Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 209: what you’re looking at

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— m ee re ltt hetsensstenseeSioussienenenansnhashsenstaasstsnnsseslil) txttiesmascgusntithe- | 196 “T complied with his request; and on the fol- lowing day remitted to Magliano the money for which he had asked me. That is all I know. And if, Joseph,’ added the nobleman, in a grave, seri- ous voice, “I have given you these explanations, it is with a hope of disabusing your mind com- pletely of the idea that I have any farther con- nexion with Mr. Lanover than you are now aware of.” IT had studied the Earl’s countenance while he spoke, but had detected nothing to make me doubt his sincerity; and I reflected profoundly for a few moments without making any observation. It was at Magliano that Lanover had met Dorchester : the name of the Earl of Eccleston was certainly men- tioned between them—but it might really after all have been only in reference to the remittance made to that town by his lordship. That the Earl could have any interest in forwarding the humpback’s nefarious designs with regard to Sir Matthew Heseltine, could scarcely be imagined; and if therefore his Jordship had no intention to renew his persecutions against me, it was tolerably evident that the tale of his accidental meeting and of the money-business with Lanover, might be substan- tially correct. “Are you satisfied now, Joseph?” asked the Earl: “will you not believe that however strong your prejudices may be against me on account of the past, yet that for the present and likewise for the future I can only wish you well, in- stead fs He stopped short; and I answered, “ Yes, my lord—I do most sincerely wish to persuade myself that all you have been telling me is in strictest accordance with truth !” “Ah! you wish to think well of me if you can ?”’ said the nobleman in tremulous accents ; and it appeared as if at the instant he was speak- ing involuntarily. “But tell me,” he hastily added, “how is it that I find you in a position so different—so improved the very position in- deed, in which I could have most wished to find you P” “Tam not without kind friends in the world, my lord,” I answered: and then, as a variety of strange feelings and vague undefinable ideas—but feelings and ideas which were far from strange to me, for I had often and often experienced them before since my encounter with the Ecclestons in Florence,—as these, I say, arose within me .in tumultuous agitation, I exclaimed, “ Oh, my lord! are the mysteries which surround me never, never to be cleared up? Ob, why does not that word of revelation which something tells me might be uttered by your lips—why is that word not spoken ?” At the instant I first broke forth in this paroxysm of yehement utterance, the Earl of Eecleston had turned deadly pale—a_ strong tremor had visibly shaken his entire form—and he had gazed upon me with an air which I can only describe as one of perfect consternation. But never did calm more suddenly succeed a storm—never did a perfect lull more quickly take the place of a sweeping squall, than was the re- covery of the nobleman’s sclf-possession. His look became severely cold; and he said in a cor- responding tone, “It is not the first time I have found myself compelled to assure you, Mr. Wil- a ne rr tt ne ee 8 re te Sr gt OE Fi er ge Et BED ey SST re JOSEPH WILMOT ; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. mot, that you are labouring under some strange delusion.” A sensation of disappointment seized upon me —a sad and sickening one—plunging me all in a moment into deepest dejection and despondency ; and the Earl, taking my hand, said in a voice that had changed again—for it was once more tremu- lous,— Nevertheless, Joseph, I sincerely wish you well Believe me, indeed I do!” “Thank you, my lord,” I faintly replied,— “thank you!” Then as a sudden reminiscence struck me, I said, “ Permit me to inquire re- specting the welfare of Mr. and Mrs. Howard: for never, never can I forget the kindness I expe- rienced from the latter, when, as a poor miserable outcast, I found a home at her father’s mansion, and when she was still Miss Edith Delmar.” “Mr. and Mrs. Howard,” responded the Earl, in a grave voice, “ are well, rich, and prosperous.” “Rich and prosperous?” I exclaimed, all my own former feeling of dejection being suddenly absorbed in a sense of sincerest joy at this an- nouncement. Yes,” rejoined the Earl—and methought that he now eyed me in a very peculiar as well as somewhat furtive manner; “ Mr. and Mrs. Howard are in possession of Delmar Manor. I made the estate over to them shortly after my accession to the title and property of Eccleston.” I was just on the point of ejaculating, “Thank heaven! the deceased Mr. Delmar’s original in- tentions, as I heard them expressed in the library at the Manor, are thus more than fulfilled !’”—but I checked myself in time, and merely gave utter- ance to an expression of joy that the Rev. Henry Howard and his amiable Edith should have at length been placed in a position of such affluence. “Yes,” continued the Earl; “ when my brother’s death gave me riches, it was my care as well as my pleasure to enable my sister-in-law and her husband to partake of my prosperity. And not only did I make over to them the Delmar estate, but likewise a considerable sum of ready money. I know that from sentiments of gratitude you are interested in everything which concerns Mr. and Mrs. Howard; and therefore I am happy at having had an opportunity of making you ac- quainted with these particulars.” | I could not help thinking that there was a cer- tain strange significancy in the accents and the looks of the Earl of Eccleston as he thus spoke: but I knew not how to account for it, unless by regarding it as an affectation of the best and kindest feelings towards Mr. Howard and Edith,— though from a few things I had heard on previous occasions, as the reader will recollect, my mind had retained the impression that the young clergyman and his wife had experienced little reason to esti- mate the friendship or affection of their relatives at a very hich value. But then methought that if the Earl and Countess had altered their demeanour, however tardily, towards Mr. and Mrs. Howard, the old adage of “better late than not at all” would powerfully apply. ; “ Again I wish you well, Joseph,’ said the Earl of Eccleston; “and again I assure you, in the most solemn, sacred manner, that never will I seek to injure a hair of your head! Did you not save the life of the Countess? And can I—can she forget it” ElOOQO) <S (©)