Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 205: what you’re looking at

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74 ALFRED; OR ADVENTURES fortunes. These epistles were to be forwarded, with the deeds, to their proper destination, in case of Alfred’s fall. Having thus arranged his affairs, our hero hastened to Thread- needle-street, and informed Mr. Robson of all that had passed since they separated an hour or two before. The kind-hearted banker could not conceal his agitation and alarm at the danger to which De Rosann was exposed: he however promised to call upon him early the following morning with a friend, and hinted that it would be better not to inform the ladies of the anticipated meeting. De Rosann perfectly acquiesced in Mr. Robson’s opinion, and did not even throw himself in the way of a multiplicity of enquiries, which would doubtless have taken place, had he proceeded to the drawing- room to pay his respects to Mrs. Robson and her daughters. In the mean time Selina suffered the most excruciating torments: and her internal agony. was the more acute, because she was obliged to conceal it from the observation of her mother and sister. Hour after hour passed away, and De Rosann did not make his appearance as usual. Her agitated mind instantly pictured an exaggeration of all the most horrible results that could possibly have ensued from a duel; for she was perfectly convinced, that the dispute would end in a hostile meeting. She fancied she saw Alfred bleeding, pale, and dying on the fatal plain: then she thought, that perhaps he was already gone to another world, and that his heart was pierced with a deadly weapon. Never was suspense so terrible, till the hour of dinner brought her father from his office; and in a trembling voice she enquired, if he had seen M.De Rosann? The banker answered in the affirmative, adding, that the quarrel with Mr. Markham would most probably lead to no disagreeable consequences, and that particular business alone prevented our hero from calling on Mrs. and the Misses Robson in the course of the day. Selina felt somewhat relieved by these assurances ; but she still saw the probability of a duel, and in vain essayed to banish her unpleasant ideas entirely from her imagin- ation. | As early as five o’clock on the following morning, did Mr. Rob- son knock at the door of De Rosann’s bed-chamber. Our hero was alreadv dressed, and about to sit down to breakfast. He welcomed the banker with the utmost cordiality, and was surprised to see that no one accompanied him. But before he had time to enquire the reason,a gentleman made his appearance at the top of the stairs, and was instantly recognised by Mr. Robson, as the intended second. He was accordingly introduced to De Rosann, to whom he expressed his sorrow, at acquiring the honour of Alfred’s acquaintance, under circumstances so peculiarly disagreeable; he however declared his willingness to assist our hero to the utmost of his ability, as a hostile meeting was apparently unavoidable. Mr. Herbert—for that was the gentleman’s name—spoke French with tolerable fluency ; and it was chiefly on this account that he had been requested by Mr. Robson to act as De Rosann’s friend on the oceasion. To the astonishment of both the banker and Mr. Herbert, neither Gomicbooks GOr