Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

—_—_~_— JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAW-SERVANT. _ He once more pressed my hand, and then hur- ried from the room,—leaving me to reflect upon all that had thus occurred between us. Not many minutes, however, had I for such meditation : for the door soon opened, and Cosmo made his appear- ance. “The Earl and Countess of Eccleston are be- neath this roof,” I at once said. “T know it, sir,” responded Cosmo, in his usual quiet manner ; “and I was about to communicate the intelligence. They arrived during my absence with the little presents for Captain Notaras.” “ Yes—and I have seen the Earl,” I resumed; “and I am almost confident—indeed I am com- completely certain that his lordship is no¢ leagued in the present instance with Lanover.” “ Did you voluntarily seek an interview with this nobleman ?” inquired Cosmo authoritatively. “f did. It was absolutely necessary that I should ascertain without delay 4 “Well, sir,’ interrupted the Italian coldly, “you are the best judge as to the amount of faith to be put in Lord Eccleston’s word: for I myself know nothing of him. If you are satisfied, so much the better: it is all your affair—not mine. But permit me to observe that if through this pro- ceeding on your part any evil should arise * “Enough, Cosmo!” I ejaculated somewhat im- patiently. “As a general rule I shall not act without your counsel and assistance: but it may happen that circumstances will arise, as in the present case, to afford me an opportunity of obtaining peculiar information by myself. Did you see Captain Notaras?” ‘I did, sir,” answered Cosmo; “ andin his own blunt sailor-like fashion he expressed his thanks for the presents you sent him.” “Did he seem to be aware that I had visited his ship ?” I inquired. “He knew it,” was the Italian’s answer: “ but he said little more than simply to ask what you thought of it? I assured him, sir, that you were greatly delighted | “And did you add,” I exclaimed, “that I sincerely hoped we were not guilty of any obtru- sive indiscretion 9 *T did not think it worth while, sir, to touch upon the point,” answered Cosmo; “inasmuch as Captain Notaras himself did not appear to attach any importance to the proceeding.” Cosmo then retired from my apartment; and I plunged again into my reflections. The longer I thought of what had taken place between myself and the Earl of Eccleston, the more was I satisfied that he had really nothing to do with Lanover’s present proceedings. I had not forgotten how emphatically the Earl had denounced Dorchester as @ villain when I placed in his lordship’s hand the abstracted leaf of the Enfield register; and I could not therefore easily suppose that the Earl would now make use of Dorchester as a tool, or that he could be mixed up with any affair in which that man was concerned. I therefore came to the conclusion that the Earl of LEccleston’s name had been mentioned by the delectable pair, in the ruin near Magliano, simply in allusion to the pecuniary remittance made to that town. Other ideas—but more vague and indistinct—of quite a different character and relative to far different subjects—came stealing in unto my 197 mind; and they occupied my attention until the | arrival of the hour at which I usually retired to rest. It was a little before eleven o’clock when I sought my bed-chamber: and slumber stole in upon me in the midst of my reflections. I had been thinking of the mystery which hung over my birth —I had been wondering whether the cloud of this | mystery would ever be dispersed—and whether it were destined for me to be ever clasped in the arms of parents: and I have no doubt that these medita- tions which I had pursued when awake, imparted their complexion to my dreams. In those visions it appeared as if a female form bent over me as LE (lay slumbering there—that she murmured fond endearing words—that her lips touched my cheek lightly, as if in fear of awaking me-~and that still more lightly upon that cheek fell a tear-drop from her eye. Methought that this continued for some minutes—I mean that the female form continued thus long bending over me: but I could not distin- guish her countenance—there was a general though vague impression in my mind that it was a beau- tiful one—such an impression as was peculiar to dreams, and which appeared to have no positive reason for its existence, inasmuch as not one single feature of the countenance itself could I distinguish. Then all in an instant it appeared as if the countenance touched my own again—the kiss was imprinted with a more perceptible warmth upon my cheek—and it was not one tear-drop only, but several that fell upon my face. I started up, wildly extending my arms to clasp the form of one who it seemed to me had a maternal right thus to lavish her endearments upon me, stealthily bestowed in the deep midnight though they were : but these arms of mine only embraced the empty air. The chamber was involved in deep obscurity: yet it seemed to me as if for a moment I caught the fluttering of some white drapery, ‘and that as it disappeared the sound of the door gently closing reached my ear. I was all so bewildered that I sate up motion- less in bed; and at least a minute elapsed ere I thought of springing forth and hastening to the door. I looked out into the passage—all was dark and all was silent. I had the means in the room of procuring a light; and with the aid thereof I consulted my watch. It was one o’clock in the morning. I returned to my bed, powerfully ex- cited; and I said to myself, “ Could it have been a mere vision ? was it indeed all a dream ?” | I lay meditating. On the one hand my mind suggested that it was really naught but a dream: on the other a secret voice appeared to be whisper- ing in my soul that it was all stamped with reality. “And yet how foolish!’ I said to myself. “ Was it not natural that the subjects on which I had been thinking, should give their tone and expression to my dreams?—and is it not ridicu- lous on my part thus suddenly to grasp at the ‘visions of the night as substantial facts? And yet—and yet that fluttering of the drapery— that sound of the door gently epg the moisture too which I felt upon my cheeks! But no! I myself might have beep weeping in my slumber Alas! I fear that it was all the imagination! Nevertheless - But I will not trouble the reader with any more of the reflections, so varied and conflicting, Giyoo SS (CO) im