The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

184 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. with Rafferty Brolickbones, reached London, so that as they felt eatly fatigued, a visit to Monsieur Rouselli was delayed until the morning. We will, however, do both Captain Morton and his brother the justice to say, that if the news which they had to tell him had not been tinctured by the piece of mournful intelligence they had to add to it respecting the murder of the traveler, of which it will be recollected, Jem, the hostler, had been so falsely accused, they would not have allowed the old man to sleep that bight without the pleasurable reflections which were sure to be induced by news of Mabel. As early, however, upon the following morning as they thought he would be likely to be stirring, they both, or rather we ought to say all three (for Rafferty went likewise) proceeded to Monsieur Rouselli’s lodgings, to make to him those mingled communications of pain and pleasure. Monsieur Rouselli, when their names were announced to him, at once and eagerly desired that they should be admitted, and he received them with all the warmth and courtesy of a gentle- man. ‘‘Iam certain, my dear friend,” he said to Henry, “that you bring some good news to me, or you would not, as I am free to confess you have done, have awakened expectations such as those I have been nursing in my heart since last Isaw you.” _ ** Let me assure you,” said Henry, ‘“‘that you do me no more than justice. I have, sir, some news to communicate to you, which I do hope and expect will be of the most pleasing and satisfactory nature to you; but. sir, along with that good news I have one piece of intelligence that will grieve you much.” ‘* No, no,” he said, ‘‘ not along with it, and not following it; you shall tell me the bad news first, and when my mind, op- pressed with that, seems, as possibly it may, to be upon the point of sinking, you shall restore me to myself with your bet- ter tidings.” ‘‘ Be it so, sir. The young gentleman whom you sent to Eng- land to make inquiries concerning Mabel, has, I regret to say, found a grave among us.” Old Monsieur Rouselli wrung his hands, as he exclaimed: ‘‘ Alas! alas! he dead? Heaven take him into its holy keep- ing. Ob, why has the fell hand of disease seized upon the oung, such as he was, and left the old withered trunk, such as , still living? Dead—dead!” He turned aside to hide the tears that gushed, despite all his exertions to retain them, from his eyes; and Captain Morton took the opportunity of whispering to his brother: ‘* He talks of the hand of death coming from disease. Unless he should insist upon knowing the whole particulars, I would not undeceive hira.” ‘*T will not.” ‘Ward it off if you can.” ‘* Most assuredly I will. Heneed not have the additional pang of knowing how this person for whom he felt so much affection, has come to his end.” comicbooks. com