Alfred de Rosann by G.W.M. Reynolds — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

160 Alfred de Rosann. the person who was entitlea to inherit the fortune of the late Marquis de Denneville, involved in the slightest difficulties, or suffering on account of the want of those funds which he alone could furnish the means to recover, his correct mind and honour- able principles would not for one instant have suffered him to withhold the papers; but he knew that the heir was in affluence, and in the midst of abundance, and had most probably ceased to be anxious on a subject which a long and hitherto impervious mystery had baffled all hopes of elucidating. Urged by these reflections, De Rosann wrote a short letter to Leblond, in which he declared a fixed intention of paying the most implicit obedience to his directions, and thanked him for his kind promise of procuring the royal pardon. Our hero concluded by saying, that the moment Leblond chose to recal him to France, in the name of his secret protectors, he was willing to follow their directions, and should feel proud of an opportunity to demonstrate his gratitude towards those who had already assisted him in the midst of his embarrassments and disgrace. De Rosann then replied to the friendly letter he had received from Mr. Clayton. He enclosed the epistle Leblond had sent him from Paris, and begged his excellent benefactor to believe, that if it were not with the hope of procuring his pardon, he should not remain in England another moment. e did not, however, men- tion one word relative to the documents he retained in his pos- session ; but he merely said, that when they met he would explain viud voce the motives that had originally induced him to change the place of his destination from Paris to London so soon after their conversation and agreement at the farm-house. He con- cluded his letter with a hope that Mrs. Clayton might one day be induced to award him the hand of her daughter, particularly as he should soon be able to return to France openly and fearlessly, and. not, as he left it, trembling at the sight of a police-officer, and dreading to be arrested every moment. Would the reader think of asking, even if we were sufficiently careless to forget so important a fact, whether De Rosann availed himself of Mr. Clayton’s permission to write to Eloise on this occasion as well as on the last, which we faithfully recorded in a.former chapter? Alfred did not forget to address a letter to the amiable being whom he adored; and it was considerably longer than the one directed to her uncle. But before he terminated his epistle, he did not fail to inform Eloise of Mr. Clayton’s promise, that, if he remained in London, she should be allowed to write a few lines to console him in return; and he claimed at her hands the fulfilment of a pledge made for her by her uncle. When these letters were despatched to the post-office, the mind of our hero felt eased of a considerable cause of anxiety ; and he retired to rest that night with feelings of felicity such as he had not experienced for some time. COnicbooolks (GO)