Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

mee eee eee es ees reese eee ee errr Oe eee s—_—_0_0_0080 0 SS eee ne ees aa reese JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 55 lounging attitude, and with his back towards me. added, “ you must swear to keep the secret until The next instant the heavy hilt of the cutlass de- | it shall be no longer necessary to retain it.” scended upon his head; and he fell forward with *“T cannot take such an oath!” IL answered; only a low moan. My knee was upon his back | for I felt it to be my imperious duty to make quick as the eye can wink: but he moved not, be- | Olivia aware, if we did indeed escape together, yond a slight spasmodic quivering. I turned him | that her love was conferred upon a bandit—or at round, and thrust my kerchief into his mouth. | least upon the associate of banditti. Then, with the utmost celerity, I bound him hand; “Then all is lost!’ rejoined Volterra—not with and foot; and according to the instructions I had| rage nor passion—but with a look and tone so . yeceived, dragged him round the next angle of the deeply desponding, so full of an ineffable despair, building, depositing him in the midst of some} that for the moment I was smitten with com- long rank grass. I waited for a few moments to | passion towards him. assure myself that he was not dead: for though I| ‘And wherefore should all be lost?” I asked. really need not have stood on any squeamish punc- |“ You must have good feelings, or you would tilio with the bandit, I was nevertheless averse to | not undertake all this for the rescue of that have his death upon my conscience. Having con- | lady vinced myself that he was only stunned, I hastened| “Good feelings!’ he echoed: and an expression back towards the spot where I had left my com- | of loftiness swept over his countenance. “If you panion ; and quickly informed him that everything | did but know me—if you did but understand me— had been done in pursuance of his instruc- | if you could but read this heart of mine, you would tions. not for another instant hesitate to comply with my It appeared that the sentinel had been posted at | request. But every moment is precious—precious a door deeply set in a Gothic arch; and this door} as gold! The robbers are banqueting—but if the my unknown companion at once opened—for it | time for relieving the sentinel should arrive was not locked. He led me across the threshold | Oh!” he abruptly exclaimed, “will you not put into a place where utter darkness prevailed, but | faith in a man who is giving you every proof of which by the odour and by the sounds of animals | those good feelings by which you have appealed to moving, I at once knew must be the banditti’s| him? On my soul, I am not what I seem!” stables. My companion having the materials for| While he was thus speaking, uproarious shouts producing a light about him, a match was applied | of merriment from some other part of the building to a candle in a lantern suspended to the ceiling; | reached our ears. and he bade me lose no time in saddling and; “QOh,if in his drunken madness Uberti should bridling a particular horse which he indicated. | take it into his head to perpetrate an atrocity !” While I was thus engaged, he made a rapid sur- | exclaimed Volterra, with such ineffable anguish de- vey of the other steeds,—there being perhaps fif- | picted upon his countenance, that I, but too well teen or sixteen in all; and having selected one/| catching his meaning, shuddered from head to which either by its appearance or from previous | foot. knowledge he judged most fitted for the service it| “There is one condition!” I said, as an idea had to perform, he caparisoned the animal with a | suddenly struck me. lady’s side-saddle and with a light bridle: for I “Name it! name it!” he vehemently ejaculated : should observe that in one corner of this spacious | but still this hasty colloquy was carried onina place, which had evidently at one time been the | tone scarcely above a whisper. entrance-hall of the castellated edifice, there was a *T will take the oath—and I will keep it,” was space boarded off for a harness-room, and where | my response, “so long as I am in a condition to there was a miscellaneous assortment of all such | have the certainty that you will not again see materials. Miss Olivia Sackville——” When the two horses were caparisoned, my un- “From what I have learnt,” interrupted An- known friend was leading the one which he had! gelo Volterra, “ your master Captain Raymond got ready towards the door, when his hat came in | intends to winter at Florence—as do also the contact with the lantern: it fell off, carrying away | Ringwold family. You will therefore be en- his mask with it—and to my indescribable aston- | abled to watch whether I violate the condition ishment I recognised Angelo Volterra. So im-,| which you impose. And that condition I ac- mense was my amazement that I gave vent to an| cept it! Hear me then swear that never again ejaculation: he clutched me forcibly by the arm—= | will I seek the presence of the Ringwold family and his face, naturally of a dusky tint, was now | unless enabled to do so under circumstances that pale even to ghastliness with his emotions. | will allow me to explain all that must be so darkly “Hush! for heaven’s sake hush!” he said.) mysterious in your eyes!” “And now that you know me, you must swear; ‘And FE on the other hand,” I now unhesi- not to betray me.” tatingly said, “as solemnly swear that I will * Good God!” I ejaculated, but in a low voice: | not breathe your name in a manner that shall pre- “was it you that gave the information which led | judice you in the opinion of any one.” to the attack e “T confide in your honour !” exclaimed Volterra, “No—ten thousand times no!” exclaimed Vol- | grasping my hand and pressing it with enthusiasm. terra, his cheeks now flushing with every appear- ; “There is so much frankness in your looks—so ance of the haughtiest indignation. “Think you | much genuine honesty in your countenance—that that if I had been so vile But enough! You|I believe you, and my mind is atease. Now let must swear that you will not even breathe to a| us lead forth these animals.” living soul the name of him who succoured you} Volterra put on his hat, which the lantern had this night, and who through you purposes to effect | knocked off: but the mask he consigned to his the flight of Olivia Sackville. Or at least,” he|pocket—and therefore I saw that he had all CORNICE OO S (SO)