Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 183: what you’re looking at

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170 is the creature of impulses; and it is therefore possible he may exhibit a noble generosity a “At all events, lady,” I interjected, “he is bound to be submissive to his father’s will; and when he finds that the Count’s determination is fixed in a particular sense, he will see the inutility of offering any farther opposition. Rest assured that your noble parent will be enabled to give you some cheering intelligence on this subject when he visits your ladyship in the evening.” I then took my departure, and returned to my hotel—where I found Francesco Avellino awaiting my presence. I was now so overcome by exhaus- tion, after the excitement of the last few hours, that I was compelled at once to seek my couch: but Avellino sate by the side thereof, listening to all I had to impart relative to my interview with Antonia. I then enjoyed a sweet and refreshing sleep for several hours; and when [I awoke, I found Francesco still by my bedside. He re- mained with me until an advanced period of the night—paying me all possible attentions; and it was even with difficulty he could be persuaded to leave me at length to the care of the nurse, and return to his own home. I kept my bed throughout the following day ; and my medical attendant insisted that I should be left as tranquil as possible, for fear lest the excitement I had gone through should lead to evil consequences. Avellino visited me several times: but Saltcoats and the Dominie were rigidly excluded. I learnt that the Lady Antonia was so much better she was enabled to bear re- moval to the Tivoli palace, and that between two and three in the afternoon she had once more crossed the threshold of the paternal home. I was furthermore informed that the young Viscount had suddenly shown himself in the most amiable colours—and that of his own accord he had be- sought Avellino to fling a veil over the past. I need scarcely add that my generous-hearted friend gave a suitable response. On the following day I was so much better as to be enabled to receive the Dominie and Mr. Saltcoats—and likewise a visit from the Count and Viscount of Tivoli. The elder nobleman embraced me with as much affectionate warmth as if I were his son—declaring that I had proved an instru- ment in the hands of heaven, to bring back hap- piness into his house, and to open his eyes to the tyranny as well as the folly of the course he had previously pursued in respect to his daughter. The Viscount accosted me with an air of cordial frankness so evidently genuine that I could not possibly suspect its sincerity: and he expressed to me the same hope which he had already breathed to Avellino—namely, that whatsoever unpleasant belonged to the past might be forgiven and for- gotten. The two noblemen remained with me for about an hour; and when taking their departure, they expressed a hope that I should be well enough on the morrow to dine at the Tivoli palace,—the Count volunteering to send his carriage for me. Avellino came to me again in the evening: indeed, he evidently felt that he could scarcely display a sufficient friendly assiduity on my behalf. He told me that the Blanchards were placed, by the Count of Tivoli’s bounty, in a position of complete independence for the remainder of their lives; and a EE JOSEPH WILMOT ; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. day when obedient to the promptings of their own generous natures, they had shown kindness to one who at the time appeared to be an utterly un- friended young iady, but whose angel-presence had brought joy and bliss to them as the reward andas the result, “And now, my dear Wilmot,” said Francesco, “T cannot possibly help referring once more to the prophetic words which you uttered when you bade me recoliect that those incidents which at the time appear calamities, may prove in the long run to have been the means by which heaven works out its Own wise purposes. Your sufferings, my dear friend, have proved the source of all this happiness to me: the wound which you received in defence of Cardinal Gravina, was destined to serve as the talisman to that assent without which I never could have entered into the elysium of feeling which I now enjoy.” We conversed together for some time in this strain; and if it were somewhat a solemn one, ite was nevertheless fraught with satisfaction and hap- piness for us both. The next day my health was so considerably im- proved that I received the physician’s consent to accept the invitation to the Tivoli palace. The young Viscount called upon me, bringing fruits and flowers from his father’s conservatories ; and I failed not to recognise a feminine taste in the manner in which the bowguwets were arranged. It was a delicate tribute of Antonia’s gratitude; and I was delighted to learn from her brother that she was almost completely convalescent. Dominie Clackmannan and Mr. Salteoats entered my cham- ber while the young Viscount was with me: he immediately recognised them as the friends who had stood forward on my behalf during the exami- nation before the magistrate: he shook them both by the hand with a marked cordiality; and when they rose to leaye me, he accompanied them from the room. By a quarter to six o'clock my evening toilet was completed: but I was still compelled to retain my arm ina sling. A waiter announced that the Count of Tivoli’s carriage was in attendance; and on entering the chariot, I was infinitely astonished on finding two persons already installed there. But the phrase of “It’s just that,’ from the lips of one, and a boisterous peal of merriment from those of the other, left me not another instant in doubt who my companions were. It appeared that the young Viseount had most cordially pressed them to share with me the hospitalities of the Tivoli palace that evening; and this explanation of their presence in the carriage elicited another burst of merriment from the lips of Mr. Saltcoats, and reminded the Dominie of something he had said to the Widow Glenbucket, but which some- thing it turned out that he could not for the life of him remember. We arrived at the Tivoli palace; and I should observe that whereas Mr. Saltcoats was clothed all in gray on ordinary occasions, he was now dressed in a full costume of black; while the Dominie, in- stead of his gaiters, wore black silk stockings. We were conducted into a brilliantly lighted saloon, where we were cordially welcomed by the Count and his son. Avellino was likewise there; and the beauteous Antonia, looking infinitely better than I that they had therefore every reason to bless the ' could possibly have expected to find her, though oOo cS (C@)