The Soldier's Wife — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

THE SOLDIER’S WIFE. 175 had finished telling us about that reprobate— pale countenance and strange looks of the Rev. what’s his name ?” “Frederick Lonsdale you mean,” said Gerald, returning tv his seat, “Have you heard the news, Mr. Arden ?” “ Yes,’ replied the clergyman. indeed heard that-——that the unfortunate man 7 -“ Tas been condemned to death,’ added Ge- raid, finishing the sentence for the clergyman, who appeared to stammer so that he was ut- terly ata loss for words to finish it for himself. Put scarcely had Captain Redburn — thus époken, when Aunt Jane sprang up from the Window-recess with a wild and terrific cry as if seized with the pangs of some mortal agony ; and advancing three or four steps towards her nephew, with an expression of diabolic fury in her countenance, she all ina moment dropped senseless upon the carpet, as if shot through the heart. Sir Archibald,—who, as we stated on a former occasion, was the only one in the family that had any regard for Aunt Jane,— sprang forward and lifted her up; while Lady Redburn alinost tore down the bell-pull in sum- mouing assistance. : “She is dead—or she is dying,—all sense has “T—_-[ have I mean that Mr. Arden. This gentleman, having somewhat recovered from that consternation into which Aunt Jane’s thrilling shriek and immediately ensuing swoon had thrown him, had risen fron his seat with the air of a man whe struggles to throw off a sense of terror or other oppression which is on him: but his features were still deadly pale—his eyes were wild — and _ his entire aspect denoted a mighty inward trouble. “Why, what als you, Arden?’ exclaimed Sir Archibald: “are you going to be ill too ?” “lam sure it was enough to frighten Mr. Arden, or any one else out of his wits,” said Lady Redburn. “For my part, it has made me so Dervous and ill, [ don’t know what to do,” “Nervous and ill!’ observed Gerald; “it was enough to make the devil nervous and ill, ‘For my part, I shall go and take a turn in the grounds and smoke a cigar: for, as you may suppose, | am not very anxious to meet old Col) cinth. Though I have all along declared, and shall ever persist in declaring that hig daughter is as innocent as an angel so far as I ani concerned, yet I know very well the Coly- ciuths regard me as the cause of all that trouble aud exposure—or whatever they eall it; and so abandoned her!” exclaimed Sir Archibald, as 1 shall get out of the way while the doctor is he carried his sister to a sofa, burn, my dear, come and attend to her—Ge- rald, get some water salts, Arden quick, quick !” But the rector moved not from his chair: his countenance was ghastly white—he seemed stricken with consternation and dismay—and he gazed in strange vacancy upon the inani- mate form of Miss Redburn, whom her brother had ‘placed upon the sofa. At this moment several dumestics, alarmed by the furious peal- ing of the bell, rushed into the room; and amongst them was Miss Redburn’s own maid. She saw that her mistress was in a deep and dangerous swoon, and at once entreated that medical assistance might be summoned. She aud another female servant administered resto- ratives: but they produded no effect; and they accordingly decided upon conveying Miss Red- burn up to her own chamber, where they might loosen or take off her garments, and at all events be less constrained in the treatment that was requisite. But again did Miss Redburn’s maid enjvin that medical assistance should be sum- moned. “ Yes—we must send for a do¢étor,” cried Sir Archibald, as his sister was being borne from the room. “ Paul,” he added, addressing one of the footmen, “run down into the village and fetch up Colycinth” “Colycinth, my dear?” said Lady Redburn, “Can you think of such a thing after all that bas taken place ?’—and she glanced significantly towards her son: fur be it remembered that Mrs. Davis, the bailiffs wife, was Mr. Colycinth’s daughter. “No matter, my dear!” exclaimed the Baronet impatiently: “my sister cannot be suffered to die for want of medical aid. Kun, Paul—run, and fegch up Mr. Colyeinth direcy.” Paul and the other male domestics quitted the rvom; aud now Sir Archibald notice, the “ Lady Red- here.” Having thus spoken in his usual flippant man- hand me that bottle of ner, Captain Kedburn left the apartment; and lighting a cigar, he strolled forth into the garden in order to avoid the chance of meeting Kitty Davis’s father. : We must here inform the reader that Mr, Colycinth was not the regular medical attendant at the Manor House, It happened that both Sir Archibald and Lady Redburn enjoyed excellent health, and seldom required any medical aid at all: but when they did, a physi- ‘cian was fetched from Middleton. On some occasions Mr, Colycinth had been called in to attend any of the servants who might happen to be ill: but these instances were likewise rare —and wheu they did occur, the village surgeon recelved no more attention or civility at the Barovuet’s mansion than any tradesman who calied there ou business. ‘The reader has been already informed that the Colycinths were not considered to be good enough to visit at the Manor House; and therefore, wnenever the surgeon was called in on an emergency, he was never asked to the drawing-room —never invited to take any refreshinent—and indeed he was treated Just about as well as the horse-doctor why administered boluses to auy of the animals in Sir Archibald’s stable, But to continue the thread of our narrative, [t happencd that when Paul the footman reached ‘the village, he encountered Mr. Colycinth in his gig: and on making Knuwn his business, he perceived that the surgeon suddenly became serious, and hesitated what to do. “I can assure you, sir,” said the footman, “that Miss Redburn is in a very dangerous state; and I hope you will come.” “Very well. 1 suppose I must,” said Mr, Colycinth, “Jump up—and | will drive you at once to the Manor.” m was perfectly true, as Onis Recbura.,