The Soldier's Wife — page 97: what you’re looking at

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bi ad o THE SOLDIER'S WIFE. assistance, will receive no answer; and you will repent—most wofully, most profoundly repent your obstinacy and perverseness of this day. Once more, therefore, do I ask you whether you will accept my proffer and accom- pany me back to Oakleigh? Take tour-and- twenty hours to consider of it, if you will.” “I require not as many minutes—no, nor a single one!” replied Lucy. ‘My mind is made up, and not for worlds, however great my pri- vations, would [ abandon my husband. And here let me tell you, father, that never for a moment have I had cause to repent the step I have taken: never has a single harsh word nor an impatient look on Frederick’s part taught me to regret, the day that [ accompanied him to the altar, You have spoken, tather of what my prospects may perchance be: bt it do you not reflect that the time may come that you will repent your harshness towards your daughter? Oh! if I hale indeed offended you —if | have been really and truly disobedient,— yet if ever there were a time when a daughter might expect to receive her parent’s forgive- ness, 1t is now that my heart is bleeding with painful wounds, and that my soul is tortured with terrible excrugiations. If ever there were a time, I repeat, when a father should be moved to take pity on his daughter—to soothe aud console. her—to breathe the words of pa- rental kindness in her ears—this is the moment, and you are the father who should manifest tnat sympathy!” Stern and gnmoved by this piteous, pathetic appeal, Davis rose slowly from his seat; when Tuey, anguished at the idea that her father snould leave her thus, fell upon her knees at nis feet—and holding up her child towards nim, exclaimed, “One kind word—Oh!_ but one kind word, ere you leave me—for this dear infant’s sake!” “ Lucy, it is the child of the man that I hate more than any other man in the world,” said Vavis, sternly. “But it is my child—your daughter’s child! itis your grandchild!” exclaimed the half-dis- tracted young woman. “Return home, and I acknowledge my grand- child,” was the bailiff’s response: “ but persist in your refusal, and I acknowledge it not.” “Oh! it is impossible that you can be so harsh!” eried Lucy. ‘Look at this dear child —it has not offended you: and it is eruel—oh, it is cruel, to visit your wrath upon it!” “For the last time, Lucy, will you come?” “No, father—! cannot.” “Then I throw you off for ever—I discard ou—I leave my curse behind me!” “Oh, God! he has cursed me—my own father has cursed me!” shiieked forth the wretched Lucy: and she fell back senseless upon the floor. When she returned to consciousness, her fa- ther was gone, and the babe was crying by her side. It was its piteous wail that had brought the mother back to life. Snatching the dear infant to her bosom—at this moment her only consolation—Luecy wept over it long and plen- twously. Her father’s curse still rang in her ears; and it lay like a weight of lead upon her neart, terrible to bear. Early on the following mor. ng the young mother, with the child in her arms, repaired to the barracks to inquire after her husband. She learnt that he was doing well: and this was at least some consolation. Day after day, for the next fortnight, did she present herself regularly at an early hour to make the same inquiry ; and it was a source of infinite relief to her wounded feelings to receive good accounts up io “ich occasion. At length she was admitted te an interview with her husband. Good hea- vens, how altered was he! Pale, thin, and emaciated—looking like the ghost of his former self—it seemed as if all vigorous vitality had been lacerated out of him by the atrocious weapon. Lucey was fearfully shocked; and with convulsive sobbing did she sink into his arms. Ile strained her to his breast: and then he lavished his caresses upon his child: then he embraced his wife again—and then he onee more took little Frederick in his arms and showered his endearments upon him. But all this while, though testifying unabated fondnesa for these dear objects, not a tear dimmed Lons- dale’s eye; and when the first paroxysm of joy was passed at meeting them, he became thoughtful and abstracted. Lucy, always ae: customed to deal with the utmost frankness to- wards her husband, told him of the visit which she had received from her father; and when rederick understood how resolutely she had rejected Mr. Davis’s proposal to return home, he gazed at her with unspeakable fondness Still there was something in his look and man- ner which did Lucy harm to contemplate: for she saw that some change had assuredly been wrought within him. It was not a change ip respect to herself or their child: for nothing could exceed Frederick’s tenderness or devotion towards them both; but it was a change in re spect to himself,—as it he had lost all confi dence in the world, and brooded darkly anc ominously over his wrongs and his sorrows Lucy, however, did not question him directly upon the subject: she thought that the impres sion would gradually wear off; and she hoped at future interviews to observe a change for the better. Indeed, she delicately avoided the slightest allusion to the subject of his punish meut; but by the earnest tenderness and en dearing caresses which she testified, the excel lent wife endeavored to infuse solace into his soul. ; Frederick remained six weeks in the hospital before he was reported fit for service again Every day after that first interview, was Lue permitted to see him; but it was with conti nued pain and sorrow she still noticed that gloomy brooding on his part—those intervals of abstraction—and that change which hag evidently taken place in the former healthy tone of his mind. Still, however, she said no thing: for now she buoyed herself up with the hope that when once he should be able to get out again, fresh air, exercise, his military avo cations, and the leisure hours he might be ena- bled to spend with herself and his child, would produce a salutary effect upon him. RRS On the first day that Lonsdale quitted the hospital, he and Lucy had a serious ¢unyersa- f comicbooks.co -