Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 47: what you’re looking at

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834, JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. earnestly deprecating and full of pathetic en- | treaty. “Go up stairs again, I say! go up stairs!” he vociferated still more furiously. “JT am descending to the kitchen,” answered Annabel, meekly, “to fetch something for my poor dear mother.” “ By the powers of Satan, the girl defies me!” thundered forth the humpback: and his words were quickly followed by a blow. “Q father, father!’ murmured Annabel: and then she burst into tears. He had struck her !—the wretch had struck that saint-like girl! The blow not merely smote my ears, but likewise my heart: the spirit of a tiger was excited within me—I rushed to the door —I tore it open—I sprang upon Lanover at the very instant he was about to deal his daughter another blow—I dashed him to the ground: I had the strength of a thousand at that mstant. Annabel threw herself between me and her in- furiate sire, as he sprang up to his feet; and with passionate entreaties, she besought me to be calm and him not to hurt me. The servants came rush- ing up the kitchen stairs; and Mrs. Lanover, having thrown on a morning-wrapper, hurried down from her own chamber in wild affright, “Go to your room, sir—go to your room, Joseph, this instant!” vociferated the almost maddened humpbaek; and his words were aecom- panied with a terrible imprecation, “Yes, go—for heayen’s sake go, Joseph!” whispered Annabel, with a look of the most im- ploring entreaty: and her words were echoed by Mrs. Lanover. Reaction was already taking place in my own mind: I felt alarmed at what I had done,—and this was natural enough, considering my tender age. But still there was too much of my aroused spirit remaining to suffer me to proffer a syllable in the form of apology; and in a sort of half- | affrighted, half-sullen mood, E hegen to, ascend, the stairs. Mrs. Lanover, clinging in feebleness and terror to the railings, threw wpen mea look full of tender compassion ag I passed: it was evident that she could not be angry with me for what I had done, even though it was her own husband on whom I had inflicted personal chastisement. I glanced back, and beheld Annabel gazing after me in a similar manner. Every shade of sullenness vanished from my soul; and I burst into tears at the thought that these two amiable beings should be subject to the tyranny of such a ruffian. IT ascended to my own bed-chamber ; but not many moments had I been there, when I heard Mr. Lanover’s heavy footsteps tramping quickly up the staircase: and locking my door with a -yiolence indicating the furious rage that filled his soul, he drew forth the key. But he spoke not a word. TI listened at the door to hear whether he ‘purposed to vent his brutal spite upon his wife or daughter: the spirit of rebellion was again strong within me—and I had the settled resolution of bursting open that door and flying to their assist- ance, at the slightest. sound which should seem to fulfil my apprehensions. But all continued silent for upwards of a minute; and then the violent banging of the front-door of the house made me aware that Mr. Lanover had gone forth in a tower- ine passion. CHAPTER IX. FEMALE APPAREL. It was about two o’clock in the afternoon when I was thus consigned a prisoner to my own chamber. As‘for the captivity, I eared nothing about it: nor did I devote much thought in speculation as to ‘| what might possibly be the result of my rebellion against Mr. Lanover’s tyranny. Hot feelings were agitating within me: I was in a glow of’ rage and indignation at the treatment which Annabel had received. Her image—so ravishingly ingenuous, s0 angelically candid—was before me : methought I beheld her charming agure eyes looking with sweet melancholy into mine—me- thought that her countenance, surrounded with its bright hyperion locks, was gazing in melting tenderness upon me. I felt—or at least I fancied that I loved her as if she were a very, very dear sister: I did not then understand that it was a love of another species which had already taken root in my young heart. And, Oh! to think that this being of such ethereal beauty— that this charming girl, endowed with all the ingenuous eandour of fifteen, should be subjected to the brutal tyranny of qa despot father-—~there was something in the reflection that maddened me! So active was my brain—such a whirl of thoughts kept powring, eddying, and eircling in it--that I noticed not how time went by. I was in a state of feverish excitement that I had never known before: I felt that there was something to be done —hbut what it was I knew not—and if I did, had no power to execute it. It was most probably some desperate idea of liberating myself and earry- ing off Annabel and her mother: but my brain was too confused for calm deliberation or the adop- tion of a settled purpose. Thus some time passed away; and then I heard a gentle tap at the door, and Annabel’s sweet voice spake to me im consoling and encouraging words. I thanked her—TI blessed her—I besought her not to endanger her own peace and comfort on my account. She told me that her father had gone out; and she whisperingly added that she must not remain long at my door, as the servants would be sure to mention the incident to their master if they happened to become aware of it. When,she had gone, her sweet silyery tones appeared still to be echoing musically in my ears: it was a delicious harmony, as if angel-voices had been whispering to me from the spheres. Eyery now and then, as often as she dared, did Annabel come back to my door; and when I heard her light feet approaching and the gentle tap of her fair fingers, my heart thrilled with a sense of delicious ecstacy.. But hours passed on: evening came—and all this while Mr. Lanover remained absent.. He had taken the key with him; and there were no. means of con- veying to me any refreshment. , “© Joseph! are you not very, yery hungry ?” inquired poor Annabel, in a trembling voice, at each of the visits which she now paid, to the door: but I assured her that even if I had food in the room, I should not touch a morsel—for that I had no appetite: and I spoke truly. The dusk set in; and I heard the nearest church- elock at length proclaim the hour of ten. Almost 0)(0Y) Ss) (©) in