Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 359: what you’re looking at

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

346 JOSEPH WILMOT ; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. : = ————$—$<———S= recollection of a horrible nightmare: but I cer- \ “Sir Matthew Heseltine speaks of you, Mr. tainly stood far less in terror of him than I had | Wilmot,” the lawyer at length said, “as a con- previously done—and at all events, whatsoever fidential young gentleman to whom he has en- lingering apprehension I might still entertain of| trusted a commission of great delicacy. I was his manifold capacities for mischief, was by no/| rejoiced to learn by a letter from Sir Matthew, means strong enough to deter me froin under-| received about ten days back, that he has aban- taking the mission on which I had now entered. | doned his retirement at Reading and returned to I wondered often and often during the journey | Heseltine Hall. This is acting like a sensible to London, whether I should be enabled by any | man—and indeed is following out the advice means to obtain an interview with Annabel; and| which I haye on several occasions ventured to I revolyed a thousand plans in my mind on this| give him. However, with regard to the contents subject. But on each occasion a shadow would | of this letter. Sir Matthew enjoins me to make steal across the brightness of the dream in which | certain little inquiries before your services can be I was thus indulging :—that shadow bore a human | put in requisition. You must therefore amuse form—it was a female shape—and it carried | yourself for a day or two in London; and when I something in its arms. Lady Calanthe and my | have anything to communigate, I will drop you a child } note. Where are you staying ?” Then I fell to wondering whether chance would| I named the hotel, which was at no great dis- throw me in the way of Calanthe; and I know | tanee. not whether I most desired an affirmative or a| ‘Oh! that is very convenient,” said the lawyer: negative solution of my question. My heart|“and you can be with me at any time on a short yei arned towards my child: but yet, if its seeret|motice. 1 will not delay in making the inquiries depths were probed, I must candidly confess that | whieh Sir Matthew enjoins, and the results of there was a certain feeling of thankfulness on | which, as I see by his letter, must constitute to a account of the ineidents which had preyented me great extent the basis of your proeeedings in the from consummating the ruin of all my hopes by mission entrusted to you.” an alliance with that dear child’s mother. ‘And I saw that Mr. Tennant had no more to say to as fur Annabel———Oh, how could I dare dream of ;}me on the present occasion : but though I rose seeking an interylew with her, when another had ‘from my seat, I lingered in his office —for I felt a stronger claim, if not upon my heart, at least | somewhat ‘disappointed at net being at once upon my hand ?—how could I hope to look the , initiated more deeply into the matter which had pure-minded, the angelic Annabel in the face, with- , brought me to London, out a blush? These questions wouldintrude them-| “I perfectly well understand, Mr. Wilmot,” he scives upon my mind; but loyeis strong—and love said, “that there are certain particulars which you is hopeful—and leye furnishes arguments which, | have yet to learn; but you must really restrain whether right or wrong, over-rule ail others. Yes _ your impatience for a day or two. ‘You of course —assuredly I longed to see the bright and beau- | know Sir Matthew well enough to be aware that ous Annabel again! Something told me that Ij he has his own particular way of conducting was still dear to her—that my image continued to | matters; and those who wish to retain his fayour, occupy her heart—and that she often and often | must follow his instructions.” thought of me. And then I pictured to myself; I bowed, and issued from the office: I had no the improyement which must haye taken place in | pretext for Pi any longer, nor for putting her ; no—not improyement: such a word is im-| another question. I strolled out into Holborn, properly applied to one of such faultless beauty as | not knowing exactly what to do with myself, but Annabel. But I thought that as she was now in | more than half inclined to go up into the neigh- her twenty-first year, the charms of girlhood bourhood of Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury— would be developing themselves into the richness | from which indeed I was at no great distance—to of womanhood ; and that she was entering upon | make inquiries relative to the Lanovers. A the best days of her remarkable and almost pre- | second thought however reminded me that by ternatural beauty. Yes—I longed to see her ; and seeking an interview with Annabel, I might only those who have loved as tenderly and as well as I, | be compromising her, and draw down upon her can easily comprehend how during my journey to head her father’s wrath: for that he hated me for London I deyised a thousand projects for the ac-| sume reason or another, there could not be the complishment of that aim. slightest doubt; and that after everything he had I reached the metropolis without any adventure | done towards me, he would look complacently on worthy of note; and took up my quarters at an| my love for his daughter, was not for an instant hotel in Holborn, so as to be near Mr. Tennant, ‘to be thought of. I therefore determined to re- the solicitor, whose offices were in Furnival’s Inn. fiect a little longer upon the course which was the It was about ten o’clock in the morning after my best to be pursued; because I would rather make arrival in London, that 1 preceeded to the place any sacrifice of my own feelings than do aught just named; and on stating to the clerks that I which should harm a single hair of the beloved was the bearer of a letter from Sir Matthew | Annabel’s head. Heseltine, I was at once shown into the lawyer’s| While I was strolling back to the hotel, the private office. Mr. Tennant was an old man, with thought suddenly struck me that I had meditated a shrewd, yet by no means unprepossessing coun- | a visit to Delmar Manor in order to give into the tenance :—he had a business-jike reserve and pre-, hands of Mr. Mulgrave that leaf of the Enfield ° cision of manner, yet not deficient in urbanity.| register which I had picked up in the lodging He bade me sit down; and taking the letter, was of the Rev. Mr. Dorchester at Oldham. I had for some time occupied in the perusal of its con- | | purposely brought it with me in my carpet-bag: tents—for it was evidently a long one. | and I entered the hotel to procure it. Having a aaa ia a a EON i a ce comicboooks conus