Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

Tr wcrc er 124 JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE On the following day letters arrived from Mandeville Hall for Lady Calanthe Dundas; and I presently learnt from Charlotte that her lady- ship’s parents and sisters were now anxious for her to return home. <A few minutes after re- ceiving this intelligence, I had occasion to ascend to the parlour, where Lady Calanthe and Lady Georgiana were seated,—Mr. Tiverton being out at the time; and I could not help observing that Charlotte’s young mistress seemed low-spirited, and that she threw upon me a mournful look— though her eyes were instantaneously averted again, no doubt through fear of being noticed by Lady Georgiana. Having delivered to my mis- tress the message which had taken me to the parlour, I retired; and was traversing the hall, when the door which I had just closed behind me, opened again—and Lady Calanthe came forth. She beckoned me towards her in a hasty and excited manner; and in a low quick whisper, said, “‘ Meet me at one o’clock precisely, at the stile leading into the field which was the scene of your noble conduct the other day. I will find some excuse to walk forth alone. Do you think you can manage it ?”’—then, as footsteps were sud- denly heard descending the stairs, she added quickly, “ You must—you must!” She hastened away in ono direction, while I retreated in another; and when I had somewhat recovered from the confusion, excitement, and perplexity into which that rapidly given assigna- tion had thrown me, I felt glad that it was to take place. As the reader is aware, I had blamed my- self for my moral weakness in not speaking can- didly and frankly to Lady Calanthe Dundas on the memorable day when she ayowed her love in the drawing-room : no opportunity had since then occurred for me to repair the injury which I had so involuntarily done; and therefore was I re- joiced that an occasion was now offered for me to disabuse her of a deplorable error into which my weakness, timidity, and confusion had led her at the time. But while in one sense I was thus rejoiced, in another I was afflicted; for it was not a very agreeable task which I had to perform: —on the contrary, it was a duty of a painful character. The dinner in the servants’ room being at one o’clock, and the routine of the household being ob- served with a scrupulous regularity, I did not ex- actly see on what pretext I could issue forth at the time; and I was puzzling myself what apology to invent for my absence for an hour or so, when cir- cumstances favoured my wishes. The parlour bell again rang alittle after mid-day; and Mr. Tiverton, who in the meantime had come home from his walk, gave me a letter to take to that very same house whither I was bound on the day of the memorable adventure with the savage bull. I lost no time in setting out, purposing to deliver the letter off-hand, and thus meet Lady Calanthe on my return. As the bull was still in the field, I was not foolhardy enough to pass through it: but the turn I had to make was so insignificantly cir- cuitous, that it did not delay my progress for many minutes. It was with a beating heart that, on my return, I approached the stile. The young lady was not as yet there: but I beheld her approaching from a little distance—and she was coming alone. I felt the colour mantling in crim- a ¥ MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. son to my cheeks at one moment—vanishing from them rapidly the next. I was again all confusion and bewilderment: I had a sense of moral weak- ness and of a failing purpose, which made me ashamed of myself ;—but I did my best to summon my courage to my aid. There was a moment, during this sort of struggle which was taking place within me, when I asked myself whether I really did entertain any feeling of tenderness towards Lady Calanthe? and whether circum- stances had somewhat cooled down the ardour of that youthful enthusiasm with which I had been wont to cherish the image of Annabel? But no: the mere fact of asking myself this question, brought up a gush of indescribable emotions into my very throat; and I could not doubt the un- diminished intensity of my love for Annabel, when I found myself strong in the conviction that if she would only turn away from a career of error, I could forget and forgive all the past—so deeply enamoured was I of that being of seraphic beauty! But at the same instant another thought darted into my mind. In a few months more it would be Midsummer again: the year would terminate, from that memorable eve on which the adventure of the churchyard at Charlton had occurred :—was it only fancy on my part? or was it a preter- natural test which would indeed prove fatally accurate in its fulfilment? The idea that it might be so, brought tears to the very brims of my eyes: but by astrong effort I kept them back; for at this instant Lady Calanthe Dundas came up to the place of appointment. She approached with a becoming air of bashful modesty, mingled with that tender confidence which is the accompaniment of love where it is be- lieved that the sentiment is reciprocated. There was also some degree of sorrow and excitement indefinably blended in her looks; and as she took my hand in both her own, they trembled violently. The deepest blush suffused her cheeks: the liquid warmth of tenderness, mingled with the glitter of uneasiness, was in her large dark eyes, as she bent them upon me. Then she looked hastily around ; —and, satisfied that no observers were near, she became calmer. “ Joseph—dear Joseph,” she said, “I have re- ceived letters urging my return home; and I cannot postpone my departure beyond to-morrow. It was so necessary that I should see you—so necessary that we should arrange plans for the future! Ah, dearest Joseph, you know not how I love you! But pray, pray do not think that I am bold—that I am deficient in becoming de- licacy—when I tell you this! It is impossible you can remain in your present position: some- thing must be done for you = “Ah!” I ejaculated at this moment, as my looks, sweeping in wildered confusion around, caught a glimpse of some one in the distance, be- tween the spot where we were standing and Myrtle Lodge. Lady Calanthe glanced towards the same point : and then, quick as thought, she exclaimed, “ Wa must separate for the moment, Joseph! I will traverse the field and reach that old ruined wall. You pass round by the other direction. We shall be enabled to converse there with less fear of ob- servation.” With these words she sped away towards the <S (C(O) im Ehoo