The Soldier's Wife — page 204: what you’re looking at

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

THE SOLDIER'S WIFE. 188 tended his church twice ever Sunday: but|which frequently haue@ted him afterwards, and then, it was not to listen to his discourse—it | which he never could ugderstand For, as he was only because she fell the necessity of visit-| thought at the time, it certainly was not spite, ing a temple of worship, and she could not pos-|nor gloating triumph: but how could he faney sibly choose another than that which belonged jit was a commiseration? Oh, much less could to the parish were she dwelt. It would how-/he fancy that it was the look of a mother’s ever occupy too much space to enter upon mi-|remorse which at that moment was flung upon nute explanations respecting the peculiarities}him! Yet it was so: and the next time Mise into which this unhappy woman’s mind settled} Redburn had an opportunity of speaking in itself: suffice it to say that though her entire|private to Mr. Arden, she told him of the sud- nature was embittered by the guilt of her}den paroxysm of bitter, bitter anguish she had earlier years, she sought not to make an atone-|experienced when beholding her own offsp ung ment by acknowledging her son and doing her | going away as a recruit in the power of Sergzant duty towards him—but she took refuge in a| Langley, Yet it was not with the idea of re- ehurch-going regularity and a habit of prayer-/ceiving any sympathy from Mr Arden that she readiag in private, which she persuaded herself |thus communicated the state of her feelings ; it to believe were the svie elements of a true re-| was more as a reproach which she levelled at ligious piety. him! For the clergyman had not hesitated, or. The reader is aware that shortly after Fred-|more occasions than one, and even in her pre- erick Lonsdale attained the age of eighteen, a|sence, to join in with the Baronet and Gerald in fire consumed Mrs. Grant’s cottage; and the|depreciatory language of Frederick Lonsdale—~ poor old woman herself, being bed-ridden, per-!his own son! ished in the conflagration. Mr. Arden expe-| But little more in the shape of explanation rienced no sorrow at this catastrophe; on the|remains to be given. The reader has seen how, contrary, he was well pleased at the occur-|during the last few years which this narrative rence; — and though Miss Redburn herself |has embraced, Aunt Jane’s spite had become scarcely regretted it, yet to do her justice, she;more bitter and more rancorous towards her experienced a much less heartless feeling on the nephew Gerald. This was natural. She re- subject than the rector, Their secret now ap-|garded him as the author of her own son’s dis- peared to be safe beyond the possibility of dis-|/missal from Sir Archibald’s employment, and eovery ; but there was a moment when Aunt)of the necessity which had driven him to enlist ; Jane, on hearing that Frederick Lonsdale was/and though she loved not that son—though she left penniless by the calamity, felt her soul moved cared not for him—though it was only at dis- tuwards bim;—and she proposed to Mr. Arden|tant and fitful moments of compunction she that something should be done for his benefit.; thought of him without aversioa,—yet it was She represented that whatever should be thus/entirely consistent with the morbid state of her done, might be made to appear the spontaneous mind, that she should look upon his bitterest bounty of himself as the village-clergyman,! persecutor with hatred. Moreover, inasmuch as though her purse should furvish the means.)every time Gerald mentioned the name of Lons- But he would not_for a single instant consent to| dale, on the occasion of his visits to the Manor the proposition. He had acquired the reputa-| House, during the lapse of the last few years, it tion of a steady, religious, and holy man; and|was in the most rancorous spiritj—Miss Red- he would do nothing that should excite the|burn’s malignity was proportionately increased faintest suspicion, or led the villagers tu form | towards her nephew for those very causes, But conjectures as to the motive of any special kind-|now at last things had come to a crisis, Fred- ness shown towards Frederick Lonsdale. No:/!erick Lonsdale was condemned to die—and for he would rather that nis ignored and unacknow-|an_ offence to which Aunt Jane had no doubt ledzed son should starve, than that by doing) that Gerald had provoked him, It was natural eavht for him he might incur the slightest|that her remorse on account of her unacknow- chance of having the past suspected and his re-|ledged son should become embittered aimost to uta‘ion ruined, Por Mr. Colycinth continued | madness; it was natural, too, that with ner acri- to dell in the village; and if he saw that|monious disposition, she should vent her spite Frederick Lonsdale received any especial favors|against Gerald with all the virulence wnich the from Mr. Arden, he might be Jed to form a con-| reader has seen her display when he roae acrosg tlusion by no means agreeable to the reverend|to the Manor, and announced the issne of the gentleman. Therefore Lonsdale was left to|court-martial. Mr. Arden had also heard the intelligence that self-sume morning: ana hence suift for himself; and he became a laborer on his somewhat early visit to the Manor—-for ha the estate of his own mother’s brother. was devoured with excruciating terrora ag to From the fact that Miss Redburn did on that particular occasion make such a proposal to Mr.| the way in which Miss Redburn might receive it, and*the course she might at the last hour Arden, the reader may infer that there were think fit to adopt towards her offspring. No moments when her heart was smitten with re- morse on account of her ignored and neglected | wonder, therefore, that when first entering the rvom, and eatching a glimpse of her ghastly offspring. It was so: but these moments were rare indeed, and occurred only at long intervals.|countenance—whereon was written a tablet of thoughts inexplicable at the time to the others Jr such a mood was it, for instance, that on the day when Frederick Lonsdale was finally sworn} present, but which he could too well read,—ne wonder, we say, that Mr. Arden was seized as a recruit in presence of Sir Archibald Red- with so mortal a terror, and that he shoua have burn, Aunt Sane fixed upon him so peculiar a | -ook as he was traversing the hall,—that look felt and looked like one apmihilated’ wae Mies. a | rr. > OO UO AUC "0 0m 13