The Soldier's Wife — page 220: what you’re looking at

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

i THE SOLDIER'S WIFE. 199 sufficient for me to declare that were [and myyjeven firmer than human nands could have boy starving, and did you proffer us a morsel |rivetted upon him. : . of bread, and the boy in the rabid eagerness of | Reginald Herbert, on returning to Clive Halli, famine placed it to his lips, I would snatch it|explained more in detail than his note had pre- from him—I would trample it in the mire—|viously done to the Countess and Adela, the sad even though the want of it were to make him|things whica had transpired at Middleton ; and perish the next instant before my eyes !” he recited all he had heard respecting the me The Baronet groaned in the bitterness of his|lancholy history of poor Lonsdale. Even be- anguish: for he felt—deeply, deeply felt—how |fore he mentioned the proposition which he well deserved was this response from the/had taken upon himself to submit to that un- lips of that much injured woman. fortunate widow, in respect to a nome for her- ~“ Mr. Herbert,” she almost immediately said, |selfand son,—Adela, with generous enthusiasm, turning towards Reginald, “the thanks of ajand with the tears streaming down her cheeks, heart-broken widow and of a poor fatherless|exclaimed, as she seized the hand of the boy are your due. Accept them—accept them,|Countess, “ Mother—dear mother, is there as the only return for the noble generosity |maught which your heart suggests in respect of your conduct. And I on my part accept;to those poor creatures ?” for myself and this dear boy the home which| Then Herbert at once went on to explain you have offered us, But not to-day can we|what he had done; and he not merely received g: hence—nor to-morrow “ the approval of Adela and the Countess, but “I understand you, Mrs. Lonsdale,” said |likewisé their thanks that he should have en- Herbert. “On Monday, at eleven o’clock,|listed them in the same Christian service which there will be a post-chaise at the door of this|he himself had so nobly undertaken, house to bear you both to your new home.| Mr. Herbert, leaving the drawing-room where - Sir Archibald Redburn, we will depart.” this discourse had taken place with the two Lucy extended her hand to Mr. Herbert ; and |ladies, was proceeding to the monster-looking as he held it he said ina voice that was broken |man’s chamber, in order to learn whether he by his feelings, “ My Adela shall. cherish you;had come ‘completely back to consciousness, asa sister.” He then turned hastily to little}and whether he had made any confession — Frederick, took him up in his arms, and kissed| when he met one of the constables issuing him with almost a father’s warmth; and as he | thence. retreated precipitately from the room, the boy} “It is all right, sir,” said the officer: “ the wiped away the tear-drops that the generous-|fellow is recovering rapidly—he is able to Jearted Reginald bad left upon his pale cheeks.|speak—and the gallows won't be cheated of Sir Archibald Redburn—a crushed, broken-|its due.” hearted, miserable man—dragged himself away| ‘“ Has he avowed his crime?” inquired Re- in Herbert’s footsteps: the widow and the |ginald hastily. orphan were once more alone together. “ He has—and glories in it,” answered the An hour afterwards Reginald Herbert again | officer. leapt off his horse at the entrance to Clive Hall.| “The miscreant!” ejaculated Herbert, with Immediately after the scenes at the barracks, |a shudder. the officers of justice had been sent thither to} “ But what’s more,” proceeded the constable, ensure the safe custody of the monster looking |“ he turns out to be an old acquaintance of man; and Reginald had despatched by them a|mine—though I never should have recoznized hastily written note to the Countess of Burton,{him in the awful object he has become. He outlining what had.taken place. As the reader|was condemned about two years ago at Mid- may suppose, the inmates of the Hall were|dleton to transportation; and he escaped on his thrown into a perfect state of consternation on|Wway to the convict-ship.” learning that there Was a murderer beneath} ‘“ Then who is he ?” asked Reginald Herbert. that roof; and when Herbert reached the man-} “His name is Obadiah Bates,” replied the sion, he found that the excitement and dismay |constable. had but little abated. It was now past two o'clock in the after- neon: and the suspected murderer was only just returning to such a state of consciousness CHAPTER XLIL as to have any recollection of what had hap- pened to him, Some hours back—indeed, very OBADIAH BATES, soon after Reginald’s speedy departure with the official despatch for Midaleton,—medical| Yes—the monster-looking man was none assistance had arrived at the Hall; and every-jother than the reader’s old acquaintance, the thing requisite was done for the miseraole; barber of Oakleigh; and we will. at once pro- wretch. When the officers of justice reached |ceed to give certain explanations in respect te the mansion, the surgeon declared that it would|the criminal career of the miscreant, be immediate death to remove the prisoner—| The reader has scen how, on obtaining pos- that he must remain at least fur a few more |session of the post-office, he tampered’ with the hours where he was, if not until the following |letters in a variety of ways—and in one es day; and the constables were accordingly lo-| pecially, to execute that diabolical deed of cated amongst the domestics,—there being no|treachery which brought Frederick Lonsdale need for them to keep watch in the captive’s|from Calais, and led him into the trap set te room, as he was chained to his bed by a bond catch him at Dever: That letter, whic pure (0) 14