Alfred de Rosann — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

ALFRED DE ROSANN. 119 man fell a victim to the change of climate which my vices obliged her to endure, and Jeft me alone in the world a few weeks after our arrival in England. Nor did my ill-gotten wealth profit me. It gradually disappeared in unfortunate speculations; and, as if I had not already suffered enough by my misdeeds, I was about to inveigle the worthy Mr. Robson to place his property in my power. You saved him from the precipice on which he stood. I left his house in shame and confusion; and, assembling the wreck of my riches, I entered into a bold speculation the very next day, determined to lose all and deprive myself of life, or by a desperate stroke to realize in eight- and-forty hours an immense sum, with which I might live happily in another clime. The foreign mail - arrived—the funds rose to the astonishment of every body-—and I hailed my success with unbounded joy. J then relinquished my idea of quitting the country,. and thought of settling in a distant part of England, and thus avoiding the possibility of encountering men whose reproaches I had every reason to dread—lI mean Robson and yourself. But the spirit of a gam- bler kept me in London; and I still pursued my des- perate system of speculation, but with an unparalleled fortune. I was astonished at my own prosperity, and saw myself in a few days the possessor of more mo- ney than [had ever had at my disposal during an adventurous life. The excitement my mind had undergone threw me tupon a sick bed, and other maladies have’ crowded fast upon me to rob me of existence.”’ La Motte paused for a few moments, wiped his forehead, and continued in a feebler voice to the fol- lowing effect: “J feel that my last hour is approaching, and that the green sod will soon close over my coffin: perhaps there is not a soul in the world to drop a tear upon my tomb! ‘This morning I sent for a lawyer and competent witnesses, and made my will. The con- tents of .it, De Rosann, will prove that I deeply de- EOPMICLOO© S (E@)