Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 354: what you’re looking at

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JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 341 threshold of the most important incident of my life. It is impossible that I can be mistaken! Were not my conjecture strictly correct—and were not Dorchester’s surmise exactly consistent with truth—all these preliminaries would not have been adopted by the Earl and Countess to prepare me for the final event. Ah! I was wrong to exhibit so much petulance when the subject of my perse- cutions was mentioned to me! I understand it all! One of the objects of these professional visits on the part of Olding and of Joyce was to discover the precise frame of my mind towards the Earl and Countess—to see whether I could really forgive the past, and whether I could even strive to forget it! Ob, could they doubt it?” I was now so agitated and so excited by the varied feelings which filled my soul, that I expe- rienced an absolute necessity for some vent for the emotions of my surcharged heart,—some means of infusing calmness into my mind. [ at first thought of walking out into the streets to while away a few hours: but I felt that the din and bustle of Lon- don would only add to the turmoil of my soul; and I accordingly sate down and penned a letter to the Count of Livorno, in answer to a very kind one which I had that morning received from his lord- ship. I explained to him the full particulars of these two visits which I had received, and which I regarded as the preliminaries to the crowning in- terview which was to take place at five o’clock in the evening. I assured his lordship that'I now felt certain I was at length standing upon the threshold of the elucidation of all past mysteries ; and I promised to write again on the morrow and ~ communicate whatsoever might have occurred. Having finished my letter—and now feeling myself much more calm than I previously was—I walked forth to take it to the post, in order that I might have an object for this ramble. The reader may however be well assured that I returned to the hotel somewhile before five o’clock, to be in readi- ness there for the appointment to which I attached so solemn an importance. The clock was striking five when the waiter entered my apartment, and introduced a gentle- man whom he announced as Mr. Granby. He might be about fifty years of age—somewhat stout — with an exceeding red. face, showing myriads of little purple veins beneath the skin, as if the generous port-wine to which he was attached had secreted itself there. He wore gold spectacles; and his small green eyes—somewhat bleared —twinkled through the glasses. Like Messrs. Olding and Joyce, he was dressed in black: but instead of having a white cravat, he had a black neckcloth, somewhat negligently tied. He came with a sort of half-gilding, half-rolling gait into the room; and first making me what I thought a somewhat obsequious bow, he said, “I believe I have the honour of speaking to Mr. Wilmot ?” I answered in the affirmative. “ Mr. Joseph Wilmot ?” continued Mr. Granby, accentuating the Christian name. Again I replied in the affirmative; and I was trembling with a nervous suspense, for fear lest some further delay should intervene ere I was conducted to the Earl of Eccleston, “You expected me, Mr. Wilmot?” resumed my Visitor inquiringly. . “ Yes—I was prepared to receive you. And you are come to take me to the Harl of Hccles- ton?” I said. “Just so,’ rejoined Mr. Granby. “ My car- riage is waiting at the door; andif you will ac- company me es “Oh, at once!” I joyfully ejaculated, snatching up my hat and gloves. We descended the stairs together; and on emerging from the hotel, I perceived a handsome equipage stationed at the door. The coachman and footman were dressed in elegant liveries ; and the carriage was drawn by a superb pair of horses. Mr. Granby made me enter first ; and I found an- other person seated inside. He appeared to be a strong, powerfully built individual, of about forty —plainly but respectably dressed—though by his looks I could scarcely take him for a gentleman. “Tt is merely a friend of mine,” said Mr. Granby as he followed me into the carriage. The footman having closed the door, leaped up to his seat by the coachman’s side; and the equi- page drove off. It proceeded along Holborn and entered Oxford Street,—Mr. Granby keeping up an incessant discourse the while, which however he had almost completely to himself—for I was too much occupied with my own thoughts to be in- terested in his common-place remarks; and as for his friend on the other seat, he appeared tobe of a taciturn disposition, contenting himself with now and then interjecting a brief comment. I threw myself back in the carriage, and exerted all my power to lull the agitation ef my feelings and pre- pare myself thoroughly for the expected interview. The equipage rolled rapidly’along until at length T began to think that it had missed the proper turning from Oxford Street towards Manchester Square; and I glanced forth from the window. On the left I beheld the railings of Hyde Park ; and I said to Mr. Granby, “ Your coachman is going wrong, sir: this is not the way to Manches- ter Square !” “Ah! I forgot, my dear sir, to mention,” was Mr. Granby’s response, “that the interview is to take place at my house that of a mutual friend, you know because, as the matter is a delicate one, it was deemed expedient to make this arrange- ment.” “Have we far to go?” I inquired, being full of a nervous impatience, notwithstanding my endea- vours to lull the tumult of my emotions. “A very little way farther,” replied Mr. Granby, —adding, “ My house is at Bayswater.” ‘And the Earl will be there P” I asked. “ Most certainly,” responded Mr. Granby. “ He is anxiously waiting ‘ «“ And the Countess ?” I said in alow tremulous voice. “ Her ladyship will likewise be there,” was the rejoinder. | In a few minutes Bayswater was reached ; and the equipage turned to the right, into a road diverging from the main thoroughfare. On either side there was a range of newly built villas: then there was an unoccupied space for about a hundred yards—and then the carriage stopped at a gate in a wall evidently enclosing spacious grounds and premises. The footman, leaping down from the box, rang the bell—the folding leaves of the gate were at once thrown open—and the equipage turned aE a EIS Re ee ee a ee ee Lee | eCoOmicooolks (CO) im