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JJ/ 


a  I  E>  R.AR.Y 

OF   THE 
U  N  IVERSITY 
Of    ILLINOIS 


y^'^' 


MEREDITH. 


BY 


THE  COUNTESS  OF  BLESSINGTON. 


IN  THREE  VOLUMES. 


VOL.  11. 


LONDON: 

LONGMAN,  BROWN,  GREEN,  &  LONGMANS. 

1843. 


MEREDITH, 


CHAPTER    I. 

The  evening  previous  to  our  departure  from 
Meredith  Park,  I  went  to  take  leave  of  the 
grave  of  my  mother.  How  many  melancholy 
reflections  stole  over  my  mind  as  I  bent 
over  her  narrow  bed,  and  recalled  a  thousand 
proofs  and  instances  of  her  goodness  and 
fondness  for  me !  How  calm  and  tranquil 
was  that  spot,  hallowed  to  me  as  her  resting- 
place,  and  designed  to  be  mine  own,  when- 
ever Death  should  claim  me.  The  silence 
was  only  broken  by  the  plaintive  notes  of 
the  thrush  and  blackbird,  which  sounded 
VOL.  II.  B 


2  MEREDITH. 

sweetly  to  me,  and  harmonized  with  the 
tender  melancholy  which  pervaded  my  mind 
as  I  reflected  that  this  was  the  last  time  for 
months — nay,  perhaps  for  years,  that  I 
should  again  visit  this  sacred  spot.  Willingly 
would  I  have  given  up  all  the  enjoyment 
held  out  to  me  in  this  projected  sojourn  in 
foreign  lands  to  have  remained  in  the  solitude 
of  Meredith  Park,  endeared  to  me  by  so 
many  fond  associations  with  the  memory  of 
my  beloved  mother,  and  to  have  the  power 
of  daily  visiting  her  tomb.  I  knelt,  and 
prayed  that  I  might  never  forget  her,  and 
that  her  memory  might  ever  influence  my 
future  conduct.  Above  all,  I  prayed  that, 
let  Death  claim  me  when  or  where  it  might, 
my  remains  should  be  laid  by  the  side  of 
hers.  When  I  arose  from  her  grave,  I  de- 
termined on  not  sleeping  before  I  addressed 
a  letter  to  my  guardian,  requesting  that  if 
I  died  on  the  Continent,  my  corpse  should 
be  brought  back  to  Meredith  Park  for  inter- 


MEREDITH.  3 

ment.  I  could  not  tear  myself  away  from 
the  spot  without  again  kneeling  to  implore, 
with  the  superstitious  feeling  of  youth,  the 
blessing  of  my  sainted  mother.  Shedding 
many  tears,  I  stole  to  my  chamber,  anxious 
to  avoid  observation,  as  my  swollen  eyes 
would  have  betrayed  the  grief  I  had  been 
indulging.  Lockly,  the  good  and  faithful 
Lockly,  was  not  to  be  defrauded  of  the 
Ute-d-tete  with  me  which  she  had  promised 
herself.  I  found  her  in  my  room,  weeping 
bitterly ;  for  the  approaching  separation 
from  me  had  revived  her  sorrow  for  her  lost 
mistress.  Long  did  she  stay,  by  turns  ad- 
vising, soothing,  and  warning  me  against 
all  the  dangers  which  her  imagination  could 
raise  up  as  likely  to  assail  me  in  a  foreign 
land.  Emphatic  prohibitions  against  putting 
on  linen  or  stockings  unaired  were  mingled 
with  solemn  warnings  against  papist  idolatry; 
and  recommendations  never  to  overheat  my- 
self, or  to  drink  cold  beverages  when  warm, 
b2 


4  MEREDITH. 

were  interrupted  by  fervent  prayers  that  I 
might  not  be  taken  in  by  any  of  the  foreign 
ladies,  Avho,  from  all  that  she  ever  could 
learn,  were  no  better  than  they  should  be. 
^'  0  think,  dear  Mr.  Meredith,  what  an 
awful  thing  it  would  be  to  bring  home  a 
mistress  to  Meredith  Park  that  could  not 
speak  English  nor  read  the  Bible — that  could 
not  go  to  church  with  you  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  nor  understand  a  word  I  had  to  say  to 
her.  It  would  break  my  heart,  that  it 
would.  And  mind  not  to  eat  too  much 
fruit,  for  the  sun  spoils  them  in  those  hot 
countries ;  while  with  us  the  hot-houses  half 
cook  them,  and  prevents  them  doing  us 
harm." 

When  at  length  she  left  me,  I  found  my 
hand  wet  with  her  tears,  and  coidd  hear 
her  sobs  as  she  slowly  retreated  to  her 
chamber.  Poor  Lockly!  she  had  not  for- 
gotten her  departed  mistress,  although  she 
had  transferred  so  large  a  portion  of  the 
love  she  bore  her  to  her  son. 


MEREDITH.  5 

At  an  early  hour  next  morning  I  found 
myself  seated  vis-d-vis  to  Lord  Lymington 
in  his  roomy  and  luxurious  travelling  coach. 

"  Sit  by  me,  Mr.  Eivers,"  said  his  lord- 
ship. 

"Let  me  not  incommode  you,  my  lord; 
I  shall  do  perfectly  well  on  the  front  seat 
with  Mr.  Meredith." 

"  No,  no,  sit  by  me;  for  if  you  are  op- 
posite to  me,  you  will  not  leave  me  sufficient 
room  to  stretch  my  legs." 

'*  Had  not  Mr.  Meredith  best  sit  by  your 
lordship  while  I  take  the  seat  vis-d-vis  to 
him?" 

"  No ;  for  then  I  should  be  obliged  to  lean 
forward  in  order  to  hear  what  you  say,  or 
to  make  myself  heard." 

When  we  halted  for  the  night,  having  only 
gone  about  fifty  miles,  an  excellent  dinner, 
ordered  by  Lord  Lymington's  courier, 
awaited  us,  the  merits  and  demerits  of  which 
furnished  a  fruitful  topic  of  discussion  to 
the  Peer  and  Mr.  Kivers. 


6  MEREDITH. 

"  I  had  no  idea  that  so  good  a  repast 
could  be  found  in  an  English  inn,"  observed 
the  latter,  "  where  tough  mutton  chops  and 
tougher  beefsteaks,  with  hectic  chickens 
and  fishy  ducks,  form  the  staple  commodity 
of  dinners.'' 

"  I  am  too  experienced  a  traveller  to 
trust  to  the  tender  mercies  of  innkeepers  in 
any  country,  but  above  all  in  England,"  re- 
plied Lord  Lymington. 

*'  My  own  cook,  with  his  hatter ie  de 
cuisine^  and  a  good  supply  of  comestibles, 
occupy  the  portion  of  my  fourgon  that  is 
not  devoted  to  my  portable  bed,  sofa,  easy 
chair,  carpets,  and  other  meuhles  necessary 
to  my  personal  comfort.  The  fourgon 
always  precedes  me  by  four  or  five  hours, 
so  that  on  arriving  I  find  my  apartments 
tolerably  well  arranged,  my  dinner  pre- 
pared, my  wine  iced,  and  am  thus  rendered 
independent  of  the  desagremens  of  inns; 
the  very  best  of  which  are,  in  my  opinion, 
insupportable." 


MEREDITH.  7 

Lord  Lymington  and  Mr.  Rivers  did 
ample  justice  to  the  dinner,  notwithstanding 
that  Dr.  Porson  repeatedly  warned  his  pa- 
tient against  his  inordinate  indulgence  in 
truffles  and  champignons  with  which  many 
of  the  plats  were  prepared.  The  gour- 
mand^ for  he  was  a  gourmand  as  well  as 
an  epicure,  angered  by  the  remonstrances 
of  his  physician,  asserted  that  the  only  use 
of  a  medical  man  was  to  furnish  correctives 
to  prevent  bad  effects  from  gourman- 
dise^  and  that  he  was  determined  not  to 
deny  himself  any  of  the  pleasures  which 
alone  rendered  existence  supportable.  It 
was  really  pitiable  to  witness  the  unreason- 
ableness and  utter  want  of  feeling  of  this 
spoiled  child  of  Fortune,  and  the  annoyance 
he  inflicted  on  his  really  attentive  and  skil- 
ful physician,  who,  aware  of  the  inevitable 
result  of  his  patient's  intemperance,  endea- 
voured, but  in  vain,  to  warn  him.  Two 
hours  after  dinner,  an  enlargement  in  the 
epigastric  region  occasioning  much  pain  and 


8  MEREDITH. 

uneasiness  to  Lord  Lymington,  produced  a 
remarkable  alteration  in  his  manner  towards 
tlie  Doctor. 

"  My  dear  Porson !"  said  he,  with  a  length- 
ened face  and  a  pallid  countenance,  "  I  feel 
very  ill.  You  must  prepare  something  for 
me  to  take,  and  with  as  little  delay  as  pos- 
sible, for  I  can  hardly  breathe." 

"  You  see,  my  lord,  the  consequences 
of  your  indulging  in  truffles  and  mush- 
rooms." 

"  You  were  right,  my  dear  Porson,  in 
proscribing  them.  Yes ;  quite  right,  and  I 
shall  certainly  not  eat  them  any  more, 
but — oh !  oh !  Be  quick !  Give  me  some- 
thing. I  have  such  horrid  pains !  Never 
was  there  such  a — there  again !     Ah !  ah !" 

The  medicine  administered  by  Doctor 
Porson  soon  produced  a  salutary  effect. 
The  pains  in  the  epigastric  region  ceased, 
the  swelling  of  the  stomach  gradually  abated, 
and  with  the  cessation  of  pain  departed  the 


MEREDITH.  \) 

affectionate  words  of  the  Peer  for  liis  phy- 
sician. No  longer  did  his  lordship  address 
him  as  his  "  dear  Porson,"  or  look  up  in  his 
face  with  a  piteous  expression  of  suffering, 
but  having  declared  that  his  illness,  though 
sharp,  had  been  of  so  brief  a  duration  as  to 
convince  him  that  it  was  not  of  a  serious 
nature,  he  told  Doctor  Porson  he  should 
retire  to  bed,  and  only  coldly  nodded  in 
acknowledgment  of  the  Doctor's  kindly  ex- 
pressed hope  that  his  lordship  might  enjoy 
a  comfortable  night's  repose. 

"  What  a  bore  it  is  to  be  obliged  to  have 
a  travelling  physician,"  said  Lord  Lyming- 
ton  to  Mr.  Rivers,  as  soon  as  Porson  had 
left  the  room. 

"  But  if  the  necessity  for  one  exists,  it  is 
fortunate  to  find  so  skilful  a  one,"  replied  my 
preceptor.  "  Yours,  my  lord,  relieved  you  in 
a  very  short  time,  I  must  say,  which  gives  me 
a  very  favourable  opinion  of  his  abilities." 

"0,  hang  the  fellow !  I  have  no  cause 
b3 


10  MEREDITH. 

to  complain  of  his  want  of  ability;  but 
what  I  blame  him  for  is,  that  his  treatment 
cannot  enable  me  to  indulge  in  my  favourite 
dishes  with  impunity.  I  can  no  more  eat 
truffles,  champignons^  and  a  hundi^ed  other 
good  things,  than  before  I  engaged  him ;  and 
the  only  difference  I  find  is,  that  his  treat- 
ment abridges  the  suffering  induced  by  a 
surfeit  of  them.  Now,  if  you  happen  to 
know  any  physician  who  could  so  manage 
as  to  enable  me  to  indulge  my  appetite 
without  paying  the  heavy  penalty  I  at 
present  incur,  I  would  immediately  engage 
him;  for  although  I  acknowledge  Porson's 
skill  in  quickly  procuring  me  relief,  I  am 
heartily  tired  of  the  constant  remonstrances, 
which  destroy  the  pleasure  of  my  dinners." 
Mr.  Kivers  looked  surprised  at  the  Peer's 
naive  avowal  of  selfishness  and  ingratitude, 
but  Lord  Lymington  was  so  wholly  self- 
engrossed  that  he  was  regardless  of  the  im- 
pression he  had  given. 


MEREDITH.  11 

It  happened  that  the  chamber  assigned 
to  me  was  only  separated  from  that  of  my 
guardian  by  a  slight  wooden  partition,  so 
that  I  was  an  unwilling  listener  to  all  the 
conversation  that  passed  between  him  and 
his  valet-de-chamhre  while  he  was  undress- 
ing. 

"  I  have  really  been  very  unwell  this  even- 
ing, Dunington,"  observed  Lord  Lymington ; 
"  and  I  must  acknowledge  that  Doctor 
Porson's  prescription  very  soon  relieved  me." 

"  It  would  be  much  better,  my  lord,  if 
he  could  prevent  the  frequent  recurrence  of 
such  disagreeable  attacks;  and  if  he  was 
so  skilful  a  physician  as  he  sets  up  to  be, 
he  could  do  so ;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  he 
lets  these  frequent  attacks  come  on  just  to 
prove  to  your  lordship  how  quickly  he  can 
relieve  you,  and  how  impossible  it  would  be 
for  your  lordship  to  do  without  him." 

"  Well,  Dunington,  there  may  be  some- 
thing in  what  you  say." 


12  MEREDITH. 

"  Ay,  my  lord;  there  is,  indeed,  and 
I  am  not  the  only  person  who  thinks  so." 

^'  Other  persons,  then,  have  remarked 
that  although  Doctor  Porson  can  relieve 
me,  he  cannot,  or,  at  least,  does  not,  ]3re- 
vent  the  frequency  of  these  attacks?" 

"  Yes,  they  have,  indeed,  my  lord.  Why, 
there  was  the  Duke  of  Boltonmill's  valet, 
Mr.  Masters,  a  very  sensible,  clever  man, 
my  lord,  I  assure  you,  said,  '  Well,  Duning- 
ton,'  says  he  to  me,  ^  so  my  Lord  Lyming- 
ton  still  suffers  from  those  plaguy  attacks  in 
the  stomach.  Well,  if  I  was  his  lordship,' 
says  he,  '  I  would  make  a  bargain  with  my 
doctor  that  I'd  pay  him  for  preventing  them, 
and  not  for  merely  relieving  them.'  And 
there  was  the  Marquis  of  Wilderton's  valet, 
Mr.  Tomkins,  quite  a  superior  man,  I  can 
assure  your  lordship,  and  he  says  to  me, 
*  I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  Lord  Lymington 
is  so  continually  suffering  from  attacks  in 
the  stomach.     Tliis  ought  not  to  be,  for  his 


MEREDITH.  13 

lordship- is  still  a  young  man,  quite  in  the 
prime  of  life,  as  a  person  may  say ;  and  his 
doctor  should  prevent  such  attacks.  Why, 
there's  the  Marquis,'  said  he,  '  who  is  at 
least  ten  years  older  than  Lord  Lymington, 
and  he  never  has  any  of  them." 

"  Did  he  say  the  Marquis  was  ten  years 
older  than  me?"  asked  my  guardian. 

"  Yes,  my  lord,  and  I  answered,  ten  years, 
indeed !  Why,  Mr.  Tomkins,  I'd  venture  to 
bet  a  guinea  that  the  Marquis  is  at  least 
fifteen  years  older  than  my  lord." 

"  Then  you  would  lose,  Dunington,"  said 
Lord  Lymington ;  "  for  the  Marquis  of 
Wilderton  and  I  are  of  the  same  standing. 
We  were  at  Eton  and  Christ  Church  together." 

"Is  it  possible,  my  lord?  Well,  no  one 
ever  could  suppose  it ;  for  certainly  the  Mar- 
quis looks  old  enough  to  be  your  lordship's 
father." 

"Wilderton,  it  is^true,  does  look  much 
older  than  he  is,  but  not  so  much  so  as  you 
think." 


14  MEREDITH. 

*^  I  assure  you,  my  lord,  that  every  one 
takes  your  lordship  to  be  quite  a  young 
man — that  is,  a  young  nobleman ;  and  people 
are  quite  surprised  that  you  have  a  doctor 
travelling  about  with  you,  as  it  is  supposed 
in  general  that  only  elderly  gentlemen  have 
them.  I  am  sure  I  often  wonder  at  your 
lordship's  patience  with  Doctor  Porson,  and 
say  to  myself,  well,  if  I  was  his  lordship,  I'd 
have  a  doctor  that  would  not  be  tormenting 
me  with — '  Pray,  don't  eat  this,'  and  '  don't 
touch  that,'  just  for  all  the  world  as  if  your 
lordship  was  one  of  those  old  gouty  gentle- 
men that  are  wheeled  about  in  chairs  from 
place  to  place. 

" '  I  suppose,'  said  the  mistress  of  this  inn 
to  me,  '  it  is  for  the  pale-looking  young 
gentleman  that  the  doctor,  as  I  heard  one 
of  the  footmen  call  him,  is  travelling  with 
the  earl?" 

"  '  Yes,'  answered  I. 

"  '  I  thought  so,'  said  she ;  *for  his  lordship 


MEREDITH.  15 

looks  a  fine  healthy  nobleman— -ay,  and  as 
handsome  a  one  as  ever  I  set  my  eyes 
upon/ 

"  '  You're  not  the  only  lady  as  says  the 
same  thing,'  says  I. 

"  *  ril  be  sworn  not,'  says  she;  *  for  we 
women,  whether  of  high  or  low  degree, 
know  when  we  see  a  handsome  man.  Is  his 
lordship  married?' 

"  '  Not  yet,  ma'am.' 

"  *  More's  the  pity,  for  I'm  sure  he'd  make 
any  fine  young  lady  happy.' 

"  '  His  lordship  is  mighty  particular  in  his 
choice,'  says  I. 

"  'And  no  wonder,  when  he  is  such  a 
handsome  nobleman,'  says  she*  *  I  am  sure 
tiiiat  you  who  are  his  valet  de  sham  know 
that  there  are  many  beautiful  ladies  in  love 
with  his  lordship,'  says  she. 

'  Mum,'  says  I,  putting  my  finger  to 
my  lips,  '  I  never  tells  my  lord's  secrets  to 
no  one.' 


16  MEREDITH. 

"  So  then  she  laiigliecl,  and  walked  away, 
saying,  *  Oh,  I  see  you're  a  cunning  chap.'" 

"  Ah !"  said  Lord  Lymington,  with  some- 
thing between  an  exclamation  and  a  sigh, 
*'  perhaps  it  would  have  been  as  well  if  I 
had  married.  Miss  Elmsly  was  a  very 
fine  girl,  and  I  do  believe  very  much  at- 
tached to  me." 

"  No  young  lady  could  help  being  in  love 
with  your  lordship,  for  the  matter  of  that," 
observed  Dunington ;  ^'  but  Miss  Elmsly 
having  no  fortune,  people  were  spiteful 
enough  to  say, that  your  lordship's  great  wealth 
had  something  to  say  in  influencing  her 
aifections ;  and  for  my  part,  I  could  not  bear 
the  notion  that  people  should  think  such  a 
handsome  nobleman  as  your  lordship  was 
only  married  for  your  fortune." 

"  I  don't  care  a  sous  for  what  people  may 
say,"  observed  my  guardian,  and  I  am  now 
sorry  that  I  did  not  marry  Miss  Elmsly. 
Her  beauty  and  accomplishments  rendered 


MEREDITH.  17 

lier  in  every  way  worthy  the  honour  I  de- 
signed her ;  and  I  was  wrong  not  to  have 
availed  myself  of  the  preference  which  she 
decidedly  entertained  for  me.'^ 

"  There's  plenty  of  time  yet  for  your 
lordship  to  marry,  and  there's  as  good  fish 
in  the  sea  as  ever  was  caught,  my  lord." 

"  Ay,  so  you  always  say,  Dunington;  but 
time  does  not  stand  still  with  me  any  more 
than  it  does  with  others ;  and  if  I  put  off 
marrying  much  longer,  it  Avill  be  too  late  to 
wed  at  all,  or  at  least  to  marry  the  only 
sort  of  person  I  would  have.  Youth  and 
beauty  are  indispensable  requisites  in  the 
lady  who  is  to  be  Countess  of  Lymington; 
and  the  want  of  good  family  I  could  not 
look  over  in  the  mother  of  the  future  earl." 

"  Your  lordship  is  quite  right ;  and  you 
surely  are  entitled  to  have  a  beautiful  young 
bride  of  high  family ;  but  I  don't  see  why 
your  lordship  should  not  look  for  a  large 
fortune  too;  for  although  you  have  great 


18  MEREDITH. 

estates  and  plenty  of  ready  money,  still  it  is 
pleasant  to  get  more.  Besides,  when  a 
nobleman  marries. a  lady  with  a  large  for- 
tune, no  one  can  suspect  that  he  was  chosen 
for  his  money." 

"  Well,  Dunington,  if  I  had  married  the 
rich  heiress,  Miss  Middleton,  I  should  have 
had  youth,  beauty,  good  family,  and  fortune 
too;  yet  I  remember  you  never  liked  the 
prospect  of  my  marriage  with  her." 

"  Because  I  could  not  bear,  my  lord,  to 
hdar  people  saying  at  every  side  that  Miss 
Middleton  would  only  wed  your  lordship  for 
sake  of  being  a  countess,  and  that  hurt  my 
feelings,  knowing  as  I  do  that  the  richest 
and  noblest  young  beauties  would  have  been 
proud  and  delighted  to  marry  such  a  hand- 
some nobleman  as  you,  my  lord." 

Here,  overpowered  by  sleep,  I  heard  no 
more;  but  inexperienced  as  I  was,  what  I 
had  heard  fully  developed  to  me  the  weak- 
ness and  imbecility  of  Lord  Lymington,  and 


MEREDITH.  19 

the  low  cunning  of  the  artful  valet,  who,  it 
was  plain,  governed  by  means  of  the  grossest 
flattery  him  who  was  suspicious  of  every 
one  else  around  him. 


20  MEREDITH. 


CHAPTEPi  11. 


Arrived  at  Dover  tlie  next  day.  On  ascend- 
ing the  stairs  of  the  inn,  we  encountered  an 
elderly  lady  and  gentleman,  attended  by  a 
fine-looking  young  man  and  two  very  lovely 
girls.  The  elderly  lady,  who,  it  was  evident, 
was  the  mother  of  the  youthful  group,  still 
retained  the  traces  of  considerable  beauty, 
although  of  an  excessive  embonpoint^  which 
rendered  the  ascent  of  the  stairs,  even 
though  assisted  by  her  son,  a  very  fatiguing 
operation.  The  elderly  gentleman,  a  tall, 
thin,  distingue  looking  man,  bowed  coldly 


MEREDITH.  21 

to  Lord  Lymington,  while  the  lady  coloured, 
as  she  acknowledged,  by  a  formal  bend  of 
the  head,  the  embarrassed  salutation  of  my 
guardian. 

