Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

116 JOSEPH WILMOT:; to a parlour on the second-floor, and whence a bed-chamber opened. There I was left to myself, —the doors being locked upon me. You may conceive what my feelings were, Joseph, on finding myself thus made a prisoner. I looked eagerly and anxiously about for the means of escape: but there were none. The windows were too high to allow me to entertain for an instant the thought of flight in that direction. Some hours passed, during which no one came near me, and total silence reigned throughout the dwelling. At length, about three o’clock—as it was getting dusk —the housekeeper made her appearance, followed by another female domestic, bearing a tray con- taining several dishes. The table was spread for my repast; and I was respectfully invited to seat myself thereat. But I demanded my liberty, threatening these women with the vengeance of the law if they continued to be accomplices in their master’s outrageous proceeding against me. They seemed unmoved by my menaces: I had recourse to entreaties—these were equally unavailing. They left me, locking the door behind me; and I was again alone—a captive—and a prey to my distress- ing thoughts.” * Poor Charlotte!” I murmured: “what must you have suffered !” “1 did indeed suffer much, Joseph. I was not merely alarmed on my own account, but tortured with anxiety as to what would be thought at the Lodge of my strange disappearance. But I will not dwell at unnecessary length on my narrative. Suffice it to say that I was very, very wretched, and that I did not touch a morsel of the food spread upon the table. I however drank copiously of water; for my throat was parched. At about seven o'clock the housekeeper and the other female re-appeared; and clearing away the dinner things, they placed tea upon the table. Again I had recourse to mingled threats and entreaties—but all in vain; and once more was I left to myself. Then there was another interval of wretched re- flections and torturing alarms; hours passed—and it was near eleven o’clock, when I heard the foot- steps of a man approaching the door. It opened —and Sir Malcolm Wavenham made his appear- ance. His countenance was flushed: he had evi- dently been paying his respects to the bottle; and though he was not exactly tipsy, he was excited. I was filled with the direst apprehensions; for I reflected that a man who had already shown him- self so desperately regardless of all consequences even in his coolest moments, would be ca- pable of any wickedness when under the in- fluence of wine. The housekeeper followed him into the room, bearing a _ salver, on which were decanters and glasses; and having de- posited them upon the table, she was about to retire, when I adjured her to stop.—‘ Pooh! pooh !’ said the Baronet: ‘ she knows her duty ’-— and away she accordingly went. Sir Malcolm Wavenham then sat down; and filling two glasses, besought me to take one. You may be sure that I refused: whereupon he began remonstrating with me for what he called my foolish scruples. I will not tell you, Joseph, all the temptations with which he plied me: but I will observe that I re- jected them indignantly,—again and again de- OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT., Malcolm had continued drinking; and I hoped that he would become so intoxicated that I should be enabled to escape. Indeed I was all along watching my opportunity from the moment he had entered, as the door of the apartment had remained unlocked. But he seemed thoroughly on his guard in that respect ; while, with reference to the wine, it appeared to produce little effect upon him. Look- ing at his watch, he suddenly ejaculated it was midnight; and rising from his seat, he had just begun to address me in terms which made me red with shame and indignation,—when he stopped short as the sounds of a horse gallopping up to the door of the house, reached our ears. For a few moments he seemed frightened: but abruptly exclaiming, ‘No, it can’t be she!’ he went on with his infamous speech. I was about to rush in wild desperation to the door of the apartment,—when it was thrown open; and a beautiful creature, dressed in a riding-habit, burst into our presence.” “ Ah!” T ejaculated: and for an instant I was on the point of betraying all the emotions which were excited in my soul by this sudden allusion to one whose image was so constantly in my memory: but checking myself, I continued to listen without showing what I felt. “Yes, she was indeed a charming creature !” continued Charlotte: “but her countenance was crimson with indignation—her eyes seemed to flash fire-——” “Unhappy Annabel!” I said in the secret depths of my own soul: but my lips gave utterance not to the words. “Sir Malcolm Wavenham appeared for a few moments to be utterly confounded; and all his insolent assurance seemed to have aban- doned him. The young lady—I do not think she could be more than seventeen or eighteen—ad- vanced into the room; and coming straight up to me, was about to say something, when Sir Malcolm ejaculated, ‘ Violet, this is too bad!’—‘ Too bad ?” she echoed bitterly: ‘yes, far too bad on your part! You will at once suffer this young woman to go hence.—‘ No, cried Sir Malcolm, with a voice and look full of rage and disappomtment.— ‘But you will! said the young lady, in a peremp- tory manner: ‘if not, I myself will at once pros ceed elsewhere to invoke the succour of the proper authorities. —‘ You, Violet? ejaculated Sir Mal- colm.—‘ Yes, I,’ she responded, with haughty firm- ness. And now that I can reflect with calmness upon that scene, I can vividly depict to myself this bright and beautiful creature of sylphid slen- derness—but so admirably shaped—appearing of a stature far greater than she really was, as her form was drawn up and she seemed to look down with a goddess-like authority upon the Baronet. He muttered a few words: she heeded them not; but turning to me, she said, ‘There, young woman, the door is open: you are free. But one word ere you take your departure :'—and she drew me aside as she thus spoke: then, abruptly lowering her voice so that it sank into a tremulous whisper, she added, ‘If you feel any gratitude towards me for what I am now doing, you will spare him as much as possible. Yes, I beseech you to deal leniently with Sir Malcolm Wavenham!’—The tears were now trickling down her lovely cheeks; and I felt manding my freedom, or entreating it, by turns. ! deeply on her behalf. Readily, and eagerly indeed, Thus did an hour pass; and it was midnicht: Sir | did I give her the assurance that I would take no Gdooks (C(@) — im