Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 375: what you’re looking at

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362 rapture to weave? Fatal, fatal love was that of thine, O Calanthe !—and as I mentally ejaculated words to this effect, scalding tears of anguish sud- denly started forth from my eyes. Good heavens j was I not a hypocrite and a dissembier ? had I not withholden the tale of my amour with that patri- cian lady ? had I not suppressed the fact that I was a father? In short, had I not wickedly and wil- fully deceived Sir Matthew Heseltine—deceived Mrs. Lanover—and, what was ten thousand times worse, deceived the pure-minded and confiding Annabel? Oh, if it should be discovered that I had done all this, should I not be repudiated by those whose good opinion was more necessary to me than aught else in this world, and without which there would be no hope of happimess—no motive to cling to life? Fatal, fatal love of Hhine, 0 Calanthe! But the tears which I shed, relieved me; and as the period of youth is that of hope, I abandoned myself to the reflection that my good genius would not eventually desert me altogether, and that something would transpire to crown my happiness in respect to Annabel. How this was to be brought about, I did not see, nor dared [ trust myself to the serious deliberation of conjecture, which would only be prolonging a disagreeable train of meditations, from which J was most anxious to escape ; and I accor dingly did my best to shut out unpleasant topics from my brain, and revel only in the ideas and hopes of happiness in which I was once more enabled to cradle myself. I reached Manchester in the afternoon—dis- missed the carriage—and took up my quarters at an hotel. I lost no time in calling upon the Rowlands; and I now had the pleasure of secing the old gentleman and lady, who had returned home. I gave sufficient explanations to account for my altered circumstances, without however violating the sanctity of any secrets connected with Sir Matthew Heseltine; and I received the warmest congratulations from Mr and Mrs. Rowland, who invited me to dinner. I thus sat down asa guest at the table where in the earlier part of the samé year IT had waited as a menial. I learnt that Mr. Stephen and Lady Gertrude were very happy together; and I was rejoiced thereat. On the following morning I proceeded by coach to Birmingham, in which great manufac- ing town I spent a couple of days. Thence I proceeded to London, and took up my quarters at the same hotel in Holborn where I had sojourned when I was last in the capital a fortnight back. As I knew Mr. Lanover to be still abroad—or at least had- every reason to suppose that he was—l determined to tarry a few days in the metropolis, to visit such public places as I had not before found an opportunity of seeing. As I was walking through the eet on the third day after my “arrival, whom should I en- counter but Mr. and Mrs. Linton ?— and the neeting was a most cordial one. They reproached me good-naturedly for not having paid them my promised visit—informed me that they had come up to London to receive a little money which had been left by an uncle of Charlotte’s—and that they were temporarily lodging in some street in the neighbourhood of Manchester Square. They pressed me to pass the evening with them; and I accepted the invitation. We then separated for | over one part of the Square. JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. the present: but true to my appointment, I found myself seated, at about seven o'clock, at their hospitable table, where I was made truly welcome. They were rejoiced to hear of my altered circum- stances; but to them also I gave partial explana- tions, as I had done to the Rowlands. Our conversation was so pleasant, and my companions were so agreeable, that the time slipped away without my being aware of the growing lateness of the hour. At length, on consulting my watch, I found it was past midnight; and bidding my friends farewell, I set out to walk back to the hotel. My road lay through Manchester Square; and as I approached that locality, I became sensible of a strong smell of smoke; and on looking up, I perceived an ominous oscillating glow hovering I was immediately struck with the idea of a conflagration; and on hurrying along the street, heard the confused sounds of voices, as of people raising an alarm. T mow ran with all my speed; and on entering the Senate, was stricken with awe and horror on beholding the flames pouring forth from the windows of a mansion, opposite which a crowd was rapidly gathering. Then there was the clattering din of a fire-egine speeding to the side on which Heeleston House was situated; and then a glance showed me that if it were not that identical mansion itself, it must be one in the closest vicinity. But as I reached the outskirts of the crowd, the first words that I caught confirmed my suspicion that it was Eccleston House itself. Nothing could equal the mingled horror, sublimity, and excitement of the scene. The flames were now penctrating through the roof, and gushing forth from all the windows: the entire dwelling was enveloped by the raging element. From the adjoining houses the half-dressed servants were hurrying forth, with costly furniture, draperics, and valuables of every description,—which they piled up in front,—several policemen being on the spot to take charge of them. The engines began to play; and as I pressed through the crowd, I perceived several of Lord Eccleston’s domestics running about half-dressed and as if they were frantic. The truth was soon learnt. His lordship was absent at a dinner-party; and her ladyship, who had remained at home through indisposition, had not been rescued. The flames had burst forth so suddenly, and had spread with such frightful rapidity, from causes to be presently explained, that the servants had barely time to effect their own escape,—each however thinking that some other would lend assistance to Lady LHccleston. It now appeared that this had not been done; and a fearful sensation prevailed amongst the crowd, when the horrified servants discovered from one another that her ladyship was still in the burning mansion. All this I learnt in an infinitely shorter space of time than it has taken me to record; and I was seized with an enthusiastic spirit, prompting me desperately to risk my own lite to save that of a fellow-creature. “Which is her ladyship’s room?” I inquired, I a ae eee ee ee ee ee eS SS es Oe a eS ee Ee EE Ee EO O— spot, and every instant the conflagration grew brighter. As I hurried in that direction, the sudden thought flashed te my mind that it was the same | ua CORNICLO@ €s) (c@)