"  Strange  that  we  should  meet !"  muttered 
he,  when  seated  in  his  room,  after  a  silence 
of  some  minutes.  "  Six  and  twenty  years 
have  now  passed  since  last  I  saw  her! 
What  a  change !  She  who  used  to  look  like 
a  sylph,  ay,  and  bound  like  one  amid  the 
parterre  at  her  mother's  villa,  now  grown 
into  that  most  abominable  of  all  things — 
a  stout  lady.  Faugh !  The  very  term  has 
something  disgusting  in  it.  And  he^  too, 
who  was  inclined  to  be  fat,  has  grown  into 
*  the  lean  and  slippered  pantaloon.'  How 
she  panted  as  her  unwieldy  figure  toiled  up 
stairs.  Strange  !  strange !  Had  I  married 
her,  which  I  was  so  near  doing,  /  might 
have  been  the  father  of  that  fine-looking 
young  man  and  those  beautiful  girls !  By- 
the  bye,  one  of  them  greatly  resembles  what 


22  MEREDITH. 

she  was.  Well,  I  had  a  good  escape  ;  for  it 
would  have  been  a  horrid  bore  to  find  myself, 
while  still  a  comparatively  young  man, — and 
he  looked  in  the  mirror  complacently, — ^jostled 
out  of  gay  life  by  a  son  arrived  at  manhood, 
and  considering  himself,  as  all  grown-up 
sons  do  in  these  degenerate  days,  extremely 
iU  used  by  his  father  continuing  to  keep  him 
out  of  the  estates  of  which  he  is  longing  to 
take  possession.'^ 

This  soliloquy,  uttered  aloud,  produced  a 
smile  from  Mi\  Eivers,  which  being  noticed 
by  Lord  Lymington,  he  observed,  "  I  have 
been  speaking  aloud,  have  I  not  ?  I  have  a 
habit  of  doing  so  when  anything  excites 
me.  You  noticed  that  fat  lady  we  met  on 
the  stairs,  Mr.  Eivers?" 

"  Yes,  my  lord;  and  a  finer  countenance 
I  never  beheld." 

''  If  you  had  known  her  twenty-six  years 
ago,  you  would  have  said  a  more  lovely  face 
could  not  be  seen !     I  was  so  entirely  of  this 


MEREDITH.  23 

opinion,  that,  after  a  courtsliip  of  some 
months'  duration,  I  proposed,  and  was 
accepted  by  that  lady.  She  was  the 
only  child  of  the  Dowager  Countess  of 
Mellebrooke ;  had  but  a  small  portion,  the 
estates  of  her  deceased  father  having  been 
entailed  on  a  distant  relative.  She,  how- 
ever, was  so  universally  admired  and  sought 
that  she  had  refused  no  less  than  three  very 
advantageous  offers  of  marriage  before  I 
had  made  mine.  Indeed,  she  acknowledged 
to  me,  after  all  the  preliminaries  for  our 
marriage  had  been  arranged,  that  a  prefer- 
ence for  me  had  led  to  their  rejection.  Yes ; 
she  was,  I  do  believe,  fondly  attached  to  me. 
Poor  thing !  Did  you  observe  how  embar- 
rassed she  looked  when  I  bowed  to  her?  I 
dare  say  the  poor  woman,  if  the  truth  was 
known,  still  retains  her  early  preference  for 
me.  Women,  I  believe,  Mr.  Elvers,  never 
wholly  conquer  what  is  called  their  first 
love ;  but  it  is  very  different  with  men,  as 


24  MEREDITH. 

I  know  by  experience — the  last  love  being 
that  which  we  most  appreciate." 

"  Not  always,  my  lord.  I  have  known 
instances  where  men  continued  through  life 
to  retain  a  lively  interest  in  the  object  of 
their  first  attachment." 

"  I  can't  say  that  this  has  been  the  case 
with  me.  Thinking  of  one's  early  loves 
makes  one  feel  so  horridly  old,  while  each 
new  attachment  gives  the  illusion  of  youth 
by  exciting  some  of  its  emotions.  The 
worst  is,  that  after  a  certain  age  one's  at- 
tachments are  of  such  brief  duration.  In 
the  person  who  seemed  charming  at  first, 
we  soon  discover  defects,  and,  disappointed, 
seek  in  a  new  object  those  perfections  we 
expected  to  have  found  in  i\\Q^  former." 

*'  But  may  not  the  fault  be  in  ourselves,  my 
lord,  in  our  blunted  feelings,  which,  like  the 
appetite  of  a  sated  epicure,  require  novelty 
to  excite  them?" 

"  I  am  not  given  to  search  into  causes ^^^ 


MEREDITH.  25 

said  Lord  Lymington,  "  I  am  more  prone 
to  notice  effects;  and  though  there  may  be 
some  truth  in  your  remark,  it  is  enough  for  me 
to  know  that  a  face,  even  though  the  loveliest 
in  the  world,  no  longer  delights  me,  to  make 
me  seek  another  in  order  to  renew  the  emo- 
tion at  first  caused  by  the  former." 

"  But  this  system,  if  acted  upon,  would 
create  great  unhappiness  in  the  world,  my 
lord.  What  would  be  the  feelings  of  a  young 
and  pure-minded  girl  if,  after  a  man  had 
won  her  affections,  he  was,  when  no  longer 
captivated  by  attractions  that  had  lost  their 
novelty,  to  turn  to  some  other  object  in 
search  of  it?" 

''•  There  may  be  something  in  that,  Mr. 
Rivers ;  but,  by  Jove !  I  never  viewed  the 
business  in  so  grave  a  light  before.  And, 
after  all,  a  man  must  think  of  his  own  com- 
fort before  he  considers  that  of  the  woman 
who  may  happen  to  love  him.  If,  out  of 
pity,  he  continues  to  shew  her,  after  liis 

VOL.  II.  C 


26  MEREDITH. 

passion  has  ceased,  the  same  kindness  and 
attention  she  experienced  when  he  loved 
her,  he  will  be  bored  to  extinction,  and  if 
he  does  not,  slie  will,  as  you  say,  be,  un- 
happy. If  one  is  to  suffer,  surely  you  could 
not  expect  that  a  man  would  sacrifice  his 
own  happiness  ?  I  certainly  would  not  mine. 
But  to  resume,  and  to  prove  to  you  the 
little  faith  I  have  in  early  attachments :  I 
once  loved  the  lady  we  met  on  the  stairs ; 
yes,  positively  loved  her  to  folly,  until  she 
consented  to  marry  me ;  yet  I  have  not  be- 
stowed a  thought  on  her  for  the  last  six  and 
twenty  years !  Nevertheless  now  that  we  met 
so  accidentally,  all  the  events  connected  with 
our  engagement  come  back  as  fresh  to  my 
memory  as  if  they  had  occurred  only  yes- 
terday ;  and,  I  dare  say,  that  she  also,  poor 
wqman !  is  at  this  moment  thinking  of  the 
happy  time  when  she  looked  forward  to  being 
my  wife.  You  saw  how  she  changed  colour, 
did  you  not?" 


MEREDITH.  27 

"  I  did  not  observe  it,"  my  lord. 

"  I  did,  poor  soul!  Heigh  ho!  By- 
Jove  !  it  nearly  killed  her." 

''  K  not  an  indiscreet  question,  my  lord, 
I  should  like  to  know  how  your  marriage 
was  broken  off.  The  lady  was  not  likely 
to  prove  faithless ;  and  your  lordship,  I  pre- 
sume, was  then  as  little  disposed  to  incon- 
stancy ?" 

^'  She  certainly  did  not;  indeed,  few 
women  could  have  been  inconstant  to  me,  for 
I  was  considered  to  be  the  best-looking  young 
fellow  about  town.  Nor  was  I,  according 
to  my  own  opinion,  faithless ;  although  many 
people,  and  especially  her  family  and  friends, 
accused  me  of  fickleness.  Within  two  days 
of  the  one  named  for  our  nuptials,  I  forced 
her  to  a  water-party,  for  which  I  had  made 
such  expensive  preparations,  that  although 
the  weather  threatened  rain,  I  was  not 
willing  to  postpone  it.  Her  mother,  and 
indeed  herself,  objected  to  go,  but  I  over- 
c2 


28  MEREDITH. 

ruled  tlieir  objections,  and  carried  the  point. 
Tlie  day  turned  out  to  be  wretched ;  she 
took  a  severe  cold,  and  on  the  morrow  was 
pronounced  to  be  dangerously  ill.  Our  mar- 
riage was  consequently  postponed ;  and  when, 
after  three  or  four  weeks'  confinement  to  her 
chamber,  my  intended  bride  was  allowed  to 
receive  a  visit  from  me,  I  found  her  totally 
altered  in  appearance,  pale  and  thin,  and 
with  a  cough  which  sounded  like  a  death- 
knell  in  my  ear.  I  consequently  deter- 
mined to  await  the  result  before  I  took  any 
further  step  relative  to  our  marriage.  Not 
so  her  lady  mother,  who  suggested  to  me, 
that  as  my  betrothed  was  still  delicate,  and 
that  a  mild  climate  was  recommended  for 
her,  she  thought  it  very  advisable  that  our 
nuptials  should  at  once  take  place,  and  that 
we  should  depart  for  the  South  of  Italy, 
where  a  winter's  residence  could  not  fail  to 
restore  the  health  .of  her  daughter.  I  could 
not  conceal  the  surprise  and  disapprobation 


MEREDITH.  29 

I  felt  at  so  preposterous  a  project,  and  ad- 
vised, in  preference  to  its  adoption,  that 
she  should  take  her  daughter  to  Italy,  where 
I  could  join  them  whenever,  if  ever,  her 
health  was  restored ;  but  that  to  marry  her 
at  present,  and  so  become  a  nurse  instead 
of  a  bridegroom,  was  totally  out  of  the 
question.  Lady  Mellebrooke  chose  to  take 
this  proposal  ill,  and  be  offended.  She 
accused  me  of  want  of  affection  for  her 
daughter,  and  I  honestly  stated,  that  when 
I  offered  my  hand,  the  object  of  my  affec- 
tion was  in  good  health,  and  in  high  beauty, 
while  now  she  appeared  to  me  to  be  in  a 
consumption,  and  her  beauty  was  certainly 
much  impaired.  Would  you  credit  it,  the 
mother  became  angry — said  I  could  have 
no  feeling  to  act  in  such  a  manner,  regretted 
that  her  poor  child,  as  she  called  her,  had 
ever  known  me,  laid  the  blame  of  her  illness 
on  the  cold  she  had  caught,  owing  to  my 
obstinacy  in  forcing  her  to  go  on  the  water 


30  MEREDITH. 

on  a  bad  day ;  and,  in  short,  said  a  thou- 
sand unreasonable  and  absurd  things.  I  grew 
angry,  and  declared  I  would  never  marry 
her  daughter.  She  burst  into  tears,  and 
asked  me — nay,  prayed  me  not  to  endanger 
the  life  of  her  child,  by  letting  it  be  known, 
in  her  present  weak  state,  that  I  had  refused 
to  fulfil  my  engagement  to  her,  and  I,  good 
naturedly,  consented  to  keep  on  the  mask 
until  her  strength  was  a  little  restored, 
though  secretly  determined  never  to  marry 
a  woman  of  delicate  health — a  step  which 
might  not  only  interrupt  the  enjoyment  of 
my  life,  by  making  my  house  an  hospital, 
but  might  seriously  endanger  my  own  health 
and  that  of  my  posterity.  To  say  the  truth, 
my  passion  had  greatly  abated  from  the 
day  I  felt  sure  of  her  becoming  mine.  Que 
voulez  vous  ?  I  had  been  kept  so  long  in 
suspense,  she  had  so  many  suitors,  and  her 
mother  was  so  scrupulous  about  the  charac- 
ter of  him  who  was  to  be  the  successful 


MEREDITH.  31 

one,  that  my  feelings  were  wound  up  to  the 
utmost  pitch  of  excitement.  Once  accepted, 
and  sure  of  her,  the  love  daily,  hourly,  de- 
creased, and  all  her  other  suitors  being  dis- 
missed, I  no  longer  experienced  any  of  those 
fears  which  are  as  necessary  to  keep  alive 
love  as  thorns  are  to  guard  the  rose.  But 
to  resume  my  story:  the  invalid  was  per- 
suaded by  her  mother  that  the  marriage 
was  prohibited  for  a  year,  by  her  physi- 
cians, and  so  she  remained  in  perfect 
ignorance  of  my  refusal  to  wed  her.  Lady 
Mellebrooke,  the  proudest  and  most  stately 
dame  that  I  ever  happened  to  meet,  but  also 
the  most  doting  mother,  was  now  obliged, 
while  hating  me  for  what  she  was  pleased 
to  consider  my  selfish  conduct,  to  conciliate 
me,  in  order  that  my  visits  should  not 
cease.  My  position  was  rather  an  awkward 
one,  for  her  daughter,  believing  that  she 
was  to  be  my  wife  as  soon  as  her  health 
was 'restored,  nay  more,  thinking  that  my 


d2  MEREDITH. 

consent  to  the  postponement  of  a  year  was  a 
new  proof  of  my  affection,  lavished  on  me  all 
those  nameless  and  indescribable  attentions 
which  tlie  most  pure-minded  and  modest 
young  creatures  can  evince  towards  a  be- 
trothed husband,  without  losing  the  least 
portion  of  that  delicacy  and  dignity  which 
form  so  great  an  attraction  in  them. 
There  was  something  positively  touching 
in  her  manner  towards  me;  so  much  so, 
that  at  times  I  was  almost  tempted  to  break 
through  the  resolution  formed  by  my  pru- 
dence, and  by  marrying  her,  acquire  the 
right  of  accompanying  her  abroad,  and 
watching  over  her  health,,  At  such  mo- 
ments, I  used  to  catch  her  mother's  scornful 
eye  fixed  on  my  face  with  an  expression  of 
contempt  and  dislike,  that  only  subsided 
when  they  melted  into  pity  for  her  deceived 
daughter,  and  large  tears  coursed  each  other 
down  her  pale  face.  My  prudence,  how- 
ever,  vanquished  my   temporary   irresolu- 


MEREDITH.  33 

tion ;  and  as  I  reflected  on  the  anxiety  and 
personal  inconvenience  to  which  I  should 
be  exposed  by  travelling  with  an  invalid,  I 
congratulated  myself  on  my  fii*mness  ; 
although  when  her  mother  demanded  her 
portrait  from  me,  it  cost  me  a  pang  to 
resign  it.  The  moment  of  parting  was  a 
very  painful  trial  to  her  poor  gentle  soul, 
and  a  very  awkward  one  to  me.  She  wept 
on  my  shoulder  as  she  whispered  me  not  to 
be  uneasy  about  her,  and  urged  me  to  join 
her  soon,  while  her  stately  mother  looked 
daggers  at  me,  and  almost  tore  her  daughter 
from  my  arms.  She  went  abroad,  and  after 
some  months,  recovered.  When  her  mother 
thought  her  strong  enough  to  bear  •  the 
shock,  she  broke  to  her  my  refusal  to  wed 
her,  and  her  opinion  of  what  she  considered 
to  be  my  unfeeling  conduct.  Women, 
even  the  oldest  of  them,  Mr.  Eivers,  have 
such  crochetty  notions  about  love.  They 
fancy  that  everything  else  is  to  be  sacri- 
c3 


34  MEREDITH. 

ficed  for  it,  and  when  they  can  no  longer 
excite  the  passion  themselves,  they  take  up 
arms  for  their  female  relatives  and  friends. 
A  prudent  man  is,  by  them,  sure  to  be 
accused  of  selfishness  and  want  of  feeling, 
&c.,  consequently,  I  conclude  that  I  was 
not  spared  by  Lady  Mellebrooke  when 
she  told  her  daughter  what  had  occurred 
between  us.  However  that  may  be,  although 
prepared  for  a  letter  of  reproach,  I  heard 
no  more  of  the  fair  girl  to  whom  I  really 
had  been  attached,  until  I  received,  through 
my  bankers,  a  parcel  containing  my  por- 
trait, and  all  the  gages  d  amours  which  I 
had  presented  to  Lady  Mary  when  our 
marriage  had  been  arranged.  Not  a  line 
accompanied  them,  which,  I  own,  rather  sur- 
prised and  somewhat  mortified  me*  I  heard 
by  chance,  from  a  person  who  had  met  them 
in  Italy,  that  Lady  Mary  had  a  severe  re- 
lapse, and  was  reduced  nearly  to  the  grave, 
and  by  comparing  dates  ascertained  that  this 


MEREDITH.  35 

must  have  been  immediately  after  the  dis- 
closure made  by  her  mother,  and  the  return 
of  my  portrait  and  gifts.  I  expected  no 
less,  for  the  poor  girl  really  loved  me 
passionately,  and  so  did  I  her  at  first, 
but  her  illness  alarmed  me  for  my  future 
comfort.  Well,  the  fair  invalid  was  taken 
to  place  after  place  in  Italy  for  change  of 
air.  People  who  met  her  told  me  that  she 
was  a  complete  wreck,  with  spirits  broken, 
and  little  chance  of  living  ;  and  then  I 
congratulated  myself  that  I  had  not  mar- 
ried her.  In  three  years  after  I  went  to 
Baden,  and  the  first  person  I  saw  there 
was  my  old  flame,  looking  more  bloomimg 
than  ever,  which  shews  you  that  women 
don't  die  of  love,  whatever  people  may 
pretend.  In  a  few  hours  afterwards,  I 
learned  that,  even  while  in  the  delicate 
state  of  health  I  have  described,  she  had 
won  the  affection  of  the  Marquis  of 
Leominster,   who   followed  her,    like    her 


36  MEREDITH. 

shadow,  wlienever  she  moved,  and  became 
joint  nurse  with  her  mother.  After  two 
years  unceasing  assiduities,  he  was  re- 
warded by  her  perfect  recovery  to  health, 
and  her  fair  hand ;  which  was  only  accorded 
to  him  a  few  days  before  they  left  Italy  for 
Baden,  whither  they  had  been  recommended 
to  repair  for  the  benefit  of  her  mother.  I 
quitted  the  place  next  day,  not  wishing  to 
encounter  the  stern  gaze  of  the  cold  and 
stately  Dowager  Countess  of  Mellebrooke, 
or  to  awaken  painful  feelings  in  the  breast 
of  her  daughter,  who,  I  was  fully  convinced, 
still  entertained  for  me  a  sentiment  incom- 
patible with  her  new  duties.  I  have  only 
occasionally  heard  of  the  Marchioness  of 
Leominster  since,  and  out  of  delicacy  to 
her  feelings  have  carefully  avoided  all  in- 
tercourse, and  now  that  she  retains  not 
even  a  trace  of  that  elegant  figure  and 
lovely  face  which  justified  my  youthful 
preference  for  her,  I  rejoice  that  the  moving 


MEREDITH.  S7 

mass  of  flesh  so  disagreeable  to  contemplate, 
is  designated  by  any  title  rather  than  that 
of  Lymington.  Fancy  me,  who  have  so 
perfectly  retained  my  fignre — and  he  stood 
up  to  exhibit  it — supporting  on  my  arm 
such  a  woman  as  Lady  Leominster  now  is. 
The  very  notion  shocks  me !  And  then  the 
horror  of  having  a  young  man,  six  feet 
high,  with  whiskers,  calling  me  father, 
spending  my  money,  and  wishing  me  dead, 
that  he  might  step  into  my  shoes.  Fancy  me 
travelling  about  with  an  immensely  fat  wife, 
and  two  full-grown  daughters,  for  whom 
husbands  are  to  be  found.  The  very 
thought  appals  me.  I  have  been  saved  all 
this  by  my  prudence,  and  have  reason  to 
be  thankful  for  the  escape." 

Lord  Lymington  looked  disappointed  at 
Mr*  Kivers  not  paying  him  any  compliment 
on  his  boasted  prudence,  while  niy  preceptor, 
having  walked  to  the  window,  made  some  re- 
mark on  the  weather.  Liexperienced  as  I  was, 


38  MEREDITH. 

the  gross  selfishness  of  my  guardian  shocked 
and  disgusted  me,  and  I  felt  surprised  at 
the  naivete  and  self-complacency  with  which 
he  related  to  an  acquaintance  of  such  short 
standing,  a  tale  so  little  creditable  to  him- 
self. It  appeared,  however,  that  far  from 
being  ashamed  of  his  conduct,  he  was  proud 
of  it,  and  positively  thought  that  instead 
of  condemnation  it  was  calculated  to  excite 
praise. 


MEREDITH.  39 


CHAPTER  III. 


Previous  to  embarking  for  our  short  voyage 
to  Calais,  Dr.  Porson  was  directed  by  Lord 
Lymington  to  prepare  whatever  medicine  or 
mixture  he  thought  most  likely  to  prevent 
sea-sickness;  but  although  the  Doctor  ex- 
plained the  necessity  of  a  slight  and  simple 
breakfast,  in  order  to  second  the  effect  of 
the  preventive  he  administered,  his  patient's 
habits  of  self-indulgence  and  epicureanism 
were  too  deeply  rooted  to  yield  to  his  repre- 
sentations. As  luxurious  a  repast  as  could 
be  prepared  by  Lord  Lymington's  cook,  to 


40  MEREDITH. 

which  the  Peer  did  ample  justice,  de- 
feated the  effect  of  the  Doctor's  prescription. 
Before  we  had  left  the  pier  ten  minutes,  my 
guardian,  with  jaundiced  face  and  rueful 
looks,  muttered  curses,  not  loud,  but  deep, 
at  the  inefficacy  of  the  powders  and  draught 
he  had  swallowed;  while  Dunington  shook 
his  head,  and  said,  "  It  was  always  the  case 
with  his  lordship,  who,  although  condemned 
to  take  the  most  nauseous  medicine,  and  to 
submit  to  a  system  of  starvation  enough  to 
endanger  the  health  of  a  person  of  even  the 
strongest  constitution,  escaped  none  of  the 
annoyances  which  such  a  treatment  was 
intended  to  preclude.'- 

"  Can  you  give  me  nothing  to  check  this 
terrible  sickness  ?"  demanded  Lord  Lyming- 
ton. 

"  I  do  not  think,  under  the  present  irri- 
tation of  the  stomach,  it  would  be  safe  to 
administer  anything,  my  lord,"  answered 
the  Doctor. 


