Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

—_—oe sa A is > 224 JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOTRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. | Stuart, no doubt anxious to avoid the chance of | compromising his beloved any farther with her relatives, rushed forth from the tent. When he had thus disappeared, Miss Vennachar rejoined: but not choosing to argue the subject, I hastened to take my place at the table. During the row homewards, very little was spoken—unless it were by Dominie Clackmannan, . —pale and trembling, evidently much agitated,| who was now enabled to recite his portions of © and, I felt convinced, with difficulty restraining a | anecdotes without much interruption. The Chief violent outburst of grief—returned to her seat. | was grave and thoughtful. Whatever his conver- Lennox Veunachar, with jealous rage still im- | sation might have been with his niece, it evidently printed upon his countenance, likewise sat down. | had not tended to cheer his spirits, nor to lead The Chief iooked stern and grave—and his cheek , him into a satisfactory state of mind. As for was also pale. The two boys were scarcely able to | Lennox, he was haughtily distant for the most ‘ comprehend a scene which had smitten them with | part towards his cousin: but every now and then astonishment and grief: for they loved Donald | when he did speak a few words, he could not help Stuart—and all that they did understand was that | displaying his bitter feelings by a mocking irony he had left, to be their preceptor no more. of tone. “Well,” said Dominie Clackmannan, who was the first to break the silence which every one must have felt most awkward and embarrassing, “it’s a pity he did not stay to partake of this pie— which is really excellent. And that reminds me, Inch Methglin, that your cook ought to imitate the Widow Glenbucket, who always used to put a clove of garlic into her sausage-meat. sard “Mr. Clackmannan,” interrupted the Chief | sternly, “help yourself to wine—and leave Salt- | coats alone for the present.” “It’s just that,” said the Dominie, as he filled himself a glass of sherry. “Emmeline,” asked the Chief, but speaking | the Chief gave his arm to Emmeline. Once or twice he affected to laugh heartily at something the Dominie said: but there was hollowness in the sound of that laugh—and it was impossible for him to assume an air of in- difference. Emmeline kept her eyes fixed upon her book the whole way homeward: but she as- suredly was not reading,—for she did not turn the pages more than twice or thrice, and when Saltcoats | she did she turned over a dozen at a time. At length the jetty was reached—the landing was accomplished. I observed that when Lennox reached out his hand to assist Emmeline up the steps, she passed him by without seeming to notice his presence. As the party stepped from the jetty on the bank Lennox turned abruptly away; and About an coldly and distantly, “what can I serve you? | hour afterwards I was told that Inch Methglin Lennox, you do not attend to your cousin.” commanded my presence in the library; and “TI require nothing,” responded the young lady, | thither I accordingly hastened. He was ‘alone; in a voice that was likewise cold, but clouded as if | and notwithstanding his endéayour to conceal his with the difficulty of keeping back tears and sobs. | agitation beneath a haughty reserve, it was by no “You had better take some refreshment,’’ said Lennox : and his voice was deep almost to hollow- ness—for it was but too evident that the barbed arrow of jealousy was rankling in his heart. The collation was hastened over by the Chief and Lennox, — Emmeline eating nothing. The two boys however had not lost their appetites: while Dominie Clackmannan appeared as if he thought it imperiously incumbent on him to eat for those who ate not at all. | “Will you take a walk, Emmeline?” asked Lennox, haughtily and distantly,as they rose from table. 4 “No, I thank you,” she replied, with glacial coldness. “I will sit in the barge until we take our departure. I have a book, and shall read.” “But the sun is powerful,” said Lennox, biting his lip, which was white with ill-subdued rage. “IT have my parasol,” she rejoined: “ or the bargemen can put up the awning.” Lennox turned abruptly away, and did not even escort his cousin to the boat. The Chief accordingly performed that office; and entering the barge also, he remained in con- versation with his niece until the moment for departure. . “What a scene!” whispered Cameron to me, means difficult to discern that he was inwardly troubled. « Joseph,” he said, “you beheld all that took ‘place, and you overheard all that was said, just now. it is a painful thing for me, the Chief of Inch Methglin,” he went on proudly to observe, “to be compelled to condescend to ques- tion a dependant: but it is necessary I should do so. Tell me, Joseph, exactly what took place on the occasion to which Mr. Clackmannan re- ferred——i mean, in short, the occurrence in the lane.” “Tt was, sir,’ I answered, steadily meeting the Chief’s searching gaze, “ as it was explained. I was in attendance upon Miss Vennachar, walking some distance behind her : I ascended the bank on which the hedge of the churchyard stands, to gather some flowers : I heard a sound, as of some one faling— I sprang down—and beheld Mr. Stuart, who was coming from an opposite direction, raising Miss Vennachar up. At the same moment Mr. Clack- mannan entered the lane; and a few instants. afterwards Mr. Lennox Vennachar rode by. Mr.. Stuart bowed to Miss Vennachar when he had raised her up, and proceeded on his way.” | All the time I was giving utterance to this tale, in which many falsehoods were blended with a, when Dominie Clackmannan at length made an | few truths, the Chief never took his eyes off me. end of eating and issued forth from the tent, to | He seemed to be watching as if every word came which the bargemen were now thronging in order | up from my soul, into the depths of which he to take their own repast. sought to penetrate. I must confess that it was “Very painful,” I answered. with an unblushing effrontery, yet with no out- “Yes—shocking on Donald Stuart’s part !’’ | ward betrayal of this bold hardihood, that I wove observed Cameron. the tissue of mingled fictions and facts: but I did “On Mr, Lennox Vennachar’s, you mean,’ Ij not consider that I was committing any crime in . = ~ . . : — EN I Eboo S) >