Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 36: what you’re looking at

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JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. how he was destined to be discovered. Duchess has however promised to do something for him: she dared not bring him back—and Fiorine is very wretched at being separated from her lover, And now, Joseph, I mean to give you a hint,—which is that the Duchess is dread- fully embittered against you. She considers it is entirely through you that Adolphe was detected by the Duke: and she will doubtless insist upon your discharge.” “Madame la Duchesse,” I responded, “ will thereby be only anticipating a resolve which I myself have formed: for I am determined, Amelie, not to remain longer than I can help beneath this roof,” The good-natured Amelie was about to make some observation, wken the bell of the Duchess’s boudoir rang; and she was compelled to hasten away. I descended the stairs; and meeting the Duke in the hall, just as he happened to enter, I delivered the message entrusted to me by Florine. He turned away, I saw that a cloud gathered upon the countenance of my noble master: but he spoke not a word, and at once proceeded to his wile’s apartments. , It was now about six o’clock in the evening; and feeling unwell and agitated after the exciting incidents of the day, as well as with the idea that a terrible scene was about to take place between two persons who at the altar had vowed to love and cherish each other,—I went out into the garden. It was now the month of August: the weather during the day had been oppressively sultry—but with the approach of evening a gentle breeze had sprung up, and it refreshed me. I walked for about an hour,—when I was joined by Amelie, who looked exceedingly pale and agitated: and she had evidently been weeping, for the tears were yet moist upon her cheeks. * Oh, Joseph!” she said, in a voice that indi- cated feelings profoundly stirred, “it was just as I thought !—a terrible scene has taken place !” She stopped and sobbed at the recollection of all she had heard and beheld, but after a little while she continued as follows :— “ Florine and I were with the Duchess when the Duke entered. His first words were to desire us both to leave the room: but the Duchess ordered us to stay—observing, in a bitter tone, that though Monsieur le Duc thought fit to dispose of the male dependants of her household according to his own will and pleasure, he dared not usurp the same right with regard to the females personally attached to her. Hereupon the Duke turned upon his heel, saying that he would visit Madame la Duchesse at a more suitable opportunity. Ah! Joseph, if you had seen the Duchess then !—it was like a tigress that she bounded towards the door—locked it—and retained the key in her hand. She then began overwhelming the Duke with reproaches,—accus- ing him of continuous infidelities towards her— justifying herself for employing whomsoever she chose to watch his actions—and vowing that un- less he made her all possible amends, she would remove altogether to her father’s dwelling. The Duke besought her to be calm and to hear him: the Duchess however desisted only from her re- proaches, upbraidings, and her threats, through sheer exhaustion. It was a very painful scene: I felt so agitated that 1 wept: but that hard-hearted The | o—— Se 23 wretch Florine seemed to rejoice in the manner in which Madame la Duchesse treated her hus- band.” “And what said the Duke?” I inquired; for I was somewhat curious to learn whether my own name was brought up on this occasion. “The Duke was deeply afilicted,’ continued Amelie: “ he spoke nervously and entreatingly, and yet with a sufficient degree of calmness to contrast | strikingly with the rage and violence into which the Duchess had worked herself up. He frankly admitted that he had visited Mademoiselle Ligny during his wife’s absence: but he declared, with every appearance of solemnity, that it was a mere friendship which subsisted between himself and that lady. He denied the right of the Duchess to institute an espial upon his proceedings: he said that it would be beneath the dignity of a husband to make any pledges in respect to matters which had come to his wife’s knowledge merely through that system of espial. He complained that her father had caused much mischief between them: but he wound up with the assurance that if mutual concessions were made, their happiness might yet be reconstructed. The Duchess indignantly de- manded what concessions he sought at her hands? He answered that he required a stop to be put to the interference of the Marshal—a solemn pledge to be given that the spy system should cease— the recall of the young Marquis, and a more leni- ent view than had been hitherto taken of his love for Mademoiselle Delacour. The Duchess insisted that as a preliminary to all amicable negotiations, the Duke should pledge himself by oath to re- nounce his acquaintance with Mademoiselle Ligny —and that inasmuch as Adolphe was discharged on account of being obnoxious to the Duke, you, Joseph, should be likewise discharged ‘as being ob- noxious to herself. The Duke took your part,— declaring that you had in no way offended: and then the violence of the scene was renewed. In the midst of it, however, it suddenly assumed a singular phase. The Duchess, walking straight up to her husband, said peremptorily, and with an access of calmness—but a calmness that was terri- ble and ominous—‘ One word in your ear !’—he Duke listened: the Duchess whispered for a few moments ; and then the Duke, turning very pale, murmured in a hollow voice, ‘Ah! you threaten me with that ?’—The Duchess retreated with an air of malignant triumph; and the Duke, after pacing the apartment in deep agitation for more than a minute, suddenly exclaimed, ‘I will think over it! This scene has already lasted too long: we have exposed ourselves too much: I beseech you, suffer me to retire,—The Duchess tossed the key to Florine, bidding her unlock the door; and the Duke went forth.” Here Amelie stopped; and I reflected on all she had just told me. Full well did I comprehend what it was that the Duchess had whispered in her husband’s ears: there could be no doubt it was a terrible threat of exposure in respect to that one fatal episode im -his life which had placed him so completely at the mercy of his imperious spouse. As for myself, I was determined that the stipula- tion insisted upon by the Duchess, should be as promptly complied with as the Duke might think fit: for I was prepared at an instant’s notice to leave the mansion. Amelie and I conversed for a im (E(@) Ghboo 6S (EO)