MEREDITH.  41 

"  I  must  have  sometliing,  for  I  cannot 
stand  this  suflfering.  Dunington,  Duning- 
ton — Oh!  oh!"  A  violent  paroxysm  of 
sickness  prevented  further  speech;  but  the 
groans  of  the  Peer  were  really  piteous. 

"  A  drop  of  white  brandy,  my  lord;  it 
will  really  do  your  lordship  good;  do,  my 
lord,  taste  it,''  said  Dunington,  raising  the 
glass  to  his  master's  lips. 

"  I  cannot  sanction  this,  my  lord,"  ob- 
served Doctor  Porson.  '^  Unaccustomed  as 
your  lordship  is  to  spirituous  liquors,  I  fore- 
see great  danger  in  your  having  recourse  to 
such  a  measure." 

^'  So  you  will  neither  give  me  anything 
to  relieve  me  yourself,  nor  allow  me  to  take 
what  is  advised  by  another,"  muttered  Lord 
Lymington.  "  Dunington — Oh !  oh !"  and 
another  paroxysm  more  violent  than  the 
former  followed. 

"  Take  it,  my  lord,"  said  the  valet,  look- 
ing triumphantly  at  the  Doctor,  and  again 


42  MEREDITH. 

raising  the  glass  of  brandy  to  his  lord's  lips. 
It  was  drank  with  an  avidity  that  produced 
so  violent  a  fit  of  coughing,  that  a  vessel 
in  the  chest  gave  way,  and  a  sanguine 
stream  flowed  copiously  from  the  mouth  of 
the  unfortunate  Peer,  who,  before  the  vessel 
reached  Calais,  was  in  a  state  of  insensi- 
bility, and  expired  shortly  after.  Nothing 
had  been  left  undone  by  Doctor  Porson  in 
order  to  prolong  the  life  of  his  patient ;  but 
his  efforts,  aided  by  those  of  another  medical 
man  who  happened  to  be  a  passenger  in  the 
packet,  were  fruitless.  Pale,  and  stupified 
by  the  blow,  he  remained  sitting  by  the 
corpse,  wholly  absorbed  by  painful  reflec- 
tions; while  Dunington,  with  clamorous 
grief,  bewailed  the  loss  of  his  dear  lord, 
yet  diligently  occupied  himself  in  opening, 
writing-cases,  dressing-boxes,  and  plate- 
chests;  the  contents  of  which  he  not  only 
carefully  noted,   but    partially   abstracted 


MEREDITH.  43 

during  the  first  hour  of  hurry  and  confusion 
that  followed  the  sudden  catastrophe. 

The  innkeepers  of  Calais,  who  were  ranged 
on  the  pier,  to  solicit  the  custom  of  the  pas- 
sengers for  their  respective  hotels,  looked 
blank  when  told  that  the  only  passenger  of 
distinction  on  board  was  a  dead,  instead  of 
a  living  lord.  They  objected  to  receive  the 
corpse,  being  of  opinion  that  a  lord  who 
cannot  eat  or  drink  is  not  a  profitable  guest ; 
and  these  same  persons,  who  two  houi's,  or 
even  one  hour  previously,  would  have  dis- 
puted for  the  honour  of  his  presence  at  their 
hotels,  now  declined  to  allow  his'  body  a 
chamber.  The  captain  of  the  packet  waited 
on  the  public  authorities,  in  order  that  a 
place  might  be  assigned  for  the  remains  of 
the  Earl  to  rest  in,  until  a  messenger  was 
dispatched  to  England  to  his  solicitor  for 
instructions  as  to  the  interment. 

Mr.  Rivers  seemed  to  be  the  only  person 


44  MEREDITH. 

capable  of  acting  in  this  dilemma ;  for  Doctor 
Porson,  stunned  by  the  unexpected  event 
that  had  taken  place,  had  lost  all  presence 
of  mind;  and  Dunington  was  so  busily  occu- 
pied by  what  he  called  *'  arranging  his  poor 
dear  lost  lord's  effects," that  he  forgot  to  shew 
any  respect  to  his  corpse ;  which,  still  in  the 
elegant  habiliments  in  which  the  defunct  had 
been  clothed  but  a  few  hours  before,  was 
extended  on  the  berth  where  he  had  been 
placed  when  the  fatal  rupture  of  the  blood- 
vessel occurred.  This  was  indeed  a  fearful 
death-bed  scene !  There  lay  the  remains  of 
the  selfish  voluptuary,  who  during  life  had 
thought  only  of  self,  and  whose  sole  study 
had  been  to  administer  to  the  gratification 
of  that  now  senseless  body,  which  all  shrank 
from  with  disgust.  No  fond  and  faithful 
wife,  tried  partner  of  youth,  no  affectionate 
son,  or  tender  daughter,  wept  over  the  dead. 
No  friend  looked  on  the  pale,  marble-like 
lace,  and  stark  form,  with  mournful  interest, 


MEREDITH.  45 

and  no  attached  domestic  watched  the  corse, 
and  kept  away  the  gaze  of  idle  curiosity. 
Meet  death  for  such  a  life  as  Lord  Lyming- 
ton's  had  been — a  life  in  which  friendship  had 
been  repelled  lest  it  might  entail  trouble; 
love  slighted,  lest  it  might  occasion  pain; 
and  gratitude  never  incurred,  because  on 
none  did  the  departed  confer  those  benefits 
which  are  calculated  to  awaken  it. 

Mr.  Eivers  ordered  a  coffin  to  be  instantly 
prepared ;  and  so  short  was  the  time  allowed 
for  its  completion,  that  it  was  one  of  so  very 
plain  and  simple  a  description,  that  had  the 
deceased  during  life  beheld  such  a  bed  as- 
signed for  the  last  resting-place  of  even  the 
humblest  of  his  menials,  he  would  have 
turned  from  it  with  disgust.  Yes,  rude  and 
unadorned  was  the  narrow  bed  on  which 
was  to  repose  the  pampered  form  of  the 
Sybaritic  voluptuary,  whose  slumbers  in  life 
a  crumpled  rose-leaf  on  his  couch  would 
have  broken.     Yet  now  ^'  he  slept  well,"  in- 


46  MEREDITH. 

sensible  that  rough  and  strange  hands  placed 
him  in  his  last  bed;  that  loud  and  harsh 
voices  talked  of  him  as  of  common  clay; 
that  careless  eyes  looked  on  his  marble  face, 
scrutinized  the  rechercMs  habiliments,  of 
which  in  donning  them  on  the  morning  he 
had  felt  vain,  and  laughed  unfeelingly  as 
they  noticed  the  artistically-made  toupet^ 
which  when  he  was  in  life  had  passed  for 
being  the  growth  of  his  head,  but  in  his 
agony  had  become  twisted  awry!  How 
many  brilliant  projects  for  the  future  had 
he  planned  the  preceding  evening !  AVhat 
schemes  for  winters  to  come,  to  be  passed  in 
warm  climates,  to  renovate  his  frame,  and 
summers  in  cool  ones  to  reinvigorate  it ;  and 
now  this  man  of  immense  wealth  and  high 
rank,  who  had  never  hitherto  denied  him- 
self a  gratification,  however  dearly  it  might 
be  purchased  at  the  expense  of  others,  lay 
dead  and  unwept — his  remains  denied  a 
lodging  even  in  any  of  the  hotels  which 


MEREDITH.  47 

when  living  he  would  have  deemed  un- 
worthy of  his  presence.  This,  then,  was  the 
end  of  the  selfish  man !  How  unlike  that 
of  my  sainted  mother — loved  and  mourned 
by  all  who  approached  her!  The  lesson 
made  a  deep  and  lasting  impression  on  my 
feelings,  and  I  prayed  that  my  end  might 
not  be  like  his. 

After  much  exertion,  Mr.'  Elvers  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  permission  that  the  body 
of  Lord  Lymington  might  be  lodged  in  the 
church  until  instructions  should  arrive  from 
England  for  its  removal  to  the  family  vault ; 
but  previously  to  its  being  removed  to  the 
church,  the  civil  authorities  at  Calais,  owing 
to  the  suddenness  of  the  death,  insisted  on 
an  autopsy  taking  place,  malgi^e  the  repre- 
sentations of  Mr.  Eivers  and  Doctor  Por- 
son,  who  in  vain  explained  the  natural 
causes  that  led  to  the  event.  Then  again 
arose  the  difficulty  of  where  this  operation 
was  to  be  performed,   all  the  innkeepers 


48  MEREDITH. 

declining  to  suffer  the  body  to  be  con- 
veyed into  any  one  of  their  houses.  At 
length,  the  dissecting-room  in  the  hospital 
was  selected ;  and  to  it  the  rough  wooden 
shell,  dignified  by  the  name  of  cercueil, 
with  its  contents,  was  taken,  followed 
only  by  Mr.  Elvers,  Doctor  Porson,  and 
myself;  the  faithful  Dunington  seizing  the 
opportunity  afforded  by  our  absence  of 
removing  sundry  boxes,  with  his  name 
legibly  inscribed  on  the  tops,  and  addressed 
to  his  private  residence  in  London.  The 
other  domestics  could  nowhere  be  found, 
they  having  accompanied  the  cook  to  a  wine- 
shop, where  he  had  promised  to  act  as  their 
interpreter,  and  procure  some  of  the  wine  of 
his  country,  the  privation  of  which,  during 
many  months  in  England,  he  had  so  often 
deplored. 

Poor  Lord  Lymington  !  how  would  he 
have  shrank  with  horror  and  disgust,  could 
he  have  seen  the  place  into  which  his  re- 


MEREDITH.  49 

mains  were  conveyed,  and  the  bearers,  six 
dirty  porters,  who  hurried  on  with  it,  passing 
jokes,  and  laughing  all  the  way.  Mr.  Kivers, 
when  the  body  was  taken  into  the  dissecting- 
room,  attended  by  Doctor  Porson,  who,  out 
of  respect  to  the  deceased,  would  not  leave 
it  until  the  autopsy  was  over,  and  the  coffin 
finally  fastened  down,  accompanied  me  to  an 
hotel,  where,  having  partaken  of  some  re- 
freshment, of  which  I  stood  much  in  need, 
I  retired  to  a  chamber,  and  sought  repose. 


VOL.  II. 


50  MEREDITH, 


CHAPTER  ly. 


I  HAD  slept  some  hours,  for  the  late  events 
had  greatly  agitated  and  fatigued  me,  when 
I  was  awoke  by  voices  in  the  next  room, 
from  which  mine  was  only  divided  by  a  thin 
wooden  partition. 

''  Have  another  bottle  of  wine,  my  friend," 
said  a  voice  that  I  instantly  recognised  to 
be  Dunington's. 

"  No,  no;  not  no  more.  I  have  had 
mooch,  vera  mooch,  mon  cher  ami.  You 
Engelish  heads  bear  mooch  wine,  but  we 
French  cannot  derink  like  you." 


MEREDITH.  51 

"  Psha' !  another  bottle  will  do  you  good; 
and  I  am  so  happy,  I  could  drink  half-a- 
dozen." 

"  You  Engelish  are  so  drole.  You  derink 
ven  you  are  unappy,  to  make  you  forget  it ; 
and  ven  you  are  appy,  you  derink  also; 
always  derink,  n^est-ce  pasF 

"  Well,  there  is  some  truth  in  that,  Mon- 
seer  Vatlin,  I  must  confess ;  but  it  is  only 
natural  that  I  should  feel  happy,  for  I  am 
relieved  from  a  service  that  I  was  heartily 
sick  of;  and  egad,  now  it  is  over,  I  am  sur- 
prised that  I  was  able  to  stand  it  so  long." 

"  Yy,  mon  ami,  I  always  did  tink  you 
had  a  most  capitalest  place.  De  old  lord 
vera  rich — not  look  too  close  at  de  bills,  nor 
forbid  de  per  centage,  eh?" 

"  Why,  with  regard  to  that,  he  was  a 
strange  mixture  of  extravagance  and  stingi- 
ness." 

"  Vat  is  steinginees  ?     I  know  de  extra- 
vagance vera  veil,  but  not  de  oder." 
d2 

U.  OF  ILL  LIB. 


52  MEREDITH. 

"  Stinginess  means  meanness." 

^' Means  meanness.  Yat  is  dat?  Two 
vords  just  de  same.  Your  langage  is  vera 
poor,  mon  cher — vera  poor,  indeed." 

*'  As  rich  as  yours,  mounseer,  any  day  in 
the  week ;  and  if  it  is  not,  what  is  the 
matter  of  that  ?  We  English  are  ten  times 
as  rich  as  you  French — ay,  that  we  are." 

''  But  your  reeches,  of  which  you  alvays 
do  talk  so  mooch,  cannot  make  de  amende 
for  de  poverte  of  your  langage."  ^ 

'^  Nor  the  riches  of  your  language  make 
amends  for  the  poverty  of  your  purses, 
mounseer." 

*'  Veil,  let  us  not  quarille,  mon  cher^ 
about  de  trifles,  metis  revenons  a  nos  mou- 
tons.'' 

"We  were  not  talking  of  mutton,  my  good 
friend; — we  were  talking  of  one,  however, 
who  is,  thanks  to  my  stars,  as  dead  as 
mutton,  as  we  say  in  England — the  Eight 
Hon.  George  Frederick  Augustus  Netherby, 


MEREDITH.  53 

Earl  of  Lymington;  A^iscount  Higlicastle, 
and  Baron  Yalleyford,  of  Lymington  Abbey, 
in  the  county  of  Salop ;  Higlicastle  in  A¥ar- 
wicksliire,  and  Valleyford  Park,  in  the 
county  of  Notts;  Custus  Eotulorum;  K.G., 
and  G.C.B.,  as  the  peerage  has  it." 

"  Yy,  ma  parole^  I  never  did  hear  so 
many  names  and  so  many  places  belonging 
to  von  man.  He  vera  great  personage  ven 
alive,  but  now  noting, — not  even  so  good  as 
you  or  me,  for,  as  de  book  say,  '  dead  lion 
not  so  good  as  living  dog.'  " 

"  He  was  no  more  of  a  lion,  I  can  tell 
you,  Mounseer  Vatlin,  than  I  am  a  dog,  as 
you  civilly  were  pleased  to  call  me."  ' 

"  No,  I  not  call  you  dog.  You  not  un- 
derstand vot  I  say.  I  vont  to  tell  dat  de 
great  man  vonce  he  is  dead,  is  not  so  good 
as  de  poor  man  who  is  alive;  and  I  dare 
say  your  lord,  wid  so  many  names  and 
so  many  places,  vould  be  vera  glad  to  give 
em  all  to  be  alive,  as  we  are." 


54  MEREDITH. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that;  but  I  do 
know  that  he  was  always  saying  he  was 
tired  of  his  life,  and  did  not  know  what  to 
do  to  amuse  himself.  He  expected  other 
people  to  amuse  him  whether  he  was  in  the 
humour  or  not,  though  he  soon  threw  a 
damp  on  their  gaiety  by  his  gloominess  and 
ill  temper.  He  was  a  precious  old  fool, 
to  be  sure,  that  he  was !  He  expected  his 
doctor  to  keep  him  well  when  he  would 
overload  his  stomach  in  a  manner  enough 
to  destroy  the  effect  of  all  his  prescriptions ; 
and  expected  me  to  dress  him  up  to  look 
young,  when  he  was  spoiling  his  shape  by 
injuring  his  worn-out  constitution  by  over 
eating.  He  expected,  too,  that  every  hand- 
some young  creature  he  saw  ought  to  fall  in 
love  with  him ;  and,  what  was  still  as  diffi- 
cult, was  to  inspire  a  passion  in  his  breast, 
in  which  no  love,  except  for  himself,  ever 
entered.  He  cared  for  no  living  creature, 
yet  was  offended  if  he  thought  people  did 


MEREDITH.  55 

not  like  him;  and  when  those  who  did  not 
really  know  what  a  heartless  creature  he 
was,  were  inclined  to  pity  his  lonely  state 
and  low  spirits,  he  would  laugh  in  his 
sleeve,  accuse  them  of  having  some  design 
on  him,  and  say  all  manner  of  spiteful 
things  about  them.  He  was  as  stupid  as  a 
goose,  as  cunning  as  a  fox,  as  ostentatious 
as  a  spendthrift,  and  as  mean  as  a  miser. 
By  flattering  his  vanity,  which  was  so 
craving  that  he  would  swallow  any  compli- 
ment however  gross,  I  could  make  him  be- 
lieve any  tale  I  chose  to  invent  against  any 
of  his  acquaintances — for  friends  he  had 
none !  In  short,  there  was  nothing  I  could 
not  make  him  do,  except  what  was  good — 
and  against  that  he  had  a  natural  objection. 
As  all  his  mornings  were  spent  in  getting 
himself  up  to  pass  for  a  young  man, — a 
labour  that  no  one  possessed  of  a  single 
idea  or  feeling  would  have  submitted  to, — 
he  could  not,  or  at  least  would  not,  receive 


56  MEEEDITH. 

visitors,  lest  the  mysteries  of  his  toilette 
should  be  exposed.  Hence  the  whole  of  his 
day  was  spent  with  me,  and  as  he  never 
read  a  page,  or  had  any  rational  occupation, 
he  depended  solely  on  me  for  getting  through 
the  long  and,  to  me,  weary  hours  while  he 
was  making  up.  Ah!  Yatlin,  if  you 
knew  what  a  tiresome  task  it  is  to  try  to 
amuse  a  person  that  can  hardly  be  made  to 
understand  a  joke,  and  yet  expects  to  be 
amused!  When  tired  of  flattering  him, 
and  inventing  all  manner  of  stuif  to  tell  him, 
I  used  to  be  obliged  to  collect  all  the  gos- 
sip in  the  neighbourhood  from  the  other 
servants." 

"  Mais  he  paid  you  well  for  your  ser- 
vices, Monsieur  Dunington,  eh?" 

"  I  took  care  of  that,  Mounseer,  but  if  it 
had  depended  on  him  I  should  have  got 
little,  he  was  so  stingy  and  sordid.  Such, 
too,  were  his  suspicions,  that  the  most 
honest  person  could  not  have  escaped  his 


MEREDITH.  57 

mean  surmises ;  and  so  weak  and  silly,  that 
the  most  clumsy  trickster  could  have  cheated 
him.  He  would  dispute  for  sixpence,  while 
he  lavished  thousands  of  pounds  on  follies, 
and  grudged  every  shilling  that  was  not 
spent  on  his  own  person,  or  for  his  own  in- 
dulgence. He  was  always  falling  in  love, 
or  rather  fancying  that  he  was ;  and  while 
the  fit  lasted,  which  was  never  long,  he 
was  for  marrying  the  object  of  his  fancy ; 
but  as  it  would  by  no  means  suit  my  pur- 
pose that  he  should  have  a  wife  to  share,  or 
perhaps  to  dispute,  my  influence  over  him, 
I  took  especial  care  to  discover  or  invent 
some  reason  why  he  should  not  wed  the 
person  he  had  chosen,  so  marriage  after  mar- 
riage was  broken  off.  He  was  frequently 
on  the  point  of  being  brought  into  court  for 
breach  of  promise,  or  of  meeting  manual 
chastisement  from  the  male  relatives  of  the 
jilted  ladies,  solely  because  /,  John  Dun- 
ington,  Valet,  did  not  choose  that  the  Eight 
d3 


58  MEREDITH. 

Honourable  George  Frederick  Augustus 
Netherby,  Earl  of  Lymington,  Viscount 
Highcastle,  and  Baron  Vallyford,  should 
have  a  wife." 

"  Dis  is  strange,  vera  strange !  Vat  a 
fool  dat  lord,  vid  all  dese  fine  names,  moost 
be !  You  not  find  such  a  fool  in  all  France, 
I  can  tell  you,  mon  cherT 

"  And  not  many  in  England,  I  do  be- 
lieve, Mounseer, — certainly  not  among  no- 
blemen or  gentlemen  of  the  right  sort ;  but 
Lord  Lymington  was  not  of  the  right 
sort,  which  I  soon  discovered,  and  there- 
fore took  advantage  of  his  weakness  and 
badness." 

"  But  you  have  saved  moche  money  in 
his  service,  and  those  tings  vat  I  helped 
you  to  send  off  dis  day,  make  a  fortune  for 
you,  mon  amV^ 

"  Yes,  not  amiss — not  amiss.  And  I 
have  a  round  sum  in  the  funds,  and  a  good 
supply  of  plate  laid  by  safe." 


MEREDITH.  59 

"  He  has,  I  suppose,  left  you  an  ample 
provision  in  his  testament ;  n'est-ce  pasf 

"  Ay,  there^s  the  rub.  Why,  would  you 
believe  it,  Vatlin,  he  was  such  a  rogue  and 
deceiver,  that  even  in  his  will  he  has 
cheated  those  he  pretended  most  to  like  ?" 

"  I  not  onderstand,  mon  ami.  How  can 
a  man  triche  in  his  testament  f 

"  He,  however,  found  it  easy  enough,  as 
you  shall  hear.  He  would  say  to  whomever 
he  intended  to  cheat,  '  You  will  find,  my 
good  friend,  that  I  have  not  forgotten  you 
in  my  will.'  He  would  even  shew  the  per- 
son the  passage  in  which  a  handsome  sum 
was  bequeathed  to  him,  and  thus  win  the 
regard  and  gratitude  of  the  legatee.  He 
would  then  add  a  codicil  annulling  the  le- 
gacy, and  giving  as  a  reason  for  so  doing  some 
libel  on  the  unfortunate  person.  By  these 
pretended  legacies,  and  by  shewing  them, 
he  secured  a  number  of  complaisant  friends 
and  toad-eaters,  who  submitted  to  his  ca- 


60  MEREDITH. 

prices  and  vices  for  sake  of  the  expected 
legacies.     Even  ladies  were  tlie  dupes   of 
this  treachery;  the  worthy  and  unworthy 
alike.     Those  whose  virtue  he   could   not 
corrupt,  will  find  their  reputations  stained 
by  his  will ;  for  having  named  in  it  large 
bequests,  expressly  to  imply  a  more  than 
ordinary  attachment  to  have  subsisted  be- 
tween them,  he  adds  a  codicil,    assigning 
some  insulting  cause  for  cutting  off  the  be- 
quest.    Consequently,   those  who   had    no 
claim  on  his  generosity,  and  never  dreamed 
of  its  being  extended  to   them,  will   with 
horror  find  themselves  brought  before  the 
public  as  legatees,  and,  in  a  codicil,  cut  off 
for  some  alleged  or  implied  crime.     I  have 
seen  him  laughing  like  a  fiend,  when  he  was 
noting  down  these  legacies,  and  then  adding 
codicils  to  destroy  them.     Now,  as  I  never 
thought  that  making  a  will  was  a  laughing 
matter,  I  was  rather  curious  to  know  what 
occasioned  my  hopeful  lord  and  master  to  be 


MEREDITH.  61 

SO  merry  with  regard  to  his.  I  took,  there- 
fore the  liberty  of  opening  his  escrutoire 
one  night  while  he  slept;  and  there,  sure 
enough,  I  saw  that,  not  satisfied  with  de- 
ceiving people  while  he  lived,  he  determined 
that  even  after  his  death  they  shoidd  expe- 
rience his  power.  You  can't  imagine,  Vat- 
lin,  what  I  felt  when  I  read  the  codicils. 
The  handsome  sum  left  me  in  the  will  was 
annulled,  with  some  spitefid  remark  against 
me  that  would  for  ever  prevent  me  getting 
another  place,  if  I  wanted  one.  I  was  so 
angry,  that  for  a  moment  I  was  tempted  to 
knock  him  on  the  head  while  he  slept ;  but, 
on  second  thoughts,  I  determined  to  defeat 
his  treachery — and  I  have  succeeded !" 

