The Soldier's Wife — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

‘ 04 THE SOLDIER’S WIFE “But, Lucy, this is really too ridiculous—” |sake of this lear innocent, I beseech you & “ Begone, sir! or you will compel me to sum-|ealm yourself !” Men assistance.” “I will, | will, Lucey,” he responded, sittin “No, no—you will not make such a fool of down and taking bis son upon his knees. “B yourself.” now, tell me all that occurred,” “Mr. Redburn, for the last time I command Luey at once frankly told her husband how you to be gone. At any risk, | will not for an-|she had met Gerald Redhube at about nine Other instant tolerate your presence. I will|o’clock in the morning—what he had said te alarin the house!” her—-how he had just now penetrated to her “Nonsense, Lucey! you are too good for ajchamber—and what had then taken plaee, soldier’s wife ; and aus [ told you just now, I will] While she spoke, she saw that Lonsdale left make a lady of you.” off fondling the echild—that a dark cloud “This is too much!” ejaculated Lucey: and|lowered over his features—that his brows be- she sprang towards the door. ‘ame knit, his lips compressed, and his whole “By heaven you are superbly handsome!” {form quivering with a spasmodic sensation, eried Gerald, maddened with passion; and he!Again did she beseech and implore that he threw his arms round her waist. would cali his excitement, both for her sake She struggled against him, and sneceeded in{and that of his son. He promised that he escaping trom his | hold ; then tearing open the/would; but for the rest of the time they were door, she screamed for assistance. But at the toy gotner that day, she could not help noticing same instant her husband came rushing up the t his looks frequently assumed that ominous staircase ; and bursting into the room, compre- faa which had been wont to terrify her, and hended it all at once. that he likewise relapsed into his old fits of “ Bex xone, sir—dep: irt henee!” he exel: uimed, moody abstraction. She slept but little during in a furious passion: “or all officer though you|the night that followed: for there was now be, I will kick you iguominiously down the /once again a presentiment of approaching evil stairs. in poor Luey’s heart. “Do you know, fellow, to whom you are Several weeks elapsed after this incident, salking ?” demanded Gerald, drawing himself;without any other worthy of narration. But up with matchless effrontery. Frederick had lost his good spirits again, “Yes—to an unprincipled scoundrel!” replied |Oftener and oftener came back the cloud to his Frederick ; and clenching his fist, he quickly|countenance: more frequently did his moods added, “ Begone, sir—or I shall cease to be|of abstraction return. | Lucy grew more and master of myself.” more alarmed; and she resolved at length to “ You shall smart for this, you rascal!” ejacu-/speak to him very seriously on the subject. lated Redburn: but fearful ‘of summary chas-| “My dearest husband,” she said one day, tisement, he hastened down the stairs ; and by|placing herself upon his knee, and throwing the threats which he kept on muttering as he/her arm round his neck; “there is semething passed by the landlady, she was made coin-|/preying upon your mind. Do make me your pletely to comprehen that her transitory sus-|contidante.” | picion of Lucy’s impropriety was utterly un-| ‘Oh, Lucy!” he eried, with a sudden out- founded. burst of excitement, as if feelings long pent up “QO Frederick!” eried Lucey, flinging herselfj/now forced for themselves an issue; “I have into her husband’s arms the moment Gerald had|eadeavored as much as possible to keep my left the room; “ what will be the consequence|sorrows from you—but I can conceal them no of this? Have eH laid yourself open to any-|longer !” thing he may do ?”—and there was mortal an-| “ What do you mean, Frederick?” asked guish i in her voice and looks. Luey, frightened and dismayed. “There can be no immediate consequences,| “I mean, my beloved wite, that I am endur- dearest Lucy,” replied Lonsdale, “ because hejing in my regiment the tortures of perdition: daies not make known what has taken place.|I mean that 1 am ae to such a series of Compose yourself.” persecutions from the young fiend Redburn, “Oh! it is you that must compose yourseif, [that my patience 1s exhausted! Whenever I my beloved husband; for I perceive that youjhappen to cross his path and no one else is are much agitated.” nigh, he mutters ‘ Dog,’ or ‘ Scoundrel,’ or flin ) Lucy, Is it not sufficient to drive us to de- at me some other goading taunt. When on spair?” exclaimed Frederick, dashing his open/guard, if he be the officer on duty, everything palm foreibly against his forehead. “To think lis wrong with me. I am slovenly-—or I am that this villain should dare violate the sanctity |unsoldier-like—or I am not quick enough in of your chamber—and that lam at the merey|my movements But heaven only knows of a wretch such ashe! Oh, the accursed|the thousand and one petty tyrannies that I shackles which | feel fastened upon every|have to endure! I feel that 1 shall go mad, limb !—scarcely able to protect my own beloved|Lucy—I shall go mad !” wife from outrage and insult!” “Oh! my dearest husband, for heaven’s sake “Frederick, dear Frederick—for heaven’s|tranquillize yourself!"—and the affectionate sake cali this terrible excitement :”—and Lucy |wife put into requisition all her tenderest en- lavished upon him the tenderest caresses.|dearments and most winning ways to soothe “There!” she suddenly ejaculated, snatching] rederick’s excitement. ap their child who had waked up; and bring-| “ You are an angel, my beloved!” he s ng the boy to its father, she added, “ For the|straining her to his breast: “but not even mn Gomilebooks = ~