Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 329: what you’re looking at

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

316 JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIR§& OF A MAN-SERVANT. Listen—and I will tell you a tale which trans- cends every thing ever imagined by the writer of the wildest fictions.” I then proceeded to explain to the Count of Livorno every thing that had taken place during the past night; and I need hardly say that he at first listened to me with an expression of counte- nance which showed that he was still far from being satisfied that my brain was not turned. But when he perceived the seriousness of my manner, the consistency of my narrative, and the lucidity —the painful lucidity with which I proceeded in all the details, he could no longer doubt the truth of the amazing history, nor question the sanity of, him who was thus relating it. For several minutes after I had concluded he sate speechless:—he him- self experienced a consternation—a dismay—a sense of horror almost as great as what I myself had felt when witnessing the tremendous drama of the past night. “Now at least, my lord,” I said, “there is no necessity for me to remain any longer in this villa ?” “No, my dear friend,” replied the Count. “It appears to me that you have two things now to do —and in both of which I will assist you to the utmost of my power. The first is to see Dorches.- ter and ascertain how far we can influence his mind: the second is to institute a search after the Earl of Eccleston and Lanover—doth, if they be torether—each if they be separate; and with the knowledge of this astounding secret, some good may possibly be effected. Ah! and a thought strikes me!” continued the Count of Livorno. “From all that you have told me at different times, it is evident that the Countess of Eccleston is acquainted with her husband’s secrets, and is no stranger to the motives of his mysterious proceed- ings in respect to yourself. If it were possible for you to obtain an interview with her ladyship— alone—and when she is not under her husband’s coercive influence—you might by the possession of this wondrous, this awful secret of the cemetery, so work upon her mind as to elicit all that you re- quire to know.” I thanked the Court for his excellent advice; and then I said to him, “ But what in reference to the incidents of last night ?” “J think, Wilmot,” answered his lordship, “that I shall be best consulting your views and interests by regarding all that drama as a pro- found secret. Nevertheless, there is one course which we might adopt,” continued the Count thoughtfully ; “and this is to ascertain whether the gaol-surgeon can give any additional particu- lars that may be at all serviceable to us. You say that the medical man who resuscitated Lan- over last night, was tall and slender, about six- and-twenty years of age 4 “Yes—so far as I could judge amidst the horror and amazement, the wonder and the suspense, which held me enthralled upon the spot.” We continued to deliberate some little while longer; and when the Count rose to take his de- parture, I said to him, “ Let us walk together into the cemetery. The tale I have told you is so astounding that there may still be more or less incredulity floating in your brain 7 “Think you, my dear Joseph,” interrupted the Count, “that though I might have been incredu- lous at first, yet that if I had not ended by be- lieving you, I should have sate down to deliberate thus seriously on the various courses which ought to be pursued P” “To tell you the truth, my dear Count,” IT said, “for my own satisfaction’s sake I should like to walk into the cometery. All the time that we have been discussing these affairs, I have hada sensation half-stupefying, half-bewildering, as if I were speculating on the vague phases of a dream —as if I were striving and straining to give shape and substance to the mere shadowy outlines of a vision! Therefore it would be satisfactory to me to assure myself that it was all a reality—to dis- cover some signs of my midnight visit to that cemetery—and likewise some evidences of the fact that all I beheld was not the horrible phantasm of somnambulism.” * For these reasons,” said the Count, “and not for any incredulity on my own part, we will visit the cemetery.” We accordingly walked forth together; and first of all I distinguished what appeared to be the. break in the hedge where I had forced a passage through into the pauper-ground. As we skirted the diverging hedge, which separated this ground from the criminal compartment adjoining, I could discern many footprints upon the grass; and these exactly fitted my own steps. We reached the spot where the tree of emerald verdure shadowed the grave: but on looking over the hedge there was not the slightest indication that the turf had been disturbed. At this I felt somewhat staggered : but the Count of Livorno et once said, “ Rest assured, my dear Wilmot, that the sextons for their own sake would not have quitted the spot until they had restored its surface to its former condition.” A short circuitous walk brought us into the criminal division of the cemetery; and'we ap- proached the place where I had beholden the tre- mendous incidents of the past night. The turf was all flat and uniform above the grave: but it had recently been watered—for the damp now showed itself upon our boots. The sun was shining brightly; and as I contemplated the scene, my eye caught a glimpse of something glittering amongst the grass. I picked it up: it was a sur- gical instrument. “Ah!” I ejaculated: “this must have dropped out of the medical man’s pocket-case last night! I am glad I have found it:—it is to my mind an evidence that all I beheld was a reality !” We walked away from the spot; and crossing the criminal division of the cemetery, we bent our steps towards the gate by which it was entered from the lane. Just as we reached that gate, we perceived a gentleman advancing along the lane for the direction of Florence. “Tt is the surgeon!” said the Count quickly: “this is most opportune! Give me that instru- ment. He speaks French I remember that he does: for I have some little knowledge of him. IL will address him in that language in order that you may fully understand what passes.” The surgeon had been advancing with rapid steps when first we caught sight of him: but on perceiving us he slackened his pace—no doubt with the hesitation of a guilty conscience, which made him tremble to proceed lest he should ex- COMmiclaoolks (GO)