"  Bienfait^  Men  fait  ^  mon  ami.  Mais, 
how  did  you  manage  it?" 

"  Why,  the  very  next  day  I  told  him 
that  I  was  very  sorry,  but  that  I  must  leave 
his  service.  Now,  as  I  knew  that  he  would 
rather  make  any  sacrifice  than  let  me  go,  I 


62  MEREDITH. 

being  in  all  the  secrets  of  his  making  up, 
and,  in  fact,  the  person  who  made  him  up 
for  the  day,  I  was  sure  he  would  never  con- 
sent to  part  with  me.  He  appeared  thun- 
derstruck, and  asked  why  I  thought  of  such 
a  thing.  I  said  that  an  opportunity  of 
making  my  fortune  presented  itself;  for 
that  a  handsome  and  permanent  indepen- 
dence had  been  offered  to  me,  if  I  would 
enter  the  service  of  a  Nabob,  who  being 
bent  on  marrying  a  young  English  wife, 
wished  to  be  made  to  look  as  youthful  as 
possible;  and  having  heard  of  my  talents, 
selected  me  to  effect  this  change." 

"  But  I  have  left  you  an  ample  provision 
in  my  will,  Dunington,"  said  he. 

"  Yes,  my  lord,  I  know  it;  but  your 
lordship  is  still  a  young  man,  and  may,  and 
I  hope  will,  live  for  many  years,  but  the 
Nabob,  to  whom  I  told  your  lordship's  be- 
quest in  your  will,  has  offered  to  give  me 
the  same  sum,  in  ready  money,  and  to  pay 


MEREDITH.  63 

me  two  hundred  pounds  a-year  more  than 
your  lordship  allows  me,  and  your  lordship 
cannot  expect  me  to  miss  such  a  chance  of 
bettering  myself.  To  be  sure,  I  would 
rather  stay  with  your  lordship,  for  it  was  a 
pleasure  to  me  to  make  your  lordship  look 
as  youthful  as  any  young  nobleman  in  Eng- 
land, seeing  that  your  lordship  is  naturally 
such  a  handsome  nobleman,  whereas  the  old 
Nabob  is  not  at  all  good-looking,  and  is 
much  older  than  your  lordship,  so  that  it 
will  cost  me  a  deal  of  time  and  trouble  to 
make  him  up  to  look  like  a  handsome  young 
gentleman.  Nevertheless,  I'll  do  it;  and 
I'll  be  bound,  before  I  have  been  with  him  a 
fortnight  I'll  turn  him  out  in  elegant  style. 
The  only  thing  that  vexes  me  is,  that  this 
Nabob  has  seen  your  lordship,  and  admired 
you,  as  every  one  does  when  you  are  dressed 
for  the  day ;  and  he  fancies  that  he  resem- 
bles your  lordship,  and  would  much  more 
so,  if  dressed  exactly  like  you.     Now  he 


64  MEREDITH. 

knows  that  I  am  tlie  only  person  that  can 
manage  this,  so  that  no  money  will  keep 
him  from  engaging  my  services. 

"  This  last  hint  settled  the  business.  He 
immediately  came  into  my  terms,  gave  me  a 
check  for  a  larger  sum  than  he  would  have 
paid  to  redeem  all  the  friends  he  ever  had 
in  his  life  from  ruin;  and  thus  I  defeated 
his  roguish  scheme  for  cheating  me  in  his 
will.  Not  only  did  I  do  this,  but  ever  since 
he  has  been  in  such  di'ead  of  losing  me,  that 
he  has  been  afraid  to  inspect  my  accounts 
as  strictly  as  formerly,  which  has  given  me 
the  power  of  laying  on  pretty  large  additions 
to  the  bills,  and  making  guineas  where  I 
previously  only  made  shillings.  So  you 
see,  Mounseer  Yatlin,  that  we  English  are 
not  such  fools,  after  all,  notwithstanding 
that  you  foreigners  imagine  that  you  have 
got  all  the  cleverness  to  yourselves.  Hah ! 
hah !  hah !  There  is  one  thing  I  forgot  to 
tell  you,  and  which  is  the  best  joke  of  all — 


MEREDITH.  65 

liah  I  hah !  hah  I — I  can't  keep  from  laugh- 
ing when  I  think  of  it.  My  respectable 
lord  and  master  had  a  mistress,  a  poor 
young  woman,  who  being  in  poverty,  was 
tempted  to  sell  herself  to  age  and  infii-mity 
for  bread.  Well,  the  fancy,  like  all  his 
fancies,  once  gi'atified,  was  soon  over,  and 
this  poor  girl,  and  she  is  really  a  pretty 
woman,  was  left,  unpitied  and  neglected,  by 
this  unfeeling  old  reprobate.  We  took  a 
fancy  to  each  other,  and  she  became  so  fond 
of  me  that  I  had  great  difficulty  in  per- 
suading her  to  remain  with  my  lord.  She 
has  two  line  childi'en,  as  nice  boys,  and  as 
like  yoiu'  humble  servant  a^  it  is  possible  to 
be,  and  the  old  fool — hah!  hah!  hah! — 
imagines  they  are  his,  and  has  provided  for 
them  and  their  mother,  whom  I  intend  to 
marry  as  soon  as  I  go  back  to  England." 

"  Veil,  never,   no   never,  I  heard  such 
tings.     Dis  dead  lord  vera  bad  man,  vera 


S6  MEREDITH. 

bad  indeed;  not  one  such  a  sans  cceur  in 
all  France.'^ 

"  0,  for  the  matter  of  that,  Mounseer, 
I  dare  say  that  there's  bad  and  good  in 
all  countries ;  so  don't  be  for  trying  to  per- 
suade me  that  the  old  chap  who  has  just 
kicked  the  bucket  was  any  worse  than  many 
others  of  the  same  stamp  in  France.'^ 


MEREDITH.  67 


CHAPTER  V. 

In  due  course  of  time  arrived  one  of  the  exe- 
cutors of  the  deceased  lord,  attended  by  a 
London  undertaker  and  his  assistant,  in 
deep  sables,  and  well  supplied  with  all  that 
was  deemed  necessary  to  do  honour  to  the 
mortal  remains  of  the  late  earl.  A  cedar 
shell  lined  with  rich  white  satin,  and  having 
a  mattrass  and  pillow  of  the  same  material, 
a  leaden  coffin,  and  a  mahogany  one,  co- 
vered with  crimson  velvet,  splendidly  deco- 
rated with  silver  gilt  ornaments,  were  borne 
in  solemn  state  by  the  mutes  in  sables, 


68  MEREDITH. 

amidst  the  wondering  and  smiling  crowd 
wlio  flocked  to  tlie  pier,  and  who  jabbered 
that  the  onilor  Anglois,  not  satisfied  with 
luxury  in  life,  seemed  desirous  to  transport 
it  to  the  grave. 

"  The  worms,"  said  they,  *'  will  pay  no 
more  respect  to  lords  than  to  the  poor ;  so 
vive  la  gaiete!  The  grave  makes  all  equal. 
Vive  Vegalite  r 

Enough  costly  velvet,  gilt  nails,  coronets, 
escutcheons,  cushions  with  gold  tassels,  and 
all  the  other  insignia  peculiar  to  the  funeral 
ceremonies  of  departed  nobility,  were  landed, 
and  consigned  to  the  custom-house,  as  might 
have  served  to  decorate  the  interment  of 
some  mighty  sovereign;  and  the  sum  paid 
for  duty  for  the  entry  of  these  gewgaws,  des- 
tined to  recross  the  same  channel  in  three 
days  after,  might  have  maintained  hundreds 
of  the  poor. 

The  executor,  Mr.  Sablethorpe,  a  proud 
and  shy  man,  seemed  by  no  means  pleased 


MEREDITH.  69 

with  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  the 
deceased  earl,  and  left  the  entire  arrange- 
ment of  the  ceremonials  to  the  gentleman  in 
sables  and  his  satellites,  who  soon  established 
themselves  at  the  inn,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  faithful  Dunington,  who  already 
appeared  to  be  on  terms  of  the  most  familiar 
and  friendly  intercourse  with  them,  and 
partook  largely  of  the  good  things  provided 
for  their  use.  French  wines  were  found  too 
light  and  washy,  as  they  termed  it,  for  their 
palates;  and,  in  lieu  of  them,  sherry  and 
port,  ad  infinitum^  were  put  in  requisition. 
The  copious  use  of  these  beverages  produced 
so  exhilarating  an  effect  on  the  gentlemen 
in  sables,  that  their  voices  were  heard  loudly 
singing  bacchanalian  songs — their  turbulent 
gaiety  forming  a  striking  contrast  to  the 
sombre  hue  of  their  garments. 

Permission  had  been  obtained  by  Mr. 
Eivers  to  have  the  mortal  remains  of  Lord 
Lymington,  after  they  were  placed  in  the 


70  MEREDITH. 

aristocratic  receptacles  brought  from  Lon- 
don for  the  purpose,  lodged  within  a 
church,  which  was  soon  draped  with  black 
by  the  undertaker  and  his  assistants,  when 
crowds  flocked  to  behold  the  ostentatious 
exhibition. 

Meanwhile,  Mr.  Sablethorpe,  the  execu- 
tor, appointed  two  o'clock  next  day  for  the 
reading  of  the  will ;  at  which  ceremony  the 
presence  of  Dr.  Person,  Mr.  Eivers,  and 
myself,  was  requested.  The  Doctor's  coun- 
tenance betrayed  the  hopes  he  indulged  of 
having  his  services  generously,  if  not  muni- 
ficently, rewarded  by  his  late  patient  in  the 
document  about  to  be  made  known,  and  he 
indulged  this  hope  the  more  sanguinely 
from  the  very  limited  yearly  remuneration 
allowed  him  by  the  late  lord.  But  I 
marked  a  smile  of  derision  on  the  face  of 
Dunington,  as  he  noticed  the  Doctor's  flushed 
cheeks  when  he  received  the  summons  to 
hear  the  will  perused,  which  even  had  I  not 


MEREDITH.  71 

heard  him  acknowledge  to  his  crony,  Vat- 
lin,  that  he  had  secretly  read  it,  would  have 
led  me  to  conclude  that  he  was  not  ignorant 
of  its  contents,  and  that  he  knew  a  severe 
disappointment  awaited  the  Doctor. 

Mr.  Sablethorpe  received  us  with  a  dig- 
nified formality,  pointed  to  us  to  be  seated, 
drew  forth  a  cambric  handkerchief,  sat 
down,  blew  his  nose,  cleared  his  throat,  and 
having  unfolded  the  will,  which  had  been 
previously  opened  in  London,  proceeded  to 
read  it  with  due  emphasis. 

"  I,  George  Frederick  Augustus  Netherby, 
Earl  of  Lymington,  Viscount  Highcastle, 
and  Baron  Yalleyford,  of  Lymington  Abbey, 
in  the  county  of  Salop;  Highcastle,  in 
the  county  of  Warwickshire;  and  Valley- 
ford  Park,  in  the  county  of  Notts;  and 
Grosvenor-square,  in  London,  being  in  sound 
mind,  though  in  weakly  health,  do  hereby  will 
and  devise  the  whole  of  my  estates,  funded 
property,  jewels,  plate,  books,  furniture,  &c., 


72  MEREDITH. 

&c.,to  the  persons  to  be  named  in  this  my  last 
will  and  testament ;  and  I  hereby  acknow- 
ledge this  to  be  my  last  will,  and  revoke  all 
other  wills  or  codicils  I  may  have  made,  or 
caused  to  be  made.  I  bequeath  my  estate  of 
Lymington  Abbey  to  the  Honourable  John 
Witherington,  commonly  called  Lord  John 
Witherington,  as  a  memorial  of  the  long 
friendship  that  has  subsisted  between  us,  and 
to  descend  to  the  heirs  male,  lawfully  begotten 
of  the  said  John  Witherington,  commonly 
called  Lord  John  Witherington.  But  in 
case  of  the  said  Lord  John  Witherington 
dying  without  male  heirs  lawfully  begotten, 
then  I  bequeath  the  said  estate  of  Lyming- 
ton Abbey,  after  the  decease  of  the  said 
John  Witherington,  commonly  called  Lord 
John,  to  Thomas  Cecil,  Marquis  of  Moun- 
taincourt,  and  to  revert  to  the  male  heir  or 
heirs  lawfidly  begotten  of  his  body.  I  be- 
queath to  my  most  esteemed  and  beloved 
friend,  John  AYaldershaw,  Esq.,  of  Walder- 


MEREDITH.  73 

sliaw  Town,  in  the  county  of  Bucks,  and  of 
Morlington,  in  the  county  of  Durham,  in 
proof  of  my  affection  for  him,  my  estate  of 
Highcastle,  in  the  county  of  Salop;  and 
my  messuages,  lands,  and  tenements  in  the 
said  county,  with  all  rents  and  arrears  of 
rents  that  may  be  due  at  my  decease,  to 
have  and  to  hold  the  same  in  trust  for  Mrs. 
Dorothy  Tomkins,  alias  Moffat,  for  her  sole 
and  separate  use,  during  the  life  of  the  said 
Dorothy  Tomkins,  alias  Moffat,  to  revert  at 
her  death  to  George  Fitzheny,  Earl  of  St. 
Amand,  and  the  heirs  lawfully  begotten  of 
his  body.  And  I  bequeath  to  my  esteemed 
friend,  John  Waldershaw,  Esq.,  as  a  memo- 
rial of  our  long  and  uninterrupted  friend- 
ship, the  sum  of  fifty  pounds,  to  buy  a 
mourning  ring.  I  bequeath  to  William 
Henry,  Baron  Stuteville,  my  estate  of  Val- 
leyford  Park,  and  in  reversion  to  his  heirs 
lawfully  begotten  of  his  body ;  but  in  case 
the  said  William  Henry,  Baron  Stuteville 

VOL.  II.  E 


74  MEREDITH. 

shall  die  without  issue,  I  desire  that  the 
said  estate  of  Valleyford  Park  revert  to  Jane 
Maria,  Viscountess  Wimbledon,  for  her  sole 
and  separate  use,  independent  of  her  pre- 
sent or  any  future  husband  she  may  have. 
I  desire  that  the  portrait  of  the  said  Jane 
Maria,  Viscountess  Wimbledon,  which  will 
be  found  in  my  escrutoire,  may  be  sent  to 
the  husband  of  the  said  Viscountess  Wim- 
bledon; and  I  desire  that  at  her  decease 
the  said  estate  revert  to  her  fourth  son, 
George  Frederick  Augustus  Acton.  And  I 
desire  that  at  my  death  my  executors  de- 
liver to  the  said  Jane  Maria,  Viscountess 
Wimbledon,  should  she  be  then  living,  a  box 
they  will  find  directed  to  her ;  and  should 
the  said  Jane  Maria,  Viscountess  Wimbledon, 
be  dead,  I  desire  that  the  said  box  and  its 
contents  may  be  destroyed  by  my  executors, 
without  any  examination  of  the  contents  of 
the  same.  I  leave  also  unto  the  said  Jane 
Maria,  Viscountess  Wimbledon,  the  sum  of 


MEREDITH.  75 

five  hundred  pounds,  to  buy  a  mourning 
ring;  and  to  her  fourth  son,  George  Fre- 
derick Augustus  Acton,  the  half-length  por- 
trait of  me,  painted  by  the  late  Sir  Joshua 
Reynolds.  I  bequeath  to  the  Lady  Mary 
Verener  ten  thousand  pounds,  for  her  sole 
and  separate  use,  independent  of  her  pre- 
sent or  any  future  husband ;  and  I  desire 
that  a  red  box,  marked  letters  *'  M.  V." 
may  be  sent  to  her.  I  bequeath  to  my 
friends  Lord  Grumblestone  and  Sir  Edward 
Hawthornden,  Bart.,  the  sum  of  fifty  thou- 
sand pounds,  to  be  held  in  trust  for  Mrs. 
Anne  Bloxham,  otherwise  MuUenger;  to 
whom  I  also  bequeath  my  star  of  the  Order 
of  St.  Michael.  I  bequeath  to  my  cousin, 
Gustavus  Adolphus  Netherby,  the  sum  of 
twenty-five  thousand  pounds,  and  two  of  the 
pictures  of  my  collection,  to  be  selected  by 
him.  I  bequeath  to  Miss  Amelia  Higgin- 
botham  the  sum  of  thirty  thousand  pounds, 
and  the  small  diamond  necklace  that  be- 
e2 


76  MEREDITH. 

longed  to  my  mother.     To  my  faithful  ser- 
vant, John  Dunington,  I  bequeath  twenty 
thousand  pounds,  and  the  plainest  of  my 
tea-services  in  silver.     I  bequeath  to  Mrs. 
Olivia  Cotsmere,  fifty  thousand  pounds ;  and 
to   each   of  her   daughters,  ten   thousand 
pounds  each,  and  the  whole  of  my  mother's 
diamonds  (save  and  except  the  small  neck- 
lace bequeathed  to  Miss   Amelia   Higgin- 
botham),   to   be   equally  divided   between 
the  said  Mrs.  Olivia  Cotsmere  and  her  said 
daughters.     To  Dr.  Porson  I  bequeath  ten 
thousand  pounds;  and  to  each  of  my  ser- 
vants a  year's  wages.     All  the  wines  in  my 
cellars  I  bequeath  to  Lord  Bromptonville ; 
and  my  plate  and  full-length  portrait,  by  Rom- 
ney,  I  bequeath  to  the  Marchioness  of  Leo- 
minster, on  condition  that  my  arms  are  not  to 
be  effaced  from  the  same.  To  Lord  Grumble- 
stone,  Sir  Edward  Hawthornden,  Bart.,  and 
Thomas  Sablethorpe,  Esq.,  my  executors,  I 
bequeath  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  pounds 


MEREDITH.  77 

each.     Witness  my  hand  and  seal  this  tenth 
day  of  October,  1811. 

Lymington. 

/-Robert  Hearndale, 
Witnessed  hji  ^^         ^ 

•^  IHenry  Pincott. 

Codicil — I  bequeath  to  Mrs.  Olivia 
Cotsmere  ten  thousand  pounds,  exclusive  of 
the  fifty  thousand  pounds  previously  be- 
queathed to  her. 

Lymington. 

January  Sith^  1813. 

Codicil. — I  bequeath  to  Amelia  Higgiii- 
botham  the  sum  of  seven  thousand  pounds, 
exclusive  of  th^  thirty  thousand  pounds 
formerly  bequeathed  to  her. 

Lymington. 

Sept.  Uh,  1813. 

Codicil. — I  revoke  the  bequest  of  twenty- 
five  thousand  pounds   to   my  cousin,  Gus- 


78  MEREDITH. 

tavus  Adolphus  Netherby,  for  his  refusal  to 
associate  with  my  friend  Mrs.  Olivia  Cots- 
mere  and  her  amiable  daughters. 

Lymington. 
April  1th,  1814. 

Codicil — I  annul  the  bequests  made  to 

my  servant,    John   Dunington,    I    having 

already  liberally  remunerated  his  services. 

Lymington. 
June  Uth,  1814. 

Codicil. — Having  had  reason  to  be  dis- 
satisfied with  the  persons  named  in  my  will, 
and  entertaining  a  bad  opinion  of  them, 
I  revoke  all  bequests  made  to  them  both  in 
my  will  or  the  codicils  since  made,  and 
bequeath  my  whole  fortune  in  landed  estates, 
funded  property,  jewels,  plate,  wines,  books, 
pictures,  marbles,  and  furniture,  to  Mrs. 
Anne  Bloxham,  otherwise  MuUinger,  and 
her  two  inftmt  sons,  baptized,  the  elder, 


MEREDITH.  79 

George  Frederick  Netherby,  and  the  second, 
Augustus  Henry  Netherby,  each  of  whom, 
on  reaching  his  majority,  is  to  receive  an 
allowance  of  ten  thousand  a  year,  and  at 
their  mother's  death,  the  reversion  of  the 
property  bequeathed  to  her,  which  is  to  be 
equally  divided  between  them. 

Lymington. 
March  Uh,  1815. 


Witnessed  by| 


Thomas  Winnington. 
Charles  Cottenham." 


Never  shall  I  forget  the  countenance  of 
poor  Doctor  Person,  as  he  listened  to  the 
reading  of  the  will,  in  the  monotonous  tone 
of  Mr.  Sablethorpe.  Wlien  the  bequest  of 
ten  thousand  pounds  to  himself  was  read, 
his  face  brightened  up,  his  chest  ^seemed  to 
expand,  and  his  whole  aspect  changed,  and 
continued  to  bear  the  impression  of  happi- 
ness. But  when  the  revocation  of  all  the 
bequests  in  the  will  was  pronounced  in  the 


80  MEREDITH. 

last  of  the  codicils,  lie  became  deadly  pale, 
and  his  whole  appearance  underwent  a  total 
revolution,  gloom  and  dismay  clouding  his 
countenance,  while  his  hands  were  invo- 
luntarily clasped  convulsively  together.  A 
malicious  smile  played  around  the  lips  of 
Dunington,  but  at  the  reading  of  the  last 
codicil,  bequeathing  the  whole  of  Lord 
Lymington's  fortune  to  Mrs.  Anne  Blox- 
ham,  otherwise  Mullinger,'his  eyes  sparkled, 
his  cheeks  flushed,  and  his  lips  distended, 
with  a  joy  too  powerful  to  be  concealed, 
although  it  was  evident  he  wished  to  repress 
its  exhibition. 

