ‘Ah! you are too young to be afflicted by such terrifying de- tails. oe regret I told you all; but I felt, somehow, impelled to do so. ‘‘ Nay, sir, do not regret, for a moment, for in telling me all, believe me, you——” ‘‘ Wherefore do you pause? what would you say? Oh, if you Mave any consolation to offer to a father’s heart, offer it at once, and do not keep me in a horrible suspense.” ‘‘T bave nothing—I have nothing. ‘Will you, sir, permit me to call upon you at this hour to-morrow ?” ‘With pleasure. Your society will be grateful tome. "Tis I that shall feel greatly indebted for such a visit.” On reaching his lodgings, Henry Morton rethought over every word of the Frenchman’. narrative, and coupling it with what he already knew of Mabel’s early history, felt more than ever convinced that be had in Monsieur Rouselli discovered the grandfather of the fair object of his love. To settle the fact beyond dispute, he summoned Rafferty, and quietly drew from the honest Irishman every incident of the battle-field that was in any shape connected with Mabel; and comparing them with what he had learned from the aged Frenchman was at once astonished and rejoiced to find that they harmonized so per- fectly. It was now clear to him that his brother should be made ‘acquainted with this singular discovery, and he resolved to post at once to Morton Hall. In accordance with this resolution, he wrote and dispatched the following note to Monsieur Rouselli: sé Hotel. ‘¢Str,— You will doubtless be surprised to hear from me in- stead of seeing me, for which I must apologize. I am compelled to leave town unexpectedly, but shall not be away many days. Will you permit me to beg of you not to leave your hotel until I return to London? I have urgent motives for making this request, which I cannot state in this letter, and there is not time for an interview. Allow me to beg this favor of you, that you will not quit your hotel until my return, which shall be in a very few days at the furthest. “Tam, sir, your obliged servant, ‘‘ HENRY MORTON. ‘*To Monsieur Ro :selli.” Having sent this epistle to the old Frenchman, Henry Morton ordered Rafferty to get the horses ready, and. a few minutes, afterward both parties were on their way to Morton Hall, where they were received, on their arrival, with that hearty and. politely generous welcome so characteristic of the Mortons; and: while Rafferty went to pay his respects to the domestics of the household, Henry was closeted with Captain Morton and his; wife, to whom he related every incident that had occurred from the time he left the Hall in search uf Mabel down to the moment of his return. That part of the young man’s narrative bearing upon Monsieur Rouselli, affected Captain Morton to such a comicbooks. com