The Soldier's Wife — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

68 THE SOLDIER'S WIFR. the wine, was now engaged in the discussion of {dread least the future had sorrows in store for a jJargo tumbler of brandy-and-water and a eigar: for he thought that as Lonsdale would have to pay the reckoning, he need not stint himself in his present enjoyments. It was a hard matter for our hero to maintain a com- posed look in the presence of this man from whose base treachery he had already suffered £0 much, and who was now so mercilessly plun- dering him: but he saw the necessity of con- tinuing in the same conciliatory humor which he had already adopted; and as he counted -down the money upon the table, he said to Bates, “I now give you the savings of more than a twelvemonth’s toil. May you be moved by my conduct towards you to keep my secret! One single word inadvertently dropped from your lips, will suffice to set upon my _ track those who would show me no mercy ; and if so, it would be ruin—utter ruin—not merely for my- self alone a But Lonsdale could not finish the sentence. He thought of his wife—he thought of his child —and his heart swelled with emotions to a degree that choked his utterance. Tears start- ed into his eyes: but he hastily dashed them away; and ringing the bell for the waiter, paid the expenses incurred for Mr. Bates’s regale- ment. ‘““T suppose that you are married to Lucy, Miss Davis that was, Mrs. Lonsdale that is?” said the barber, after having joyously conveyed to his pocket the fifty sovereigns which he had just extorted from the young man. “ Davis the bailiff seems to have felt his daughter’s loss terribly. I don’t mean that he shows it in the form of grief, because he isn’t the kind of chap to do that; but he’s grown harsher and severer than ever towards all who are under him. A precious tyrant he has become, I can tell you; and so morose and reserved to everybody in the village, that nobody dares speak to him.” «You will pardon me for not remaining any longer with you,” interrupted Lonsdale. “ But once more I conjure—lI entreat you, not to breathe a word of your having met me!” themselves, the effects of which would redound upon the head of the little one. The following day was Christmas. They went to church as usual; and though always accustomed to pray fervently, there was on this occasion a deeper earnestness, if possible, in their devotions—a more yearning strength of intercession sent up from their hearts, that heaven would preserve them from those terri- ble ills which would shatter the entire fabric of their happiness. Their neighbors and friends could not help noticing, on the way to and from church, that the couple in whose welfare so generous an interest was experienced, had something like a shade of melancholy upon their countenances; although heaven knows Lucy did her best to assume a cheerful aspect in order that she might diminish her husband’s despondency. When the Christmas dinner was served up, she smiled as she had been wont to do, and by her looks endeavored to throw beams of cheerfulness upon the scene; but Frederick partook of the repast with an inward sense of bitterness, as if everything he eat turned into gall. In the evening, when the curtains were closed, the candles lighted, and they sat before the fire that blazed in the grate —lLucy having the baby upon her lap—Frede- rick felt that he could no longer look upon this as his home, but that it was merely a temporary resting-place from which circumstances might compel them to flee suddenly, or whence he might be dragged away ignominiously. It seemed as if all his happiness had been poi- soned at its very source. Full well—too well, did Lucy comprehend everything that was passing in his mind; and she redoubled her endearments, her consolations, and her caresses. Throughout the whole of that day not a word passed between the husband and wife respect. ing the one incident which now engrossed all their thoughts; and though by a sort of tacit understanding they had for that day avoided the painful topic, yet on the following one they with a similar spontaneity felt the necessity of “Tt will be just the same asif we hadn’t|deliberating most seriously upon it. met at all,” replied Bates. ‘‘ Come, give us your hand, Fred, and let us part good friends.” Our hero did give his hand to the man—for|serter. There had been a reward of ten pounds offered for Lonsdale’s apprehension as a de- Bates was sure to know of this, ag he dared not refuse; but the very touch sent a|Frederick had received the proofs that he cold thrill to his heart’s core, as if he had sud-|was in correspondence with Sergeant Langley. denly come in contact with the slimy form of|Would the barber be contented with the sum a coiled-up serpent. He then issued from the|he had extorted from his victim? or would he public-house; but as he returned homeward, he|ruthlessly sacrifice all Frederick’s future pros- stopped and looked back several times tojpects for the sake of obtaining this additional assure himself that Bates was not following|ten pounds? Would he be moved to compas- him. There was no appearance that the bar-|sion ? or would his own intense selfishness pre- ber was doing so; and in a few minutes Frede-|vail? Herein lay the danger: for that Bates rick was once more with his wife and child.|was tolerably well convinced Frederick was He told Lucy how solemnly Bates had promised|really living at Carlisle, there could be scarcely to keep his secret; but they both knew in theirja doubt. | Under these circumstances Frede- hearts that they could trust with but little cer-|rick and Lucy beheld two alternatives presented tainty to the pledges of such aman. It was alto their contemplation. One was to remain mournful Christmas Eve for them; they felt|where they were and risk everything: the other that they had now nothing but the immensity|was to lose no time in taking their departure of their own love to console them; for even the/to some other place. If they adopted the emiles of the babe, when he woke up and Lucy|former alternative, would they not eXist in took him upon her lap, sent a pang to their|constant terror, trembling at every knock at hearts as they simultayoously experienced a'the front door, and starting every time any Gomichboo cS (E(e)