"  This  is  a  curious  will,"  said  Mr.  Sable- 
thorpe,  wiping  his  face  with  his  cambric 
handkerchief,  and  folding  up  the  parchment. 
"  I  was  not  aware  that  the  deceased  Earl 
had  any  attachment,  or  any  family.  This 
said  Mrs.  Anne  Bloxham,  otherwise  Mul- 
linger,   is    now   about   the   most    wealthy 


MEREDITH.  81 

woman — lady,  I  meant  to  say — in  England, 
if  not  in  Europe." 

Dunington  rubbed  liis  liands,  and  seemed 
longing  to  say,  "  and  this  wealthy  lady  will 
be  my  wife,  and  her  sons  are  mine  I" 

Two  days  after  the  reading  of  the  will, 
the  body  of  Lord  Lymington  was  removed 
to  England  for  interment,  attended  by  Mr. 
Sablethorpe,  Dr.  Person,  Dunington,  the 
cook,  footmen,  undertaker,  and  his  sable 
assistants,  followed  to  the  pier  at  Calais  by 
an  immense  crowd  of  idlers,  attracted  by 
the  ostentatious  display  of  the  funeral  pro- 
cession. 

Mr.  Rivers  decided  on  our  remaining  at 
Calais  until  he  had  consulted  Lord  War- 
minster, my  only  surviving  guardian,  as 
to  his  wishes  relative  to  my  future  move^ 
ments ;  and  now  left  to  ourselves,  my  pre- 
ceptor failed  not  to  di'aw  my  attention  to  the 
effects  of  self-indulgence  and  egotism,  as  ex- 
e3 


82  MEREDITH. 

emplified  in  the  case  of  Lord  Lymington, 
whose  life  was  spent  in  sensuality,  and 
whose  noble  fortune,  instead  of  doing  good, 
had  only  ministered  to  his  evil  passions, 
and  would  now  only  enrich  the  unworthy. 


MEREDITH.  83 


CHAPTER  VI. 


In  due  time  came  a  letter  from  Lord  War- 
minster, authorizing  Mr.  Rivers  to  conduct 
me  to  any  part  of  the  Continent  he  thought 
fit,  and  to  remain  abroad  as  long  as  he 
deemed  it  necessary  for  my  bodily  or  mental 
improvement.  His  letter  concluded  by 
hinting  that  "  the  delicacy  of  his  health 
precluded  him  from  taking  any  personal 
part  with  regard  to  his  ward,  and  that  he 
hoped  Mr.  Rivers  would  give  him  as  little 
trouble  as  possible  on  the  subject." 

Lucky  was  it  for  me  that  my  preceptor 


84  MEREDITH. 

was  worthy  the  confidence  reposed  in  him 
by  my  sole  surviving  guardian — a  confi- 
dence not  founded  on  any  knowledge  of  Mr. 
Eivers's  character  or  conduct,  of  which  he 
was  totally  ignorant,  but  proceeding  wholly 
from  his  perfect  indijBference  towards  the 
ward  forced  on  his  notice,  and  in  whose  fate 
and  fortunes  he  was  determined  to  take  as 
little  interest  or  trouble  as  possible.  He 
referred  Mr.  Eivers  to  his  solicitors,  Messrs. 
NewcuU  and  Bracebridge,  of  Lincoln's  Inn, 
to  whom  he  had  assigned  the  management 
of  his  guardianship,  and  with  whom  Mr. 
Eivers  was  to  communicate  whenever  oc* 
casion  required. 

We  remained  at  Paris  some  weeks,  and 
made  the  tour  of  the  South  of  France,  the 
climate  of  which  soon  re-established  my 
health.  We  visited  Nismes,  and  examined 
its  precious  antiquities — the  Maison  Carree, 
Amphitheatre,  Gate  of  Augustus,  Temple  of 
Diana,  and  La  Tour  Maine;  the  history  of 


MEREDITH.  85 

each  and  all  my  preceptor  explained  to  me 
Avitli  an  erudition  worthy  of  ears  more 
capable  of  appreciating  it  than  mine  then 
were;  for  Mr.  Eivers  was  not  more  deeply 
versed  in  the  science  de  houche  than  in  that 
of  architecture  and  antiquity,  both  of  which 
he  had  studied  con  amove.     From  Nismes 

,  we  proceeded  to  Aries,  saw  its  Amphitheatre 
and  Museum,  and  then  went  to  St.  Eemy ; 

»  near  to  which  stand  the  Triumphal  Arch 
and  Mausoleum,  so  justly  celebrated.  We 
then  pursued  our  route  to  Italy,  where  three 
years  passed  happily  and  fleetly,  engaged  in 
classical  pursuits  and  researches ;  in  which 
we  were  assisted  by  some  of  the  learned 
friends  of  Mr.  Eivers,  with  whom  he  had 
formed  acquaintance  during  his  previous 
sejour  there.  Accustomed  to  the  society 
of  persons  so  much  older  than  myself,  I  then 
imbibed  that  taste  for  sober  and  rational 
conversation,  which  has  never  since  left  me; 
and  that  love  for  reading  which  still  forms 


86  MEREDITH. 

the  greatest  pleasure  of  my  life,  and  renders 
me,  tlioiigh  not  averse  from,  independent  of 
society.  Mr.  Rivers  had  wished  me  to  enter 
college,  but  to  this  step  I  entertained  so 
insuperable  an  objection  that  he  ceased  to 
ui^ge  its  adoption^  and  contented  himself 
with  devoting  his  whole  time  and  thoughts 
to  the  development  of  my  mind,  and  the 
storing  it  with  information  and  instruction. 
The  hours  spent  in  our  rides  and  walks  were 
never  wasted  in  idle  talk,  or  common-place 
observations.  He  would  direct  our  rambles 
to  some  spot  rendered  remarkable  by  his- 
torical association,  and  drawing  forth  from 
his  pocket  the  book  that  related  the  event, 
he  would  read  it  aloud  to  me,  while  my  eyes 
dwelt  on  the  objects  around — objects,  parti- 
cularly those  of  nature,  little  changed  from 
the  period  in  which  the  incidents  he  perused 
had  occurred.  We  read  the  Decline  and 
Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire  at  Rome,  and 


MEREDITH.  87 

often  visited  the  sites  referred  to  by  the 
historian.  But  while  making  me  appreciate 
the  vast  learning,  laborious  research,  and 
patient  investigation  of  Gibbon,  he  taught 
me  to  disapprove  the  sneering  scepticism  of 
the  free-thinker,  and  the  sarcasms  aimed  by 
him  at  revealed  religion.  Mr.  Rivers  pos- 
sessed that  most  inestimable  blessing,  a 
happy  temperament,  which,  while  it  made 
him  satisfied  with  himself,  disposed  him  to 
be  so  towards  others,  and  rendered  him  a 
cheerful  and  entertaining  companion.  We 
lived  on  the  most  cordial  terms;  for  no 
pedantic  air  of  superiority  ever  marked 
his  manner  when  correcting  an  erroneous 
opinion,  or  laying  open  the  vast  stores  of 
information  he  had  acquired.  Those  were 
happy  days,  and  I  felt  that  they  were  so, 
even  while  enjoying  them ;  but  their  calm 
and  sober  happiness  was  not  long  to  last. 
The  gusts  of  passion  were  now  about  to 


88  MEREDITH. 

ruffle  tlie  even  tenoiir  of  that  life  which 
had,  during  the  last  three  years,  rolled  on 
smoothly  if  not  happily. 

Anxious  to  see  the  celebrated  temples  at 
Pa3stum,  Mr.  Elvers  and  I  left  Naples,  and 
devoted  the  first  day  of  our  journey  to  view- 
ing Nocera,  the  Nuceria  of  the  ancients, 
and  its  church  of  Santa  Maria  Maggiore. 
The  knowledge  of  Mr.  Elvers  in  antiquarian 
lore  not  only  relieved  me  from  the  prosy 
and  illiterate  explanations  of  the  ignorant 
cicerone,  but  enabled  me  to  judge  of  the 
different  hypotheses  relative  to  the  original 
use  of  this  building,  now  dedicated  to  Divine 
worship.  I  leaned  to  tliat  which  supposes  it 
to  have  been  a  temple,  although  the  octagon 
basin  in-  the  centre,  surrounded  by  eight 
small  marble  columns,  has  led  some  anti- 
quarians to  imagine  it  to  have  been  a  bath. 
The  columns  of  oriental  alabaster  and  verd 
antique  that  decorate  the  church  are  of  rare 
beauty,  and  vouch  for  the  grandeur  of  Nu- 


MEREDITH.  89 

ceria  when  they  were  erected.  We  saw  the 
ruins  of  the  castle  from  which  the  proud 
and  vindictive  Urban  VI.  fuhninated  his 
excommunications  against  the  besieging 
Neapolitan  army,  commanded  by  Otho  of 
Brunswick,  fourth  husband  of  Jane  of  Naples, 
the  first  queen  of  that  name. 

We  proceeded,  the  next  day,  to  La  Cava, 
the  situation  of  which  is  truly  romantic, 
and  the  town  itself,  with  its  arcaded  street, 
is  at  once  neat  and  picturesque.  The  en- 
virons at  every  turn  of  the  road  reminded 
us  of  the  pictures  of  Salvator  Kosa,  many  of 
which  are  faithful  copies  of  the  wild  and 
beautiful  scenery  around  us,  among  which 
he  is  said  to  have  loved  to  wander. 

As  we  paused  before  a  rude  cliff  overhang- 
ing the  sea,  above  which  rose  a  huge  and 
distorted  trunk  of  a  tree,  whose  leafless 
branches  were  widely  extended,  Mr.  Eivers 
observed  that  it  only  wanted  a  brigand  or 
two  to  render  this  picture  a  complete  Sal- 


90  MEREDITH. 

vator  Eosa  one.  "  I'll  be  sworn  I've  seen 
this  identical  spot  on  his  canvas,"  con- 
tinued he. 

Scarcely  had  he  ceased  speaking,  when 
female  cries  were  heard,  and  in  another  mo- 
ment a  boat,  hitherto  unseen,  was  rowed 
from  out  a  cavern  in  the  rocks  beneath  us, 
in  which  a  youthful  and  slight  gii'l  was 
forcibly  held  down  by  a  man;  while  two 
others  plied  their  oars,  and  impelled  the 
boat  rapidly  along.  The  cries  of  the  girl 
became  fainter  every  moment,  as  the  bark 
receded  from  the  shore ;  but  not  so  those  of 
a  woman,  whose  piercing  shrieks  seemed  to 
come  from  the  cavern  which  the  boat  had 
quitted. 

"  There  is  some  foul  play  here,  I  am  per- 
suaded," said  Mr.  Elvers ;  "  let  us  endeavour 
to  reach  the  cavern." 

We  soon  discovered  some  rude  steps  cut 
in  the  rock,  and  descending  them  as  quickly 
as  we  could,  and  not  without  considerable 


MEREDITH.  91 

personal  risk,  we  reached  the  cavern,  to  which 
we  were  guided  by  the  cries  of  a  woman, 
whom  we  found  extended  on  the  sandy  floor 
of  a  large  natural  grotto,  her  hands  and  feet 
tied  by  ropes.  To  release  her  was  the  work 
of  a  few  minutes,  and  while  doing  so,  we 
gathered  from  her  wild  and  incoherent 
ravings,  that  while  she  and  a  young  lady 
she  named  as  Mademoiselle  Selina,  were 
seated  in  the  grotto,  the  latter  engaged  in 
drawing,  a  boat  approached  the  entrance, 
out  of  which  three  men  jumped,  one  of  whom 
seized  her  cMre  demoiselle^  while  the  other 
two  had,  in  spite  of  all  her  resistance,  thrown 
her  on  the  earth,  and  tied  her  in  the  savage 
manner  we  had  found  her,  of  the  cruelty  of 
which  her  arms  bore  evidence. 

"  0,  ma  chere  demoiselle^  ma  cMre  et 
belle  demoiselle  r  exclaimed  she,  while 
tears  flowed  abundantly  down  her  flushed 
cheeks.  "  Look,  here  is  her  esquisse,  her 
vat  you  call  di'awing.     See  how  beautiful  it 


92  MEREDITH. 

is.      0,  7)10)1  Dieu^  ayez  jnticj  de  moi  et 
rendez  moi  ce  clier  ange  P 

We  now  learned  that  this  poor  woman 
was  the  governess  of"  Mademoiselle  Selina," 
that  they  had  been  residing  for  some  weeks 
at  La  Cava,  and  had  occasionally,  by  the 
desire  of  her  "  pauvre  cher  ange^''  ex- 
plored the  picturesque  sites  and  natural 
grottos  in  the  neighbourhood;  Mademoi- 
selle making  drawings  of  those  which  most 
pleased  her.  The  one  before  us  was  an  ad- 
mirable sketch,  and  proved,  not  only  the 
talent  of  the  young  lady,  but  the  excellence 
of  the  master  who  had  cultivated  it.  To 
Mr.  Eivers's  questions  as  to  who  the  man 
was  who  had  carried  off  the  young  lady,  or 
what  his  motive  could  be,  the  Frenchwoman 
replied,  that  she  had  occasionally  seen 
him,  within  the  last  four  days,  loitering 
about,  but  had  no  idea  who  he  could  be. 
She  stated  that   he  was   a   man  of  about 


MEREDITH.  93 

forty-eight  or  fifty,  of  very  dark  complexion, 
and  with  a  peculiarly  bad  countenance. 

"  Was  he  at  all  known  to  Mademoiselle?" 
asked  Mr.  Rivers. 

"  Not  von  bit  in  de  vorld,"  answered  the 
weeping  Frenchwoman. 

"  Has  Mademoiselle  no  parents,  no  bro- 
ther?" inquired  Mr.  Rivers. 

"  Helas!  she  have  von  fader,  wlio  is  not 
like  von  fader.  He  not  lof  her  moch. 
malgre  she  is  von  ange  de  heaute  et  de 
honter 

"  You  surely  are  not  without  some  pro- 
tector at  La  Cava,  or,  at  least,  a  male  ser- 
vant ?"  demanded  Mr.  Rivers. 

"  Ve  have  von  femme  de  chambre  et 
valet;  but,  malheureiisemenf,  ve  did  send 
him  to  Naples  dis  morning  to  de  hanquier 
for  money,  which  is  de  raison  ve  come  here 
alone;  every  oder  day  he  follow  our  steps." 
We  advised  the  Frenchwoman  to  return 


94  MEREDITH. 

with  US  as  rapidly  as  she  could  to  her  lodg- 
ing ;  and  proposed  that  we  should  dispatch 
a  man  on  horseback  to  Salerno,  another  to 
Amalfi,  a  third  to  Castellamare,  a  fourth  to 
Sorento,  and  a  fifth  to  Naples,  to  convey 
information  of  the  abduction  to  the  civil 
authorities,  and  to  have  the  police  sent  in 
pursuit  of  the  fugitives.  Mr.  Rivers  wrote 
to  the  English  minister  at  Naples  to  report 
the  fact,  a  step  he  thought  it  right  to  take, 
when  informed  by  the  old  Frenchwoman 
that  her  chere  demoiselle^  though  brought 
up  in  France,  was  English. 

"  What  is  the  young  lady's  name  ?"  in- 
quired Mr.  Rivers. 

"  Somers — Miss  Selina  Somers,"  replied 
the  goiivernante. 

Before  leaving  the  grotto,  I  found  an  op- 
portunity, when  unobserved,  of  seizing  a 
glove  that  had  been  left  near  the  drawing 
of  Miss  Somers ;  and  furtively  concealing  it 
in  my  breast,  I  felt  as  if  I  had  possessed 


MEREDITH.  95 

myself  of  a  treasure.  The  drawing  I  would 
also  gladly  have  appropriated  to  myself,  but 
Madame  de  Stourville  —  for  so  was  the 
Frenchwoman  named — took  it,  and,  press- 
ing it  to  her  lips,  again  renewed  her  tears. 
See  her  litteel  foot,  vat  litteel  mark  it 
make  in  de  sand,"  said  she,  pointing  to  the 
impression  of  foot-marks,  which,  as  she 
justly  observed,  must  have  been  made  by 
little  feet;  for  the  fabled  slipper  of  Cin- 
derella was  larger  then  the  small  shoes  that 
left  the  marks  before  us.  How  I  longed  to 
examine  the  glove  in  secret,  and  see  if  the 
hand  accorded  with  the  delicacy  of  the  feet, 
as  indicated  by  the  impressions  in  the 
sand !  Oh !  youth,  ever  prone  to  love,  how 
quickly  is  the  imagination  enlisted  to  form 
idols  for  the  heart  to  worship!  Already 
did  mine  throb  more  rapidly ;  and  for  one 
whose  face  was  unknown  to  me,  whose  very 
name  I  had  only  learned  a  few  minutes  be- 
fore, and  of  whose  person  I  knew  nothing, 


96  MEREDITH. 

except  that  her  foot-marks  and  glove  were 
the  smallest  I  had  ever  seen,  and  that  her 
gouvemante  pronounced  her  to  be  "  im 
angey  But  then,  how  many  gouvernantes 
had  I  not,  during  my  stay  in  Florence  and 
E-ome,  in  the  presence  of  their  eleves^  or 
the  parents  of  their  eMves,  heard  call  their 
young  ladies  beautiful,  charming,  &c.,  when 
the  said  young  ladies  possessed  not  a  single 
claim  to  merit  such  commendations.  Yet 
there  was  something  that  whispered  to  me 
that  this  gouvemante  spoke  the  truth ;  for 
nothing  less  than  extreme  amiability,  joined 
to  beauty,  could  have  rendered  Madame  de 
Stourville  so  fondly  attached  to  Miss  Somers, 
as  her  deep  grief  at  her  loss  proved  her  to 
be.  It  might  have  been,  perhaps,  the  ro- 
mantic incident  of  the  young  lady  being 
forcibly  carried  off,  that  excited  this  sudden 
passion  in  my  youthfid  breast — the  first  that 
had  ever  yet  ruffled  its  happy  calm ;  for,  un- 
like the  generality  of  persons  of  my  age,  I  had 


MEREDITH.  97 

never  experienced  any  of  the  boyish  flames 
lighted  by  pretty  femmes  de  chamhres^ 
piquantes  grisettes,  or  smiling  retailers  of 
gloves  and  watch-ribbons,  who  make  such 
havoc  on  the  hearts  of  school-boys  and 
young  collegians.  No,  the  refinement  and 
exquisite  charm  of  my  poor  dear  lost  mo- 
ther's manners  and  sentiments  had  created 
such  an  indelible  impression  on  my  mind, 
that  I  shrank  from  coarse  associations ;  and 
a  pretty  face,  or  well-turned  figure,  if  ac- 
companied by  vulgarity,  had  no  attraction 
for  me.  This  first  idol,  therefore,  found  the 
temple  in  which  I  was  ready  to  enshrine 
her  unprofaned.  No  incense  had  ever 
burned  there  before;  no  pseans  had  ever 
echoed  there  for  another.  And  she  was 
borne  from  me  by  rude  hands — was  exposed 
to  insult,  to  violence, — and  I  was  powerless 
to  save  her, — might  never  see  her  more  !  I 
tried  to  stretch  my  imagination  into  the 
belief  that  her  form  and  face  had  been  re- 

VOL.  II.  F 


98  MEREDITH. 

vealecl  to  me,  as  struggling  with  the  dark 
stranger  I  saw  lier  white  drapery  agitated, 
and  heard  her  vain  shrieks  for  help  during 
the  brief  interval  before  the  boat  had  dis- 
appeared. But  still  I  had  no  distinct  no- 
tion of  her,  and  therefore  was  compelled 
to  accept  as  fact  Madame  de  Stourville's 
vague  assertion  that  she  was  an  angel.  A 
woman's  shriek  I  had  never  previously 
thought  could  be  harmonious;  but  hers 
seemed  still  to  ring  in  my  ears,  and  to  pos- 
sess a  peculiar  charm.  Nevertheless,  on 
reflection,  I  could  not  precisely  remember 
whether  it  had  made  this  impression  on  me 
when  I  had  actually  heard  it,  or  whether  I 
fancied  that  it  was  replete  with  music,  when 
I  listened  to  the  gouvernante^ s  declaration 
of  her  perfections,  and  beheld  the  fairy-like 
footsteps  imprinted  on  the  sand. 

Madame  de  Stourville,  supported  by  Mr. 
Kivers  and  me,  and  still  weeping  and 
trembling  with  emotion,  at  length  reached 


MEREDITH.  99 

her  abode.  It  was  a  simple  but  neat  dwell- 
ing, scrupulously  clean.  Books,  a  guitar, 
drawings,  and  an  abundance  of  flowers,  were 
its  chief  ornaments,  and  seemed  to  constitute 
the  occupations  of  its  late  inmate.  A  fresh 
gush  of  tears  fell  from  the  eyes  of  Madame 
de  Stourville  as  she  entered  the  little  sit- 
ting-room, only  left  three  hours  before  with 
her  cMre  demoiselle^  and  which  so  forcibly 
reminded  her  of  that  young  lady.  She 
sobbed  aloud,  as  her  eyes  turned  to  the  draw- 
ings scattered  on  a  table  near  the  window; 
the  guitar  with  a  sheet  of  music  laid  by  it, 
and  some  delicate  needle- work  half  finished. 
There  is  something  peculiarly  attractive 
to  men  of  refinement  in  the  sight  of  the 
chamber  of  a  young  and  pure-minded  woman 
— that  chamber  in  which  her  innocent  avo- 
cations are  pursued,  her  gentle  thoughts  in- 
dulged, her  half-formed  hopes  cherished,  and 
her  prayers  to  the  Deity  ofiered  up.  The  one 
in  which  we  now  stood  seemed  invested  at 
r2 


100  MEREDITH. 

least  with  sanctity ;  and  Mr.  Elvers,  as  he 
glanced  on  the  Bible,  placed  apart  on  a 
small  table,  with  its  neatly-stitched  velvet 
case,  whispered  to  me,  "  The  presence  of 
this  sacred  book  assures  me  that  the  young 
person  who  has  so  strongly  excited  our  inte- 
rest is  worthy  of  it." 

I  could  have  embraced  him  for  having 
said  this,  as  I  fancied  it  was  a  tacit  per- 
mission to  love  the  unknown  who  had  al- 
ready made  so  deep  an  impression  on  my 
imagination,  if  not  on  my  heart.  Madame  de 
Stourville  observing  Mr.  Eivers  regarding 
the  holy  volume,  said,  "  Yes,  that  book  she 
read  every  day ;  and  while  she  did  so,  I 
loved  to  look  on  her  beautiful  face,  which 
resembled  a  Madonna  of  Raffaele,  so  angelic 
was  its  character  and  expression.  Alt!  ma 
belle  et  honne  Mademoiselle  Selina  ! — who 
could  have  believed  that  she  would  have 
thus  been  torn  from  me !" 

