The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

Se uatemeed "§ THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. .“ who should I meet but Mr. Manning the dealer. He didn’t know anything of me before; but seeing the horses, he cries out, ‘ Well, so you're taking them home, and you must be careful with them, for it’s a long distance——’”’ “Ah! he said that—did he?’ interjected Alfred, whose countenance now wore an, uneasy expression. ‘‘ But goon. What followed ?” ‘* *No,. sir,’ says I to Mr. Manning, ‘ it’s by no means a long distance, a matter of some dozen’ miles from Maidstone to Addington.’—Then -you’ should have seen, sir, how queer Manning looked: but I didn’t know that I had done any harm “ ‘““ Well, well!” interrupted Alfred, with increas- ing nervousness. ‘ Proceed, proceed! What fol- lowed ? I suppose Manning asked you where you were going to take the horses ?” ““ Well, he did; sir; and I told him to a Mr. Trevor's. I believe that was right, sir-—-and you gave me that name ?” | ““T did. And what then?” “‘Manning looked astounded ; and clapping his hands on his breeches’ pocket, he cried ouat-——But saving your presence, Mr. Trevor ” “* Go on !—go on !” exclaimed Alfred, with an increasing excitement. ‘‘ What was it that Man- ning cried out ?” _“That the cheque you had given him,” re- _ Sponded the groom, diffidently and hesitatingly, —"T don’t like to say it, sir but if I must— well then—Mr. Manning cries out, ‘By God, I’m done! and the cheque's a forgery!’ ” ‘““My heavens!” ejaculated Alfred, smitten with consternation: ‘what if he should come here ?” ‘‘No—he will not come here, sir,” said the groom; ‘because he’s gone up to London to-pre- sent the cheque at the banker's.” “Ah!” and it was with a sigh of ineffable relief that the exclamation came forth from the breast of Alfred Trevor. ‘““Why, you see, sir,” continued the groom, ‘I represented to Mr. Manning that you didn’t look like a swindler, but that you must be a genelman every inch of you; cos why, says I-——” | ‘‘ Did he say anything more about the cheque ?” demanded Alfred quickly. “He only said, sir, that ’*twas signed in quite another name from the one I’d mentioned to him; for he didn’t seem to know that you was Mr. Trevor at all.” ““Well—and did he mention that other name ?” asked Alfred, still with nervous quickness. _ “No, sir—be didn’t mention it; and so in course I didn’t ask him. But as I was saying,” continued the groom, “I represented to Mr. Man- ning that you must be a thorough genelman out and out, for that you comes to me and you says, says you, ‘If you'll take them horses over to Dahlia Cottage at Addington for Mr. Trevor, here’s a five pun’ note for your trouble.’ And so Mr. Manning says, says he, ‘ Well, at all events we know where the horses are going; and if everything should be right after all, I should be sorry to have kicked up a bobbery about the business; and so I'll risk it this far, that I'll go up to London at once and present the cheque for a hundred and eighty guineas; and if it’s all right, well and good; and if not, why then there’ll be plenty of time to take out a warrant.’—So then away cuts Manning in one direction, and away comes I in t’other with the horses.” ametiaiete sorts ES ONG OLY ET AER al Pa ALT Pe I ete “And that was all that passed ?” inquired Alfred. ““Why, not exactly, sir,” responded the groom ; “for Mr. Manning tips me half a guinea, telling me not to say a word to you that he had ques- tioned me on the point. But you see, sir, I thought you was a genelman ” “Enough, my man!” exclaimed Trevor. “There is another guinea for your trouble; and now, mind you don’t say’ a word to a soul about all these things. I shall be over in Maidstone again in a few days; and if I find that you have not said anything, depend upon it I shall not forget to re- ward you.” . “You may rely upon me, sir:”— and again pulling his forelock—for the groom had stood hat in hand the’whole time he was talking to Trevor, with the respect due to one who scattered his money about with no niggard hand—he took his departure. As Trevor turned hurriedly away, the bitter anguished expression again swept across his hand- some countenance, completely distorting for a moment those features of perfect masculine beauty; and he almost wrung his hands in despair as he mentally ejaculated, “‘Oh, my poor Ethel! Oh, my poor innocent babe Alfred!” He however quickly composed his looks, and retraced his way into the elegantly-furnished little dining-room. Good heaven! what a spec- tacle met his view! Upon the carpet lay Ethel, white as marble. Was she dead? or was she only in a swoon? Half frantic, he flew towards her, and raised that inanimate form in his arms. - “Thank God, she breathes!” he exclaimed : and he hastened to sprinkle water upon her face. He comprehended it all. The window was open; but it was concealed by evergreens from his view on the spot where he had conversed with the Maidstone groom, so that he had failed to ob- serve at the time how it was possible for their colloquy to meet the ears of Ethel whom he had left at the table. Oh, what agony of mind did that young man then experience!—and how far more anguished even than before was the ex- pression of mingled horror and despair which swept across his countenance! Ethel opened her large hazel eyes. For a mo- ment she smiled in fondness as her regards met his looks; and then, as if smitten with a sudden hideous recollection, she became dismayed ‘and affrighted—and in a suffocating gasping voice, she said, ‘‘Oh, Alfred! Alfred! what was it that I heard ?” ““Nothingy nothing, dearest!—a mistake! It was nothing but a mistake!” “O God! forgery!” and the unhappy creature shivered and shuddered, and literally writhed con- vulsively in his arms: then with that sudden in- spiration of fondness which ever impels a loving woman under such circumstances, she flung her arms about his neck, crying, “Oh, my dearest husband! do not deceive me! If there be any reason Ah, I will not speak what I mean— but you will understand me when I say that no matter what you may be or what you may have done, I will ever cling to you—Oh, yes! all the more closely !” ‘Ethel, Ethel! you are driving me mad!” ex- claimed Trevor. “TI have done nothing wrong! No, no!~-fear nothing, my angel!” —_— connicbooks.con SPAR Sr pe tatters eee se