The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 117: what you’re looking at

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THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. Count, in atone which struck Ethel as being pro- foundly solemn. ‘Am not I here to serve vou ?” ‘Oh, but a stranger !—one whom to my know- ledge I never saw before !” ‘No matter,” interrupted Mandeville. ‘ You shall judge of me by my actions. Itold you just now that I am a strange being—capricious and wayward. ” “Count de Mandeville,” said Ethel, speaking mildly yet firmly, “I proffer you my best thanks for your kind proposals: but I cannot accept them. There are no services which under exist- ing circumstances I could with propriety accept at the hands of a stranger.” ° “It is false delicacy, madam,” said the Count, rising from his seat and taking up his hat: “‘ but the admirable modesty of your conduct only ren- ders me all the more anxious to serve you. At the same time I have my own little pride—and I will not press my good intentions where they are unacceptable. Madam, I wish you good evening.” ‘You are offended with me!” cried Ethel, hurt by his manner, for she suddenly dreaded lest her own conduct had savoured of ingratitude. ‘‘I would not have you depart in anger! It is only too clear that you came to serve me with the kindest. and best intentions _ ‘‘And perhaps that I might repay a certain debt owing by my father towards your father.” “Indeed !” ejaculated Ethel. ‘Did your father know mine ?” ““Yes—certainly. Your father was P ‘‘ Captain Fraser,” interjected Ethel, eagerly. ‘““T was just going to say it. Captain Fraser, of. “ Of Southdale.” ‘*QOf Southdale, in Dorsetshire,” proceeded Mandeville, just as if he had been going to give utterance to the names without the slightest prompting from her lips. “‘ But it was before your father settled at South- dale that my father knew him; for at that time my father was a refugee in England, and he re- ceived the utmost kindness from your sire. [| know that there was a sum of money—a couple of hundred pounds—which my father borrowed from yours. I found the memorandum after my father’s death.” ‘‘ How strange!” murmured Ethel, now trem- bling with a deep inward emotion, for she felt as if she had fallen in with some old friend. ‘“ But do tell me—how did you find out ” ‘‘ Ask me no questions now,” interrupted Man- deville : “but tell me at once, Mrs. Trevor—will you not at least permit me to acquit myself to- wards you of the debt which my father owed to your's ?” The terms on which she stood with Count Mandeville now appeared to be very different in- deed from what they were a few minutes back. Moreover Ethel thought of her child, and of the immense use which such a sum would be to her. It was also a sum which under existing circum- stances she might receive without the slightest deviation from the path of delicacy and pro- priety. ‘Your conduct, sir, is as honourable as it is kind and generous,” she answered; “ and I must not refuse that which heaven itself seems to have sent me.” ; “At noon to-morrow I will be here,” answered L103 Mandeville; and then with a most courteous salutation, and with only a moment’s pressure of the fair hand which was gratefully extended to him, he took his departure. ‘She is mine!” he said to himself, as he en- tered the cab which was waiting for him at a little distance. ——$_— CHAPTER XXIII. PAMELA. WE must now return to the Firs, in the neigh- bourhood of Southdale. And first of all, reverting to the stealthy visit of Tim Gaffney and Jack Peppercorn to the mansion, we should observe that Squire Ponsford took very good care not to proclaim what had happened to him during that night. The only indication of the burglarious entry that could attract notice, was the semicir- cular hole which had been cut in one of the panes of glass in the library window. Mr. Ponsford did not want it to be suspected that anything of such an unusual character had taken place; and there- fore he smashed the pane, attributing it to accident and ordering a new one to be put in. But how was it that Stephen Ashborne, the new bailiff, was up at that hour of the night, and at hand to seize hold upon Tjm Gaffney when the fellow penetrated into the library to procure the documents from the desk? We will explain the point. It was on that same evening that Stephen Ashborne had been engaged by Mr. Ponsford, who had told him he might have a bed at the house for that night, as the bailiff’s cottage was not in readiness to receive him. Stephen Ashborne went to the servants’ hall, where he announced the fact of his having obtained the vacant situation: he then intimated that he was going to sleep at the Firs for that night, but that he must proceed into the village to fetch up his trunk. The butler gave him the key of the back door, observing that as they were all early people at the J*irs, they might be in bed when he should come back, and moreover that he need not hurry himself while he had that key in his possession. Having discussed a jug of ale with the good-natured butler, Stephen Ashborne returned into the village; and finding the public-house parlour filled with company, he sat down amongst the individuals present for the purpose of gleaning whatsoever he might pick up relative to the character of Squire Ponsford. The company sat up till a much later hour than usual; for the incidents of the preceding evening, in respect to Mrs. Trevor, continued to furnish ample food for conversation. Thus it was not till past midnight that Stephen Ashborne, with his trunk upon his shoulder, reached the Firs; and having let himself in with the utmost caution, he was about to creep up to the chamber which had been allotted to him, when his ear caught some sounds which at once placed him on the track of Mr. Gaffney. The reader knows what followed: Ste- phen Ashborne obtained possession of the docu- ments which Gaffney sought; and Squire Pons- ford remained in ignorance that they had thus fallen into the hands of his bailiff. On the following day Stephen Ashborne took possession of the bailiffs cottage, and at once oO COMO Colin