The  English  minister  at  Naples  imme- 


MEREDITH.  101 

diately  took  up  the  case  of  Miss  Somers, 
and  instituted  the  strictest  search  for  her ; 
but  several  days  passed  without  bringing 
any  tidings;  and  the  alarm  and  anxiety  of 
Madame  de  Stourville  increased  to  such  a 
degree,  that  her  health  evidently  began  to 
suffer.     Mr.  Elvers  had  so  much  compassion 
for  the  poor  woman,  that  he  postponed  our 
departure  until  she  should  become  better; 
and  her  entreaties  to  us  not  to  desert  her 
were  so  urgent,  that  his  humanity  and  good 
nature  disposed  him  to  comply  with  her  re- 
iterated  request.     Madame   de   Stourville 
sometimes  thought  of  proceeding  to  Naples, 
there  to  await  the  result  of  the  search  making 
in  every  direction  for  her  fair  eleve ;  but 
then  came  the  reflection,  that  should  a  pos- 
sibility exist  of  Miss  Somers  escaping,  she 
would  assuredly  direct   her   flight   to   La 
Cava,  and  not   finding   her  goiwernante 
there,  woidd  be  at  a  loss  to  know  ^vhither 
to  proceed — a  reflection  that  decided  lier  to 


102  MEREDITH. 

remain  where  she  was.  My  anxiety  about 
the  fair  unknown  knew  no  bounds.  I  would 
wander  by  the  sea-shore,  watching  every 
boat  that  approached,  in  the  vain  hope  that 
it  might  contain  her,  or  at  least  bring  some 
tidings  of  her  fate.  What  that  fate  might 
be,  I  trembled  to  think ;  for  the  most  fearful 
presentiments  filled  my  mind  by  day,  and 
haunted  my  dreams  by  night,  banishing 
every  other  thought.  Yet  a  feeling,  scarcely 
definable  even  to  myself,  prevented  me 
from  acknowledging  the  powerful  interest 
excited  by  Miss  Somers ;  and  so  great  was 
my  reserve  on  this  point,  that  Mr.  Kivers 
more  than  once  accused  me  of  indifierence 
to  the  subject  which  occupied  all  my  thoughts, 
and  imagined  that  the  gloom  which  weighed 
me  down  proceeded  from  my  dissatisfaction 
at  being  detained  so  long  at  such  a  dull 
place  as  La  Cava. 


MEREDITH.  103 


CHAPTEE  VIL 


We  had  almost  ceased  to  hope  for  intelli- 
gence, the  efforts  of  the  English  minister 
and  the  Neapolitan  police  having  failed  to 
procure  any,  when  I  observed,  as  I  sat  on 
a  rock  by  the  sea-shore,  a  small  boat  ap- 
proaching, rowed  by  two  fishermen,  in  which 
a  figure,  wrapped  in  a  dark  cloak,  was  seated. 
As  the  boat  neared  the  shore,  I  advanced, 
as  I  had  frequently  done  on  previous  occa- 
sions, and  stood  on  the  spot  where  it  was 
evident  the  men  intended  to  land.  I  felt 
unusually  agitated,  and  could  with  difficidty 


104  MEREDITH. 

restrain  myself  from  hailing  them;  but 
when,  having  pushed  the  boat  on  shore,  one 
of  them  assisted  the  person  wrapped  in  the 
cloak  to  land,  and  I  saw  the  delicate  feet  of 
a  woman,  although  the  rest  of  the  person 
was  concealed,  I  could  no  longer  resist  ex- 
claiming, "  Do  I  indeed  behold  Miss  Somers !" 

"  Yes,  that  is  my  name,"  was  pronounced 
in  the  most  dulcet  accents  that  had  ever  be- 
fore blessed  my  ears;  "and  as  you  know 
me,  can  you  tell  me  where  is  Madame  de 
Stourville?" 

"  Let  me  conduct  you  to  her,"  said  I, 
offering  my  arm,  which  she  seemed  inclined 
to  accept ;  but  the  two  boatmen,  civilly,  but 
fomly,  declared  that  they  would  be  her 
escort  until  they  had  safely  lodged  her  with 
the  signer  a  to  whom  she  belonged.  They 
did  not,  hoAvever,  object  to  my  walking  by 
the  side  of  one  of  them.  Miss  Somers  walking 
between  the  two. 

"  You  must  not  feel  offended,"  said  she, 


MEREDITU.  105 

"  at  the  determination  of  my  liumble  but 
worthy  protectors  to  resign  me  only  to  my 
friend,  Madame  de  Stourville.  They  have 
rescued  me  from  the  cruel  man  who  forced 
me  from  my  gouvernante,  and  have  treated 
me  with  a  kindness  and  humanity  for  which 
I  must  ever  be  grateful." 

The  peasant-cloak  in  which  Miss  Somers 
was  enveloped  allowed  little  of  her  form  to 
be  seen,  and  concealed  nearly  the  whole  of 
her  face;  but  her  beautiful  eyes  sparkled 
beneath  the  hood  that  shrouded  her  counte- 
nance, and  would  have  rendered  any  face 
lovely.  When  we  approached  near  the 
cottage  inhabited  by  Madame  de  Stourville, 
Miss  Somers,  with  a  thoughtfulness  not  often 
to  be  found  in  persons  so  young,  suggested 
the  propriety  of  my  going  on  to  announce 
her  return  to  Madame  de  Stourville,  lest 
that  kind  friend  might  suffer  from  the  agi- 
tation likely  to  be  produced  by  the  sudden 
apparition  of  her  elcve.  I  hurried  on  to 
f3 


lOG  MEREmTH. 

the  lioiise,  and  notwithstanding  that  I  endea- 
voured to  assume  a  cahii  and  collected  air, 
Madame  de  Stourville,  on  looking  at  me, 
exclaimed,  "  Ah^  mon  Dieu!  he  has  heard 
something  of  oiia  chere  madeino iselle  !  Oui, 
ouij  he  has,  I  am  convaincue^  heard  news  of 

joy!" 

"  You  are  right,  madam,  in  your  suppo- 
sitions," said  I.  "  I  have  good  news  to 
communicate.     Miss  Somers  is  safe !" 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  mon  Dieu  !  je  vous  re- 
oner  cie  r  exclaimed  the  gouvernante,  fall- 
ing on  her  knees,  with  her  eyes  filled  with 
tears  of  joy  and  gratitude,  while  she  fer- 
vently prayed  for  a  few  minutes.  She 
arose,  tremulous  with  emotion,  and  asked 
whether  she  could  not  go  to  her  chSre  de- 
moiselle. 

"  There  is  no  occasion,"  answered  I,  "  for 
Miss  Somers  will  soon  be  here." 

"  Est'il  2^ossible  f  O  quel  bonheur, 
quel  bo7iheur,  mais  quand  sercH-elle  ici  /" 
exclaimed  she. 


MEREDITH.  107 

"In  a  few  minutes   you  will  see  her," 
said  I. 

The  good-hearted  Frenchwoman  ran  and 
embraced  me,  then  repeated  the  same  cere- 
mony to  Mr.  Eivers,  and  flew  to  the  door, 
at  which  Miss  Somers  and  her  two  self- 
constituted  guardians  at  that  moment  pre- 
sented themselves.  It  would  be  a  difficult 
task  to  describe  the  exuberant  joy  of 
Madame  de  StourviUe,  exhibited  by  alter- 
nately embracing  her  charming  eUve^  burst- 
ing into  tears,  expressing  the  most  fervent 
ejaculations  of  thanks  to  Providence,  and 
to  the  two  boatmen  who,  under  its  divine 
instigation,  had  rescued  her. 

Mr.  Rivers  and  I  were  presented  to  the 
young  lady  hylier gouver7tantej  with  flatter- 
ing eulogiums  on  the  kindness  we  had  ex- 
ercised towards  her  when  overwhelmed  with 
alarm  and  grief  at  the  enlevement  of  her 
cher  ange;  she  would,  she  declared,  with- 
out our  pity  and  good  nature,  have  gone 
mad. 


108  HEPvEDlTH. 

Vainly  would  my  pen  essay  to  paint  the 
rare  beauty  of  Miss  Somers.  Never  had  I 
beheld  so  lovely  a  face,  or  so  faultless  a 
figure.  Even  Mr.  Eivers,  the  cold  and 
reasonable  Mr.  Eivers,  was  astonished  at 
the  pre-eminent  loveliness  of  this  charming 
young  creatiu^e.  Her  face  was  of  a  perfect 
oval,  the  features  exquisitely  chiselled,  her 
complexion  delicately  fair,  and  her  small, 
but  full  lips,  of  a  rich  crimson  tint,  made  it 
look  still  fairer.  Her  eyes  were  of  a  deep 
blue,  and  the  dark  fringe  that  shaded  their 
snowy  lids,  as  well  as  the  beautifully  defined 
brows,  of  a  silky  texture  almost  approaching 
to  black,  rendered  her  countenance  pecu- 
liarly striking.  Her  hair,  of  a  golden  brown, 
and  parted,  a  la  Madonna^  on  her  finely 
sculptured  forehead,  was  bound  round  the 
back  of  her  small  and  exquisitely  formed  head* 
Her  throat  was  white  as  milk,  this  simple 
simile  ofiering  the  only  image  that  at  once 
gives  a  notion  of  its  softness  and  purity. 


MEREDITH.  109 

Her  bust  and  waist  were  of  admirable  pro- 
portions, slight,  yet  rounded,  and  possessing 
that  flexibility  and  grace  so  rarely  found 
united;  and  her  hands  and  feet  might  have 
served  as  models  to  the  finest  sculptor. 
Her  smile  was  irresistible,  and  betrayed 
teeth,  small,  even,  and  white  as  pearls ;  for 
however  hacknied  the  comparison  may  be, 
I  can  find  no  other  that  would  be  applicable 
to  them.  If  before  I  had  seen  Miss  Somers 
I  had  allowed  my  imagination,  if  not  my 
heart,  to  be  so  touched  by  her  fancied 
charms,  what  must  have  been  my  feelings 
when  I  now  beheld  her,  far,  oh!  how  in- 
finitely superior  to  the  fairest  dream  I 
had  ever  indulged  about  her !  I  could  have 
knelt  and  worshipped  her,  as  I  drank  in 
large  draughts  of  love  from  her  wondrous 
beauty,  and  listened  to  the  dulcet  sounds 
of  her  matchless  voice.  I  was  confused — 
bcAvildered — speechless ! 

*'  ^y?  yo^i  say  noting,  noting  at  all  in 


110  MEREDITH. 

all  clis  joy;  you  not  velcome  ma  chere 
demoiselle  J  Monsieur  f  said  Madame  de 
Stoiirville,  having  noticed  with  surprise  my 
stupidity. 

Miss  Somers  looked  towards  me,  and 
whether  she  guessed  that  my  embarrass- 
ment proceeded  from  any  cause  rather  than 
indiiFerence,  or  that  the  natural  modesty  and 
reserve  of  her  nature  led  to  it,  I  could  not 
pretend  to  say,  but  a  bright  blush  rose  to 
her  delicate  cheeks  as  she  met  my  gaze,  and 
in  an  instant  her  long  dark  eye-lashes  were 
cast  down,  as  if  to  conceal  the  beauteous 
suffusion. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  exuberant 
joy  of  Madame  de  Stourville  permitted  Mr. 
Rivers  to  question  either  Miss  Somers  or 
her  rescuers  relative  to  her  escape.  When 
at  length  the  good  lady  became  more  calm, 
Miss  Somers  told  us  that  she  was  conveyed 
to  the  Island  of  Ischia,  before  landing  at 
which,  the  person  who  had  forcibly  carried 


MEREDITH.  Ill 

her  from  La  Cava,  declared  to  her  that  if 
she  attempted  to  denounce  him,  or  chiim 
protection  from  any  one  they  might  chance 
to  meet,  he  would  inflict  the  heaviest 
punishment  on  her,  as  she  was  now  wholly 
in  his  power.  This  person  she  described  as 
being  rather  good-looking  than  otherwise. 
He  had  mustachios,  a  long  beard,  and  large 
whiskers.  He  was  tall  and  athletic,  spoke 
Italian  fluently,  but  with  a  foreign  accent, 
and  seemed  of  a  brutal  nature,  for  he  ag- 
gravated her  terrors  by  the  unmanly  threats 
he  had  made  use  of  to  her.  It  was  clear 
that  he  had  represented  her  to  the  two  boat- 
men whom  he  had  employed  as  his  wife, 
who  had  eloped  from  him  with  an  admirer ; 
for  he  frequently  addressed  them  with  re- 
marks on  the  sinfulness  of  so  young  a  crea- 
ture having  broken  her  marriage  vows,  and 
having  left  so  good  and  indulgent  a  husband 
as  he  professed  himself  to  have  been.  He 
prepared  them  for  her  denial  of  this  state- 


112  MEREDITH. 

ment,  by  saying  that,  although  so  youthful, 
she  VvTas  so  hardened  a  sinner,  that  she 
would  deny  being  his  wife,  and  that  he 
feared  she  was  irreclaimable.  When  she, 
shocked  at  this  falsehood,  declared  her  in- 
nocence, and  asserted  that  she  had  never 
previously  seen  him,  he  turned  up  his  eyes, 
and  said  to  the  men,  "  You  see,  my  friends, 
it  is  as  I  told  you,  she  is  utterly  callous 
and  hardened."  On  landing,  she  was  hur- 
ried through  vineyards  and  by-paths,  the 
three  men  guarding  her,  and  avoiding  the 
hamlets  that  lay  in  their  route,  until  they 
reached  a  lone  house,  inhabited  by  a  very 
deaf  old  man,  with  whom,  it  appeared,  the 
individual  who  had  carried  off  Miss  Somers 
had  been  lodging  some  weeks. 

"  You  see  I  have  brought  away  my  wife," 
bellowed  he;  but  it  was  not  until  he  had 
three  times  repeated  them  that  his  host 
could  hear  them.  Miss  Somers  was  led 
up  stairs  to  an  humble,  but  clean,  roonij 


MEREDITH.  113 

the  windows  of  whicli  were  secured  by  iron 
bars,  and  the  door  by  strong  bolts  on  the 
exterior.  In  it  she  found  a  change  of 
clothes,  of  a  plain  and  homely  kind,  such 
as  are  worn  by  the  female  peasants  in  the 
environs  of  Naples,  and  which  her  perse- 
cutor told  her  she  was  to  put  on  next  day. 
He  then  placed  some  bread,  grapes,  and 
.water,  in  the  room,  left  her,  carefully  secur- 
ing the  fastenings  of  the  door,  the  key  of 
which  he  took  with  him,  and  having  re- 
mained some  time  in  an  adjoining  chamber, 
she  heard  him  descend  the  stairs,  and  soon 
after  leave  the  house.  As  the  heavy  door 
clapped  after  him,  she  ran  to  the  window, 
and  saw,  to  her  surprise,  that  his  appear- 
ance was  totally  changed.  No  longer  did 
he  wear  the  mustachios,  huge  whiskers,  long 
beard,  and  elfin  locks,  which  she  had  seen  so 
short  a  time  before,  and  which  it  was  now 
evident  he  had  used  as  a  disguise.  So  great 
an  alteration  did  their  absence  produce  on 


114  MEREDITH. 

his  appearance,  that  it  was  only  by  a  pecu- 
liarity in  his  gait  that  she  was  able  to  re- 
cognise him.  His  dress  too  was  wholly 
different,  for  now  it  was  that  of  a  gentle- 
man ;  but  his  face  she  could  not  see,  as  his 
back  was  turned  towards  her,  although  she 
watched  him  until  his  figure  was  lost  in 
the  distance.  The  house  remained  per- 
fectly quiet  for  the  rest  of  the  evening.- 
She  heard  the  old  man  fasten  the  windows 
and  doors,  and  then  all  was  silent,  and  she 
addressed  herself  to  the  Almighty  to  pray 
for  protection  under  the  trials  to  which  she 
had  been  so  unexpectedly  exposed. 

"  I  prayed  for  you  too,  dear  Madame  de 
Stourville,"  said  the  charming  girl;  "  a 
stranger,  and  left  alone,  your  poor  Selina 
snatched  away  from  you!  and  Heaven  be 
praised,  my  prayers  were  not  heard  in  vain ; 
for  I  find  God  has  raised  up  for  you  kind 
friends  to  console  and  aid  you  in  my  absence. 
Two  days  passed  before  I  again  sav/  that 


MEREDITH.  115 

dreaded  man.  When  he  entered  my  cham- 
ber, he  had  resumed  the  mustachios,  whis- 
kers, beard,  and  elfin  locks,  and  his  coun- 
tenance was  even  more  ferocious  than 
before.  I  ventured  to  expostulate  with 
him,  and  to  implore  to  be  restored  to  my 
gouvernante.  But  he  only  mocked  my  sup- 
plications, laid  down  a  fresh  supply  of 
bread,  grapes,  and  water,  left  the  room, 
securing  the  door  as  before ;  and  soon  after 
I  heard  him  leave  the  house,  and,  as  on 
the  former  occasion,  shorn  of  his  locks, 
moustachios,  whiskers,  and  beard." 

A  week  rolled  away  in  this  manner.  0 ! 
what  long  dull  days  were  those!  Every 
second  day  this  hateful  man  returned  to 
supply  me  with  fresh  provisions,  and  at 
each  visit  he  observed  the  same  precautions 
as  before ;  but  seemed  still  more  moody  and 
savage  in  his  humour.  The  day  after  his 
last  visit,  I,  for  the  first  time  since  my 
arrival,  heard  strange  voices  in  the  house. 


116  MEREDITH. 

I  became  dreadfully  alarmed,  concluding 
that  my  persecutor  had  returned  with  some 
of  his  creatures  to  take  me  away  to  some 
new  and  worse  prison,  when  a  pebble  was 
thrown  against  my  window;  and  on  ap- 
proaching it,  judge  of  my  surprise  and  joy  when 
I  beheld  the  two  boatmen  who  had  several 
times  rowed  you  and  me,  my  dear  Madame 
de  Stourville,  in  our  little  excursions  here. 
They  instantly  recognised  me,  and  imme- 
diately set  about  forcing  open  the  door  of 
my  prison — a  task  they  found  more  difficult 
than  they  expected.  0 !  how  I  trembled 
lest  that  fearful  man  should  arrive  before 
they  had  accomplished  it ;  but,  fortunately, 
this  did  not  occur,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  I  saw  the  door  fall  to  pieces  before  the 
vigorous  blows  of  my  deliverers.  I  then 
learnt  that  they  were  two  brothers,  nephews 
to  the  deaf  old  man,  who  had  been  im- 
posed on  by  the  falsehoods  of  my  enemy. 
Having  taken  a  holiday  to  visit  their  uncle, 
they  found  that  he  had  a  lodger,   and  by 


MEREDITH.  117 

inquiries  ascertained  that  a  young  woman 
was  a  prisoner  in  the  chamber  aboye. 
Coupling  this  information  with  the  fact  of 
my  having  been  forcibly  carried  off  from 
La  Cava,  it  instantly  occurred  to  them  that 
the  prisoner  might  be  no  other  than  me; 
and  having  ascertained  this  fact,  they  deter- 
mined to  rescue  me,  and  restore  me  to  my 
dear  Madame  de  Stourville.  The  old  man, 
fearful  of  the  vengeance  of  my  persecutor, 
accompanied  his  nephews  and  me  to  the 
priest's  house,  in  the  next  hamlet,  where 
we  left  him;  and  my  rescuers,  having 
placed  me  in  their  boat,  wrapped  me  in  a 
cloak  borrowed  from  a  servant  of  the  priest, 
brought  me  safe  to  you,  dear,  dear  friend !" 
and  thus  saying,  she  again  embraced  Ma- 
dame de  Stourville. 

The  worthy  boatmen  were  liberally  re- 
warded, but  the  money  bestowed  seemed  to 
give  them  much  less  pleasure  than  the  hap- 
piness they  saw  they  had  conferred  on  us 
all.      Mr.  Rivers    sent  off  letters  to  the 


118  MEREDITH. 

English  minister  at  Naples,  and  to  the  head 
of  the  police  there,  acquainting  them  with 
what  had  occurred,  and  urging  the  necessity 
of  discovering  and  arresting  the  monster 
who  had  planned  and  carried  this  vile  plot 
into  execution.  In  the  meanwhile,  Mr. 
Eivers  proposed — andl could  have  embraced 
him  for  it — that  we  should  both  sit  up  in 
the  house,  with  three  or  four  trustworthy 
peasants,  to  be  selected  by  our  friendly  boat- 
men, and  that  the  next  day  we  should  escort 
the  ladies  to  Naples,  where  he  wished  to 
place  them  under  the  especial  protection  of 
the  English  minister. 

"  We  will  then  return,"  said  he,  address- 
ing me,  "  and  pursue  our  original  project 
of  visiting  the  celebrated  Temples  of  Pses- 
tum." 

"  And  must  we,  dear  Madame  de  Stour- 
ville,  abandon  our  plan  of  visiting  these 
famous  temples,  which  I  have  so  long  de- 
sired to  see?"  said  Miss  Somers. 


MEREDITH.  119 

"  Not  if  clem  kind  gentlemen  who  vere 
so  good  to  me  will  permit  us  to  accompany 
dem  dere,"  replied  the  gouvernante. 

"  The  country  around  Paestum  is  lonely, 
and  not  the  safest  in  the  world  for  ladies," 
observed  Mr.  Rivers ;  "  and  moreover,  should 
the  ruffian  who  has  already  occasioned  so 
much  alarm  to  this  young  lady,  discover 
that  you  were  gone  there,  who  knows  but 
that  he  might  be  tempted  to  take  advantage 
of  so  wild  a  region,  and  again  endeavour  to 
get  Miss  Somers  into  his  power?" 

"  But  we  will  have  pistols,"  said  I.  "  We 
can  send  off  our  servant  to  Naples  at  day- 
break, and  he  can  bring  us  additional  fire- 
arms, and  an  additional  servant  or  two, 
which,  with  that  of  the  ladies,  will  form 
an  escort  that  will  deter  any  attempt  on  the 
part  of  the  wretch  in  question." 

