The Soldier's Wife — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

THE SOLDIER'S WIFE. His frugal breakfast had been quickly dis posed of: for his hear, was too full of happi ness to permit him to linger overit. The ra- diant payeantry of his thoughts had borne time swiftly away in their brilliant train, and it was now striking eight o'clock. “Surely Martha will not be long? She ought to have been here by this,” he said to himself: but still confident that the sum, so vitally indispensable, could not possibly fail to arrive, he once more fell into a senes of golden dreams. From these he was awakened—or work? He knew not what to think: he _tor- tured himself with conjectures: but amidst them all he never once suspected that Bates could be playing him falee. “Jt’s a quarter to ten,” said the barber, thrust- ing his head into the room. Lonsdale, in the whirl and confusion of bis thoughts, had not beard him ascend the stairs: he was startled by his sudden appearance ; and the gleam of hope which had for a moment shot athwart his Lrain, was cuce more succeeded Ly the sombre clouds of suspense—uncertainty—- rather startled—by the clock striking egain. almost desparr, Had another hour elapsed ’—He counted the| strokes. Yes: it was nine. And Martha bad not yet come! Some one was awending the stairs—he knew the barber’s footsteps—the packet then had arrived? Bates entered the room; and Lonsdale extended his hand to re- ceive the expected missive. The barber thought —or at least appeared to think—that the young man meant to shake hands with him ; and when Frederick found that the hand he thus clutched contained nothing, he exclaimed, “Is it not come yet ?” “ No—not yet,” returned Bates. “I would not come up to you before, for fear any one should bring it in my absence from the shop ; and as I knew it was particular, I resolved to wait and receive it myself.” “Go down again, for heaven’s sake!” said Lonsdale, in a state of nervous excitement ; “and pray do not leave your shop for a mo- ment. You know, my good friend, how im- portant it is !” “JT will attend to it. Never fear. But vou must keep close: that scoundrel Langley has posted a couple of the recruits at the door to see that you don’t go out—or to stop you if vu do,” “Oh, I shall be free of him in a few mi- nutes!” ejaculated the young man. “Pray do shut. “Go down, go down—and keep watch, Jor beaven’s sake !” he cried : and rushing forward, he literally pushed the barber down the stairs. | Then he stood upon the threshold of — his chamber, listening with the docr open. Oh, the tortures of that suspense !—Oh, the agonies of that uncertainty! He heard the conversation that was going on amongst the customers in the shop below: they were talking of limself—expres- sing commiseration and sympathy for him. ‘Then the voice of Bates chimed in, speaking in a simi- lar strain, A thought struck Frederick! He would pen a hasty note to Dr. Coly cinth—ano- ther to the butcher—and another to the baker, beseeching them to Jend him two pounds for a few hours. He flew to the table: but the three notes took five minutes to write—and it was close upon ten o'clock, From the threshold of his chamber be cried out for Bates. The barber rushed up-stairs; and Lonsdale, thrueting the notes into bis hand, besought him to despatch three distinct messengers to convey the billets, “JT will, I will)” said Bates. “ But Langley is down stairs: he has just come in—and he says you must not have your door open.” | «Fly, dy ! ejaculated Frederick, and pushing ‘the barber from: the room, he closed the door violently to Jet Mr. Langley know that it was Then, with feverisb im patience— with an- go down.” iguish in bis brain and awful horror in his heart, The volatile barber flitted away ; and when did he await the result of his missives. Oh! Frederick was once more alone, he no longer | fool, fool that he was not to have despatched abandoned himself to the dreams of a golden | those notes before! Thus did he blame himself reverie, but paced to and fro in the little cham- ber in a very excited state. Oh! if the window were in the front of the house, he could watch for Martha’s coming: but it looked upon a little yard at the back, and the green fields which stretched beyond. Besides, even if it did com- nand a view of the village-street, all the watch ing in the world would not make her come a single whit the sooner, But what delayed her ¢ wherefore came she not? Oh! she was sure to come yes, she was sure !—it could only be a matter of a few minutes nothing more—there was plenty of time $ Ah! but the minutes were slipping away— and they soon swelled into halfan-hour. Yes, half-past nine, and no Martha—no Lucy !—not a line—not a word of either message or note ! What could it mean? A thousand wild thoughts now rushed lke a flight of vultures through the young man’s brain—horrible ideas “fastened themselves upon him, Had Mr. Davis disco- vered everything ¢ had he taken measures to prevent both his daughter and servant from is- eulng forth? Or was some vile treachery at for something of which he had not thought. Minute after minute passed: but no one came, Almost maddened to desperation, he opened the door and listened. Bates was talking in the shop below—others were talking also— and amongst those voices was the well known one of Sergeant Langley. “Oh! am I to be sacrificed? am I to be lost ? murmured Frederick to himself, “Can it be possible # is it indeed true—or a hideous dream? Just heaven, what will become of poor Lucy ? Oh, I shall go mad—I shall go mad !” aud leaning against the door-post, he pressed his hands to his throbbing temples, in a state of mind not even to be envied by a wretch about to be led forth to the place of execution. The clock struck: it was ten. O God, too late! too late! : “ Frederick Lonsdale, come down!” cried the voice of the sergeant: and it scunded upon the earg of the almost distracted young man as if having made a bargain with Satan, the time was up and the Evil One.was demanding the surrender of his soul, COMIC DOC) cS (EO)