I  felt  my  cheeks  glow  and  my  stature  ex- 
pand at  the  thought  of  yielding  protection 
to  the  lovely  girl  before  me.     She  seemed 


120  MEREDITH. 

pleased  with  my  eagerness  to  secure  lier  tlie 
pleasure  she  anticipated  in  joining  our  party 
to  Peestum,  and  repaid  me  with  a  smile 
that  I  should  have  deemed  a  sufficient  re- 
ward for  any  service.  My  proposal  was 
accepted ;  our  servant  received  orders  to  set 
off  to  Naples  at  daybreak,  and  we  were  to 
leave  La  Cava  for  Salerno  as  soon  as  he  re- 
turned. The  ladies  retired  to  their  bed- 
rooms at  an  early  hour,  and  we  bivouacked  ■ 
on  sofas  in  the  sitting-room,  having  our 
pistols  loaded,  ready  at  hand,  in  case  of 
attack. 

''  There  is  something  incomprehensible  to 
me  in  all  this  affair,"  said  Mr.  Elvers,  as 
we  sat  conversing  after  the  departure  of  the 
ladies.  ^'  That  a  young  person  of  such  re- 
markable l^eauty,  and  apparently  so  very 
amiable,  should  be  allowed  to  travel  about 
in  Italy  without  any  male  protector  is  most 
extraordinary ;  and  that  a  father  should  be 
so  careless  of  such  a  treasure  is  not  less  sin- 


MEREDITH.  121 

gular  and  suspicious.  The  gouvernante 
seems  to  be  a  kind-hearted,  worthy  woman, 
devoted  to  her  eleim^  but  is  evidently  unfit 
to  be  her  sole  protectress  in  so  lawless  a 
country  as  this.  The  forcible  abduction, 
too,  and  by  a  person  totally  unknown  to 
them,  is  strange.  Nothing  like  professions 
of  love  have  been  made  to  Miss  Somers,  in 
extenuation  of  the  violence  offered  to  her; 
consequently,  I  am  wholly  at  a  loss  to  ac- 
count for  the  motive  that  actuated  a  deed, 
which  the  great  beauty  of  the  young  lady 
might  cause,  though  it  would  not  justify.'* 

The  night  passed  without  any  alarm ;  and 
when  morning  came,  we  retired  to  the  little 
inn  where  we  had  taken  up  our  abode  on 
arriving  at  La  Cava.  Having  refreshed 
ourselves  by  a  bath,  dressed,  and  finished 
our  simple  breakfast,  we  returned  to  the 
lodgings  of  Madame  de  Stourville  and  Miss 
Somers,  whom  we  found  seated  at  theirs. 
There  is  no  light  more  trying   to  female 

VOL.  II.  G 


122  MEREDITH. 

beauty  than  that  of  early  morn,  wlien  a 
clear  and  bright  atmosphere  betrays  every 
defect  of  complexion,  and  every  imperfection 
of  feature.     Miss  Somers,  however,  might 
well  bid  defiance  to  the  broadest  glare  of 
sunshine  in  which  beauty  ever  basked,  and 
looked  transcendently  lovely  when  we  en- 
tered; her  frame  refreshed  by  a  night  of 
calm  and   uninterrupted  repose,    and'  her 
mind  restored  to  its  wonted  equanimity  by 
finding  herself  again  with  her  afiectionate 
gouvernante.      I  thought— but   it   might 
only  be  fancy — that  her  cheek  assumed  a 
brighter  hue  as  we  entered ;  but  what  will 
not  a  youth  in  love  for  the  first  time  fancy 
when  hope  aids  vanity?     Her  dress,  too, 
although  simple,  was  exceedingly  elegant, 
and  testified  that  some  pains  had  been  taken 
in  its  arrangement.     How  completely  does 
her  attire  reveal  the  character  as  well  as 
taste  and  refinement  of  a  woman.     A  mere- 
tricious style  may  sometimes  be  becoming  to 


MEREDITH.  123 

those  more  remarkable  for  a  certain  showy, 
flaunting  kind  of  good  looks,  owing  their  eclat 
more  to  a  high  colour,  large  dark  eyes,  and 
a  tolerably  white  skin,  than  to  delicacy  of 
feature  or  purity  of  expression;  but  such 
women  are  to  real  beauties  what  dahlias 
are  to  moss-roses,  only  looked  at  with  plea- 
sure when  the  latter  cannot  be  seen.  Every 
moment  brought  to  view  some  new  charm  in 
Miss  Somers,  owing  to  the  varying  ex- 
pression of  her  countenance  and  the  exqui- 
site gracefulness  of  her  movements ;  and  as 
I  looked  at  her,  I  was  reminded  of  the 
verses  of  the  old  poet — ^^  It  might  be  said 
her  body  thought,"  so  sentient  did  hers  ap- 
pear in  all  its  slight  but  rounded  symmetry. 
Her  soft  and  glossy  hair  was  braided  round 
the  back  of  her  small  and  finely-turned  head, 
and  the  shining  tresses  that  were  divided  on 
her  snowy  temples,  heightened  by  their  con- 
trast the  transparent  fairness  of  her  com- 
plexion. Her  eyes,  now  restored  to  their 
g2 


124  MEREDITH. 

pristine  lustre,  were  by  far  more  beautiful 
than  on  the  previous  day,  and  sparkled  with 
animation  or  languished  beneath  their 
fringed  lids  with  a  dove-like  softness.  Her 
waist,  round  and  symmetrical,  was  confined 
by  a  pale  bue  ribbon,  and  a  knot  of  a 
similar  hue  fastened  the  lace  collar  that  en- 
circled her  milk-white  throat.  Her  hands 
were  delicate,  plump,  and  fair  as  those  of  a 
child ;  and  oh !  how  I  longed  to  press  them 
within  mine,  and  to  kiss  those  small  taper 
fingers,  with  their  pink-coloured  nails,  which 
resembled  those  roseate  little  shells  found 
on  the  sea-shore.  But  if  I  was  fasci- 
nated by  the  rare  beauty  of  Miss  Somers, 
how  was  the  fascination  enhanced  by  the 
charms  of  her  conversation  and  the  graces 
of  her  manner !  Her  voice  too,  low,  sweet, 
and  harmonious,  was  in  itself  an  irresistible 
attraction,  and  lent  increased  interest  to 
every  sentiment  she  uttered. 

The  day  was  whiled  away  in  rambling 


MErvEDITII.  125 

around  the  romantic  environs  of  La  Cava, 
Miss  Somers  leading  us  to  her  favourite 
haunts.  She  shuddered  when  we  passed 
near  the  grotto  whence  she  had  been  carried 
off;  and  Madame  de  Stourville  absolutely 
trembled  with  alarm,  while  declaring  that 
her  cliere  et  belle  Mademoiselle  must  not 
enter  it  again. 


126  MEREDITH. 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

The  next  day  we  left  La  Cava  for  Sa- 
lerno, Madame  de  Stourville  and  her  lovely 
eleve  travelling  in  their  post  chariot,  at- 
tended by  a  femme  de  cliamhre  and  man 
servant;  Mr.  Eivers  and  myself  in  a  tra- 
velling carriage,  and  two  men  servants  on 
the  box,  keeping  close  to  the  chaise  of  the 
ladies.  Never  before  had  I  found  the  so- 
ciety of  Mr.  Eivers  irksome;  but  noAv  my 
mind  was  so  wholly  engrossed  by  one  object 
that  I  was  scarcely  sensible  of  his  presence, 
and  little  profited  by  his  instructive  con- 
versation. 


MEREDITH.  -  127 

The  scenery  from  La  Cava  to  Salerno  is 
beautiful,  and  the  day  was  just  such  a  one 
as  is  most  suited  to  similar  expeditions. 
Innumerable  flights  of  pigeons  were  wing- 
ing their  way  from  those  tall  and  slender 
towers  erected  for  their  dwellings  along  the 
hills  to  the  left  of  our  route,  and  as  their 
snowy  wings  wafted  them  through  the  clear 
air,  the  bright  blue  sky  forming  a  back- 
ground, they  added  to  the  beauty  of  the 
scene. 

0  Love !  in  what  trifles  canst  thou  find 
delight,  and  how  slight  a  favour  from  a 
pure  and  refined  woman  can  confer  happi- 
ness on  a  lover !  A  glance,  a  smile,  a  word, 
or  a  blush,  can  transport  him,  and  these 
favours  are  the  more  prized  from  the  reserve 
and  delicacy  of  her  who  accords  them.  I 
felt  this  when  Miss  Somers  accepted  the 
wild  flowers  I  gathered  for  her  on  the  way- 
side, and  repaid  the  simple  ofiering  with  a 
smile  fidl  of  sweetness. 


128  MEREDITH. 

Arrived  at  Salerno,  and  lodged  in  its  best 
locando^  fronting  the  beautiful  bay,  which 
nearly  equals  that  of  Naples,  after  dinner 
we  sauntered  forth  to  explore  the  objects 
most  worthy  of  attention  in  the  environs. 
Placed  at  the  foot  of  the  lofty  Gragnano, 
and  bathed  by  the  blue  waters  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, Salerno  presents  a  charming  pic- 
ture. The  romantic  ruins  of  a  fortress 
crown  the  summit  of  a  steep  and  rocky 
mountain  that  overhangs  the  town;  and 
three  ancient  castles,  standing  on  separate, 
but  less  elevated  mountains,  complete  the 
landscape.  This  scene,  under  any  circum- 
stances, could  not  have  failed  to  please  me ; 
but  when  beheld  with  her  whose  cultivated 
taste  led  to  a  warm  appreciation  of  all  that 
is  beautiful  in  art  or  nature,  how  much  was 
my  pleasure  enhanced !  Nor  was  it  alone 
the  taste  of  Miss  Somers  that  was  so  highly 
cultivated.      Every    site    recalled   to  her 


MEREDITH.  129 

memory  the  historical  events  with  which 
it  was  connected,  with  an  accuracy  that 
astonished  while  it  delighted  me. 

We  visited  the  cathedi-al,  and  in  examin- 
ing the  antiquities  which  abound  in  its 
court,  Miss  Somers  evinced  no  less  interest 
than  good  taste.  She  listened  attentively 
to  the  observations  that  dropped  from  Mr. 
Eivers ;  and  he,  flattered  by  her  earnestness, 
took  more  than  ordinary  pains  to  invest  the 
subject  with  all  the  interest  which  his  vast 
erudition  and  retentive  memory  so  well 
enabled  him  to  do.  A  reference  having 
been  made  to  the  founder  of  the  cathedral, 
Robert  Guiscard,  son  of  Tancred,  so  cele- 
brated by  Tasso,  the  poetry  of  the  great 
Italian  became  the  topic  of  conversation; 
and  this  young  and  lovely  girl  evinced  a  dis- 
crimination in  pointing  out  some  of  the  finest 
passages,  which  delighted  Mr.  Eivers  almost 
as  much  as  it  did  me.  But  when,  reverting 
g3 


1 30  MEREDITH. 

to  tlie  works  of  Dante,  lie  found  that  she 
was  not  less  versed  in  them,  his  admiration 
knew  no  bounds. 

We  sauntered  from  the  cathedral  to  the 
beach,  where,  being  tempted  by  the  fineness 
of  the  evening,  we  entered  a  boat,  and  were 
soon  floating  on  the  calm  sea.  Twilight,  so 
brief  in  its  duration  in  Italy,  was  quickly 
followed  by  the  rising  of  the  moon,  whose 
silver  beams  soon  tinged  the  placid  water 
over  which  we  glided,  and  the  boatmen,  en- 
couraged by  our  silence — a  silence  produced 
by  the  calm  loveliness  of  the  scene  around, 
joined  in  a  barcarole  of  a  plaintive  nature, 
that  harmonized  well  with  our  feelings. 
The  words,  rude  as  they  were,  expressed  the 
regret  of  parting  lovers,  about  to  be  divided 
by  the  sea,  and  all  the  hopes  and  fears  inci- 
dental to  such  a  separation  were  described. 
Encouraged  by  our  approbation,  the  boat- 
men continued  to  sing,  and  the  airs  they 


MEREDITH.  131 

selected  being  always  of  a  soft  and  melancholy 
character,  and  the  words  either  full  of  wild 
passion,  or  of  deep  tenderness,  sunk  into  my 
very  soul  as  music  had  never  previously 
done. 

"  Sing  to  dese  gentlemen,  ma  chere^'' 
said  Madame  de  Stourville.  "  Dey  vill  like 
your  singing  better  dan  dat  of  de  boatmen, 
I  am  sure." 

Selina,  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  sang 
an  Italian  song  on  the  love  of  home,  and  so 
exquisite  was  her  voice,  so  admirable  her 
method,  and  so  pure  and  touching  her  into- 
nation, that  even  the  boatmen  betrayed  an 
emotion  while  listening  to  her  dulcet  tones. 
What,  then,  must  have  been  my  feelings? 
My  very  soul  was  moved,  and  as  my  ears 
drank  in  the  enchanting  sounds,  while  my 
eyes  dwelt  with  delight  on  the  beautiful 
countenance  of  her  who  breathed  them,  I 
felt  that  henceforth  my  destiny  depended  on 


132  MEREDITH. 

her,  and  that  if  I  could  not  obtain  lier  affec- 
tion, life  would  be  indeed  a  cheerless  waste, 
a  gloomy,  dreary  pilgrimage  to  me.  Few 
were  the  commendations  bestowed  on  the 
lovely  songstress,  when  she  had  finished; 
but  a  silence  more  eloquent  than  words  told 
how  her  auditors  were  moved. 

When  we  landed,  Mr.  Eivers  having 
offered  his  arm  to  Madame  de  Stourville,  I 
ventured  to  present  mine  to  her  lovely 
eleve^  and  when  I  felt  her  round  and  ex- 
quisitely formed  arm  gently  folded  within 
mine,  its  touch  almost  made  me  tremble. 
The  moonbeams  were  reflected  on  her  face, 
which  looked  fair  as  Parian  marble,  and  so 
calm  was  the  expression  of  that  beauteous 
countenance,  that  it  seemed  as  if  no  earthly 
passion  could  ever  cloud  its  mild  lustre. 

"  You  have  no  nights  like  this  in  Eng- 
land, I  fear,"  said  Selina,  after  a  silence  of 
some  minutes. 


MEREDITH.  133 

"  None,"  answered  I;  "but  do  you  not 
remember  our  climate?" 

"  Not  at  all;  I  left  it  when  I  was  so 
young  that  I  have  no  recollection  of  it." 

"  Yet  you  speak  English  with  as  much 
purity  as  if  you  had  been  brought  up  in 
England!" 

"  Thanks  to  an  English  governess,  who 
took  charge  of  me,  until  death  deprived  me 
of  her  care.  Mrs.  Selwyn  was  indeed  a 
mother  to  me,  and  by  her  unremitting  kind- 
ness and  affection  prevented  me  from  know- 
ing the  loss  of  that  tender  tie." 

The  beautiful  Selina's  eyes  filled  Avith 
tears  as  she  spoke. 

"  Then  Madame  de  Stourville  has  not 
long  been  your  companion?"  said  I. 

"  Not  above  two  years,"  answered  Selina. 
"  I  consider  myself  fortunate  in  having  so 
kind  and  affectionate  a  friend,  although,  in 
intellectual  cultivation  and  accomplishments^ 


134  MEREDITH. 

slie  cannot  supply  the  place  of  my  dear  and 
lamented  Mrs.  Selwyn." 

"  You  have  still  one  parent  left?"  ob- 
served I. 

"  Yes,  my  father  still  lives;  but  I  never 
knew  a  mother's  love.  I  have  often  pictured 
to  myself  what  a  blessing  a  mother  must  be. 
I  frequently  dream  that  I  see  a  mild,  lovely, 
and  loving  face  beam  on  me,  and  hear  a  low, 
sweet  voice  call  me  by  the  most  tender 
epithets.  Yes,  a  mother  must  be  a  blessed 
tie,  a  guide  to  protect  and  warn  youth 
from  error,  and  to  reward  obedience  and 
affection." 

"  Your  imagination  has  created  just  such 
a  being  as  my  mother  was,"  said  I.  "  Beau- 
tiful and  good,  an  angel  on  earth!  Ah! 
had  she  known  you !" 

Our  arrival  at  the  door  of  the  hotel 
stopped  a  conversation  in  which  both  felt 
an  equal  interest,  and  each  experienced  an 
increase  of  confidence,  that  under  different 


MEREDITH.  135 

circumstances  an  acquaintance  of  long  stand- 
ing could  alone  have  achieved .  Madame 
de  Stourville  and  Mr.  Eivers  had  also  be- 
come more  friendly  and  familiar  during 
their  walk,  and  he  observed  to  me,  ere  we 
sought  our  chambers  for  the  night,  that  he 
thought  her  a  most  kind-hearted  and  worthy 
woman. 

"  A  mystery,  however,  is  attached  to  the 
father  of  Miss  Soniers,"  said  Mr.  Eivers, 
"and  by  what  Madame  de  Stourville  let 
drop  in  conversation,  he  must  be  a  repulsive 
and  disagreeable  man.  He  treated  his 
charming  daughter  with  a  coldness,  if  not  a 
sternness,  that  hurt  the  poor  girl  very  much, 
and  which  has  given  the  good-natured 
Frenchwoman  a  bad  opinion  of  him.  He 
was  particularly  strict  in  demanding  refe- 
rences about  Madame  de  Stourville,  previ- 
ously to  his  engaging  her  as  a  companion 
for  his  daughter;  but  when  she  in  turn 
begged  leave  to  inquire  something  about 


136  MEREDITH. 

liim,  he  very  hrusqueli/  told  lier  that  his 
banker  woukl  satisfy  her  that  she  ran  no 
risk  of  bad  treatment  in  engaging  to  become 
the  companion  of  his  daughter.  '  I  felt  so 
little  disposed  to  like  him,'  said  Madame  de 
Stourville,  '  that  I  would  not  have  under- 
taken the  task,  were  it  not  that  I  had  con- 
ceived such  an  interest  in  this  charming  girl 
that  I  could  not  bear  to  leave  her  with  so 
stern  a  guardian.  I  had  but  a  few  months 
before  lost  my  only  child,  a  girl  that  any 
mother  might  have  been  proud  of,  and  I 
saw,  or  fancied  I  saw,  a  likeness  between  her 
and  Miss  Soniers,  though  I  must  confess  my 
poor  lost  child  was  not  near  so  beautiful  as 
Mademoiselle  Somers;  and  this,  as  well  as 
the  desire  of  perfecting  myself  in  English, 
increased  my  wish  to  remain  with  her.  As 
soon  as  our  engagement  was  concluded,  Mr* 
Somers  told  me  that  he  wished  his  daughter 
to  visit  Italy,  and  to  remain  there  for  a  con^ 
siderable  time.     '  I  desire  that  she  should 


MEREDITH.  137 

not  enter  into  society,'  said  he,  '  or  become 
known  to  any  persons  except  the  masters  it 
may  be  necessary  to  employ  for  her.  All 
communication  with  me  is  to  be  carried  on 
through  the  medium  of  my  banker  at  Paris, 
who  will  forward  the  letters  to  me.  I  will 
place  funds  in  his  hands  to  meet  the  expenses 
you  will  contract,  which  I  limit  to  eight 
hundred  a-year — a  sum  amply  sufficient  for 
the  moderate  scale  of  living  I  wish  to  be 
pursued.'  '  But  will  you  not  accompany 
your  daughter,  sir?'  asked  Madame  de 
Stourville,  surprised  and  somewhat  alarmed 
at  the  responsibility  she  expected  to  incur. 
'  I  have  never  been  out  of  France,  sir,'  con- 
tinued she,  '  have  little  experience  of  the 
world,  have  not  been  accustomed  to  travel, 
and  dread  being  exposed  to  the  imposition 
and  annoyance  to  wliich  women  are  subjected, 
more  especially  in  a  foreign  country.' — '  You 
will  have  the  protection  of  a  sober  and 
steady  man-servant,  who  speaks  Italian,  a 


138  MEREDITH. 

comfortable  carriage  to  travel  in,  and,  by 
avoiding  tables  d'hotes^  those  certain  places 
for  being  brought  in  contact  with  adven- 
turers and  improper  acquaintances,  you 
will  escape  annoyance.  I  have  neither  the 
power  nor  the  inclination  to  accompany  my 
daughter  to  Italy,  but,  satisfied  with  the 
recommendations  I  have  received  in  your 
favour,  I  confide  her  to  your  care.^  '  He 
took  leave  of  ona  chere  demoiselle ^^  con- 
tinued Madame  de  Stourville,  '  without  be- 
traying the  slightest  emotion,  and  when  she, 
pauvre  hel  ange^  shocked  at  his  coldness, 
changed  colour,  and  had  her  eyes  filled  with 
tears,  he  harshly  told  her  not  to  make  a 
fool  of  herself;  and  merely  shook  hands  with 
her  as  we  entered  the  travelling  carriage. 
The  dear  girl  wept  nearly  the  Avhole  of  the 
fii'st  stage  from  Paris,  and  I  was  so  touched 
by  her  grief  and  the  painful  cause  that  led 
to  it,  that  the  words  of  consolation  I  wished 
to  speak  expired  on  my  lips.  Ah !  Monsieiu' 


MEREDITH.  139 

Kivere,  it  is  a  sad  thing  to  see  an  amiable 
young  creature,  with  a  heart  filled  with  kind 
affection,  repulsed  by  a  cold-hearted,  unna- 
tural father!  I  do  not  wish  to  have  any 
concealments  from  Mr.  Somers,  yet  I  am 
certain  that  he  will  blame  me  very  much, 
when  he  learns  the  enlevement  at  La  Cava.' '' 


140  MEREDITH. 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

The  next  day  we  proceeded  to  Pa3stiim, 
passing  by  Eboli  and  Persano,  a  hunting 
seat  belonging  to  the  King  of  Naples. 

The  first  view  of  the  temples  is  indeed 
most  imposing ;  standing  on  a  plain  bounded 
on  one  side  by  a  chain  of  mountains,  and 
open  on  the  other  to  the  Gulf  of  Salerno. 
Nevertheless,  the  sight  of  these  noble  ruins 
impressed  me  only  with  melancholy  re- 
flections, and  chilled  the  soft  and  delicious 
emotions  to  which  my  heart  had,  for  the 
lii'st  time,  so  lately  become  sensible,  by  re- 


MEREDITH.  141 

minding  me  of  the  brevity,  the  nothingness 
of  life ;  and  such  reflections  but  ill  accorded 
with  the  new  feelings  that  had  taken  pos- 
session of  my  breast.  There  stood  these 
sublime  wrecks  of  antiquity,  —  no  longer, 
as  formerly,  surrounded  by  all  the  luxuriant 
cultivation  peculiar  to  a  fine  climate.  The 
roses  of  Paestum,  once  so  famed,  live  now 
only  in  the  pages  of  the  classic  poets  of  the 
Augustan  age,  and  desolation  and  solitude 
reign  around. 

My  fair  companion  was  also  impressed  by 
the  solemnity  of  the  scene ;  and  when  I  no- 
ticed it,  confessed  that  the  sight  of  fine 
ruins  always  sobered,  if  it  did  not  sadden, 
her  mind. 

"  Of  the  thousands  who,  like  us,  have 
resorted  to  this  spot,"  said  she,  "  even  since 
these  temples  have  been  in  ruin,  no  trace 
remains;  while  they  still  lift  their  proud 
heads  towards  the  blue  sky,  as  if  defying 
the  efforts  of  that  ruthless  tyrant — Time, 


142  MEREDITH. 

who  has  scathed  but  not  yet  destroyed  them. 
How  brief,  how  transitory,  seems  the  life  of 
man  compared  with  these  enduring  monu- 
ments of  distant  ages !  Near  them,  we  are 
but  as  shadows  fleeting  away  to  eternity; 
and  our  cares  and  trials  previously  consi- 
dered as  not  only  important  enough  to  oc- 
cupy all  our  own  thoughts,  but  to  create  an 
interest  in  the  breasts  of  others,  sink  into 
insignificancy !" 

The  discovery  of  this  sympathy  with  my 
own  feelings  touched  me  to  the  heart ;  nor 
could  the  common-place  reflections  uttered 
by  Madame  de  Stourville  dispel  the  thoughts 
it  awakened. 

"  It  is  a  pity  the  King  of  Naples  does  not 
repair  dese  temples,"  observed  that  lady. 
"  They  would  look  moche  better  if  set  to 
right  and  whitewashed,  I  am  sure;  and  if 
one  of  them  was  appropriated  to  the  use  of 
a  restaurateur  and  cafe^  fitted  up  with 
mirrors,  it  would  be  a  great  improvement. 


MEREDITH.  143 

There  is  something  in  the  dreariness  and  air 
of  the  place  dat  makes  one  feel  very  hungry, 
at  least  such  is  the  effect  on  me." 

The  fair  Selina  could  not  repress  a  smile, 
which  Madame  de  Stourville  having  ob- 
served, she  with  great  simplicity  remarked, 
*'  Ah!  you  smile,  ma  chere^  for  you  tink 
dat  because  you  never  give  de  toughts  to  de 
eating,  oders  are  like  you.  Ven  I  vas  young, 
too,  I  did  not  tink  so  much  of  my  dinner  as 
I  do  now ;  for  youth  gives  de  good  spirits — 
de  gaiete  de  cceur.  But  ven  de  age  come, 
one  likes  to  have  de  good  dinner ;  and  ven 
one  do  see  all  old  tings — like  dese  temples, 
par  exemple^ — tumbling  into  decay,  it  do 
remind  one  dat  de  old  people,  like  dem,  are 
also  falling  to  ruin,  and  dis  tought  do  make 
one  melancholique^  and  den  one  vants  de 
gouteVj  de  vat  you  English  call  de  luncheon." 

Luckily  for  Madame  de  Stourville,  Mr. 
Rivers  had  anticipated  her  wants,  and  a 
cold  chicken  or  two,  with  some  other  eat- 


144  MEREDITH. 

ables,  being  produced,  she  rendered  justice 
to  the  repast.  While  she  yet  lingered  over 
it,  Miss  Somers  and  I  strolled  around  the 
temples,  and  were  leaving  that  of  Nep- 
tune, when,  on  turning  round  one  of  the 
columns,  we  suddenly  found  ourselves  in 
the  presence  of  a  lady,  and  at  the  same 
moment  Selina  started,  and  grasping  my 
arm  convulsively,  exclaimed,  ''Oh!  Mr. 
Meredith,  the  terrible  man  who  carried  me 
oiF  from  La  Cava  has  this  moment  disap- 
peared behind  one  of  the  columns  of  the 
Temple  of  Ceres.  I  instantly  recognised 
him  by  the  peculiarity  of  his  mode  of  walk- 
ing; and  he  retreated  so  rapidly  when  we 
came  in  view,  that  it  is  evident  he  wished 
to  avoid  being  seen  by  me.  Do  not  leave 
me,  I  entreat  you,"  said  she,  as  I  endea- 
voured to  release  myself  from  her  grasp. 
"  Do  not  pursue  him !  Do  not — do  not 
leave  me !" 

While  she  uttered  these  words  in  a  low 


MEREDITH.  145 

and  agitated  voice,  the  strange  lady  re- 
mained motionless,  intently  gazing  on  Miss 
Somers;  but  after  a  moment's  pause,  she 
approached  the  latter,  and  said,  "  You 
seem  alarmed,  young  lady ;  can  I  be  of  any 
use?"  The  manner  and  voice  of  the  stranger 
denoted  that  she  appertained  to  no  common 
class  of  society ;  and  her  air,  too,  was  digni- 
fied and  ladylike.  Her  face  was  shaded  by 
a  black  veil,  so  much  less  transparent  than 
those  generally  worn,  that  it  struck  me  that 
it  was  used  more  with  a  view  to  concealment, 
than  to  shield  her  from  the  efiects  of  the 
sun.  > 

"  Let  me  recommend  you  to  use  this 
flacon^^^  said  she,  gently,  offering  a  smell- 
ing-bottle to  Miss  Somers.  "You  were 
alarmed,  probably  by  a  snake,"  resumed 
the  stranger;  "I  have  noticed  several 
among  the  rank  herbage  around  the  temples, 
but  they  are  not  mischievous  unless  trod 


on." 


VOL.  II,  H 


146  MEREDITH. 

Miss  Somers  was  still  too  much  agitated  to 
reply;  so  I,  somewhat  suspicious  that  the 
man  who  had  fled  had  been  in  attendance  on 
this  lady, — for  I  could  not  imagine  that  she 
had  visited  this  remote  region  alone  and  un- 
protected,— observed,  ''  that  the  alarm  of 
Miss  Somers  had  been  caused  by  the  view  of 
a  person  whom  she  and  her  friends  were 
very  desirous  to  bring  to  justice." 

^'  Indeed,"  said  the  stranger;  "  but  may 
not  this  young  lady  have  made  a  mistake? 
I  have  been  here  some  time,  and  have  seen 
no  one,  save  the  peasant  who  lives  in  yonder 
miserable  hovel." 

*^  No,  I  did  not,  could  not  mistake,"  re- 
plied Selina;  "  that  man's  air  and  gestures 
have  made  too  terrible  an  impression  on  me 
ever  to  be  forgotten." 

I  thought  that  the  stranger  appeared  em- 
barrassed, but  at  this  moment  Madame  de 
St(1tu'ville  and  Mr.  Rivers  joined  us,  and 
having,  in  a  few  Avords,  related  to  the  latter 


MEREDITH.  147 

what  had  occurred,  and  placed  Miss  Somers's 
arm  within  his,  I  rapidly  pursued  the  track 
pointed  out  by  her  as  the  one  her  dreaded 
persecutor  had  taken.  In  vain  did  I  search 
the  temples,  and  explore  every  place  likely 
to  oiFer  a  refuge  to  the  object  of  my  pursuit. 
*  No  trace  of  him  could  I  find,  so  I  was  re- 
turning to  my  party,  dissatisfied  and  an- 
noyed at  the  ill  success  of  my  search,  when 
it  occurred  to  me  to  proceed  to  the  hovel, 
and  question  the  peasant,  who  earns  a  scanty 
and  uncertain  subsistence  by  supplying  a 
resting-place  for  the  horses  and  postillions  of 
the  visitors  to  Paestum.  It  sfruck  me  that, 
he  evinced  some  confusion,  when  asserting 
that  the  strange  lady,  whose  caleche  was 
placed  in  the  rear  of  his  house,  had  arrived 
alone,  the  postillion  who  drove  being  the 
only  person  who  had  accompanied  her. 
Vexed  and  disappointed,  I  returned  to  my 
party,  and  found  that  the  strange  lady  {?till 
continued  with  them,  although  the  coldness 
n2 


148  MEREDITH. 

v/ith  which  her  advances  towards  establish- 
ing a  conversation  were  met,  ought  to  have 
discouraged  her, 

"  I  have  been  unfortunate  in  my  search," 
said  I,  in  answer  to  Mr.  Eivers's  question ; 
"  nevertheless,  I  do  not  yet  despair  of  dis- 
covering the  vile  miscreant,  and  bringing 
him  to  the  punishment  which  he  so  justly 
merits." 

Madame  de  Stourville,  drawing  one  of 
the  arms  of  Selina  through  her  own,  while 
Mr.  Eivers  retained  the  other,  whispered 
Miss  Somers  to  move  away,  and  having 
coldly  bowed  to  the  stranger,  we  were  turn- 
ing from  her,  when  she  advanced,  and  begged 
permission  to  join  our  party,  alleging  as  an 
excuse  for  this  intrusion,  that  being  alone 
she  felt  nervous,  more  especially  since  she 
had  heard  that  some  dangerous  character  of 
whom  we  were  in  search,  had  been  lately 
seen  hovering  about  the  temples. 

"  If  you  will  permit  my  caleclie  to  follow 
in  the  wake  of  yours,"  said  she  to  Madame 


MEREDITH.  149 

de  Stourville,  "  you  will  mucli  oblige 
nic." 

"  We  have  no  right  to  prevent  you,"  re- 
plied Mr.  Elvers;  "  but  pardon  me  if  I  say, 
that  a  nervous  lady  would  hardly  come  to 
such  a  place  as  this  without  a  protector,  and 
that  it  seems  rather  unaccountable  that  the 
intrepidity  which  led  to  your  venturing 
here  alone,  should  so  suddenly  have  forsaken 
you." 

"  Let  her  not  come  wid  us,  I  pray,'* 
whispered  Madame  de  Stourville. 

The  stranger  seemed  embarrassed,  as  our 
repugnance  to  her  joining  our  party  became 
manifest;  nevertheless,  she  still  kept  near 
us." 

"  Order  the  horses  to  be  got  ready,"  said 
Madame  de  Stourville,  "  and  let  us  set  out 
for  Salerno  as  soon  as  possible,  that  we  may 
arrive  there  before  dark." 

Mr.  Rivers,  consigning  the  arm  of  Selina 
to  me,  walked  to  the  house  where  the  ser- 


150  MEREDITH. 

vaiits  and  carriages  had  been  left,  to  desire 
them  to  make  ready  for  our  departure. 
Emboldened  by  the  absence  of  the  oldest 
and  gravest  of  our  party,  the  stranger 
walked  close  to  the  side  of  Madame  de 
Stourville,  and  observed  that  it  gave  her 
pleasure  to  recognise  in  the  young  lady  a 
compatriot. 

"  Dat  may  be,  madame,"  replied  the 
gouverfiante,  "  but  dis  young  lady  never 
makes  any  acquaintance  wid  strangers,  so 
you  will  please  not  to  speak  to  her." 

"  There  surely  can  be  no  crime  in  one 
lady  addressing  a  few  words,  eii  passcmt,  to 
another,"  said  the  stranger,  evidently  dis- 
composed by  the  pertinacity  with  which 
Madame  de  Stourville  rejected  her  ad- 
vances. 

"  De  ladies  who  are  bien  eleve^  dat  is  well 
bred,  do  not  force  dier  vords  on  young  ladies 
ven  dier  chaperons  do  not  approve  it,"  re- 


MEREDITH.  151 

•marked  the  gouvernante ;  after  which 
reproof  the  stranger  contmued  to  walk 
silently  on. 

"  Only  fancy,"  said  Mr.  Rivers,  returning 
at  the  moment,  "our  servants,  as  well  as 
the  postillions,  are  in  a  state  of  complete 
intoxication.  This  looks  very  odd,  for  our 
domestic  has  hitherto  been  a  very  sober 
man,  and  I  have  understood  that  yours, 
Madame  de  Stourville,  was  peculiarly 
steady." 

"  And  my  postillion,  sir,"  interrupted  the 
lady,  is  he,  too,  intoxicated!" 

"  He  either  is,  or  affects  to  be  so,"  replied 
Mr.  Rivers,  looking  suspiciously  at  the 
stranger. 

"  I  never  knew  our  servant  to  drink — 
never  saw  the  least  symptoms  of  it,"  said 
Madame  de  Stourville. 

"  What  is  to  be  done?"  demanded  Mr. 
Rivers.     "  We   cannot   stay   all   night  in 


152  MEREDITH. 

yonder  wretclied  hovel,  yet  to  trust  these- 
ladies  in  a  carriage  driven  by  a  drunken 
postillion  is  not  to  be  thought  of." 

"  I  will  drive  their  caleclte^^^  said  I, 
eagerly;  and  you  will  accompany  them  in 
it,  taking  the  precaution  of  having  our  arms 
with  you,  except  a  pair  of  pistols,  which  I 
will  keep  with  me." 

We  walked  towards  the  house,  which  I 
again  entered,  and  there  I  beheld  the  ser- 
vants and  postillions  stretched  on  the  floor, 
sleeping  off  the  effects  of  their  libations,  to 
the  vast  extent  of  which,  several  empty 
bottles  bore  ample  testimony.  I  threw  a 
plentiful  supply  of  cold  water  on  the  faces 
of  our  servants,  in  the  hope  of  bringing  them 
to  their  senses ;  but  sundry  groans  and  half- 
intelligible  words  were  the  only  effects  I  pro- 
duced. The  owner  of  the  hovel  appeared 
nearly  equally  stupiticd  as  the  servants  and 
postillion;  and  though  I  repeatedly  shook 


MEREDITH.  153 

liini,  he  either  could  not,  or  would  not, 
speiik.  I  harnessed  the  horses,  and  having 
tied  a  scarf  around  my  waist,  I  stuck  my 
pistols  into  it,  and  mounted,  while  Mr. 
Elvers  handed  Miss  Somers  and  Madame  de 
Stourville  into  the  caleche.  The  strange 
lady  seized  the  arm  of  Mr.  Elvers,  and  en- 
treated him  to  permit  her  to  occupy  the 
fourth  seat  in  the  carriage. 

"  You  surely  cannot  be  so  cruel,  so  un- 
charitable!" exclaimed  she,  "  as  to  leave  a 
helpless  woman  in  such  a  wild  place,  and 
among  a  set  of  intoxicated  menials!  In 
pity,  let  me  accompany  you  to  Salerno." 

"  0,  let  her,  pray  do  let  her  come,"  said 
Selina;  "  it  would  be  too  dreadful  to  leave 
her  here." 

"  I  suppose  we  must  give  her  de  seat,  do 
I  not  like  it  at  all ;"  observed  Madame  de 
Stoui'ville,  sans  ceremonie, 

Mr.  Elvers,  though  evidently  with  re- 
II  3 


154  MEREDITH. 

luctauce,  handed  the  stranger  into  the  car- 
riage; and  I  drove  off,  deeply  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  the  responsibility  I  incurred 
in  my  new  task.  Anxious  to  advance  as 
rapidly  as  was  consistent  with  the  safety  of 
my  precious  charge,  we  had  made  a  con- 
siderable progress  in  our  route,  when  sud- 
denly eight  men  rushed  from  behind  a  hedge, 
and  a  shot  from  one  of  the  foremost  of  them 
penetrated  my  left  arm,  which  fell  powerless 
to  my  side.  The  carriage  was  soon  sur- 
rounded by  the  whole  party,  one  of  whom 
was  masked.  Mr.  Eivers  was  dragged  from 
it,  his  arms  pinioned  behind  his  back,  and 
while  in  this  defenceless  condition,  the  mis- 
creants repeatedly  struck  him  with  the  but- 
ends  of  their  carabines,  until,  nearly  senseless, 
he  fell  to  the  earth.  Maddened  at  beholding 
the  man  who  was  masked,  and  who  it  was 
evident  was  the  leader  of  the  party,  seize 
Miss  Somers,  and,  in  spite  of  her  frantic 


MEREDITH.  155 

cries,  bear  her  from  the  cake  he ,  I  rushed 
towards  him,  when  one  of  his  followers 
aimed  a  blow  at  my  head  with  his  pistol, 
which  felled  me  to  the  ground,  and  for  a 
time  deprived  me  of  all  consciousness. 


156  MEREDITH. 


CHAPTEK   X. 


When  restored  to  a  sense  of  what  liad 
occurred,  I  found  Madame  de  Stourville 
and  Mr.  Elvers  anxiously  watching  over 
nie;  the  former  weeping  bitterly,  and  the 
latter  filled  with  alarm  about  me. 

I  now  learned  that  the  bandits  who  had 
assailed  us,  had,  after  tying  the  arms  of 
Madame  de  Stourville  and  Mr.  Eivers,  un- 
harnessed the  horses,  and  given  them  their 
liberty. 

They  then  forcibly  carried  off  Miss  Somers 
to  a  boat  lying  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
shore,  which  made  directly  for  a  vessel  at 


MEREDITH.  157 

anchor  about  a  league  off  —  the  strange 
hidy  having  voluntarily  accompanied  the 
party.  Two  peasants  passing  the  spot  where 
we  lay,  had  liberated  Madame  de  Stourville 
and  Mr.  Rivers,  and  assisted  them  in  their 
endeavours  to  stanch  my  wounds  and  re- 
store me  to  consciousness. 

"  It  is  quite  evident,"  said  Mr.  Eivers, 
*'  that  the  strange  woman  who  forced  her- 
self on  us  is  an  accomplice,  if  not  a  prin- 
cipal, in  the  abduction  of  Miss  Somers,  as 
her  not  being  ill  treated,  and  her  voluntarily 
accompanying  these  brigands,  testifies." 

The  peasants,  who  lived  at  no  great  dis- 
tance, offered  to  assist  in  transporting  me 
to  the  cottage  of  one  of  them,  a  task  of 
some  difficulty,  from  the  extreme  weakness 
caused  by  loss  of  blood.  Madame  de  Stour- 
ville and  Mr.  Rivers  had  also  suffered 
severely  from  the  brutality  of  those  who 
had  wounded  me.  But  though  the  pain  of  my 
wounds  and  the  weakness  occasioned  by  loss 


158  MEREDITH. 

of  blood  rendered  me  nearly  helpless,  I  forgot 
my  bodily  ills  in  the  shock  and  grief  my  mind 
experienced  in  the  loss  of  my  adored  Selina, 
and  in  the  terror  excited  for  her  fate.  To 
be  thus  powerless  to  protect  or  rescue  her 
maddened  me,  and  I  groaned  in  torture,  as 
I  pictured  her  to  myself  surrounded  by  the 
miscreants  who  had  carried  her  off. 

Having  reached  the  humble  cottage  of 
the  peasant,  and  being  placed  on  the  coarse 
but  clean  pallet  filled  with  the  straw  of  In- 
dian corn,  it  was  proposed  to  send  one  of 
the  men  to  Salerno  for  post-horses  and  a 
surgeon.  Luckily,  one  of  the  horses  that 
had  been  liberated  from  the  caUche  had 
strayed  from  the  road  across  some  fields  that 
lay  in  the  direction  of  the  house  to  which  I 
had  been  brought,  and  was  quietly  feeding 
on  the  scanty  herbage.  The  peasant  soon 
secured  and  mounted  him,  and  in  a  short 
time  was  on  his  road  to  Salerno,  while  I, 
exhausted,  dropped  into  a  deep  slumber,  from 


MEREDITH.  159 

which  I  awoke  uot  until  the  arrival  of  the 
surgeon  and  post-horses.     With  these  came 
an  escort  of  six  men,  soldiers,  from  the  limit- 
ed  garrison  of  Salerno,  sent  by  the  com- 
manding officer,  on  hearing  of  our  disaster. 
Having  ascertained  from  the  peasants  that 
our  assailants  had  embarked,  and  were  out 
of  reach,  their  bravery  knew  no  bounds. 
They  waved  their  swords,  uttered  various 
threats  of  vengeance  against  the  brigands 
who  had  dared  to  molest  their  excellencies^ 
— the  brave  and  noble  Forestierii, — and 
assured  us  that  while  theT/  were  near  us  we 
were  safe.     The  surgeon  looked  very  grave 
while  examining  my  wounds,  talked  of  con- 
cussion of  the  brain  following  heavy  blows 
on  the  head,  hinted  of  the  probable  necessity 
of  trepanning,  and  amputation  of  the  arm ; 
but   held  out  hopes,    that  if  there  was  a 
chance  of  being  spared  such  desperate  ope- 
rations, he,   and  he  alone,  could  effect  it. 
He  told  me  that  I  ought  to  consider  myself 


160  MEREDITH. 

indeed  fortunate  in  falling  into  liis  liands, 
for  that  liis  skill  was  well  known,  and  tliat 
liis  practice  in  gun-sliot  wounds  had  been 
very  extensive  in  the  Neapolitan  army, 
when  opposed  to  the  Austrian  forces,  over 
which,  as  he  maintained,  they  had  achieved 
repeated  victories.  If  I  did  not  entertain 
the  most  perfect  confidence  in  the  skill  and 
judgment  of  il  Signor  Carabosca,  it  was 
not  for  want  of  receiving  innumerable  de- 
clarations of  both  from  himself.  The  legs 
and  arms  he  had,  as  he  asserted,  taken  off, 
could  not  be  counted;  and  the  bullets  he 
had  extracted  might  supply  an  army.  The 
peasant's  wife  turned  up  her  eyes  and 
crossed  herself,  as  she  listened  to  Signor 
Carabosca's  boastings,  while  Mr.  Kivers 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  evinced  other 
symptoms  of  incredulity  and  dissatisfaction. 
The  motion  of  the  carriage  greatly  increased 
the  pain  in  my  arm ;  but  so  wholly  occupied 
were  my   thoughts  by  the  fate  of  Selina, 


MEREDITH.  161 

that  I  was  regardless  of  the  torture  I  eii- 
clurecl.  With  what  bitter  feelings  did  I 
contemplate  the  route,  which  together,  bask- 
ing in  her  smiles  and  listening  in  rapture 
to  the  tones  of  her  silvery  voice,  we  had 
traversed  the  previous  day,  rich  in  hope  and 
health,  while  now — powerless  to  rescue  her 
— she  was  snatched  away,  and  exposed  to 
dangers,  the  bare  notion  of  which  filled 
me  with  horror !  Every  turn  of  the  road 
recalled  some  look,  some  observation,  of 
hers.  Her  accents  seemed  still  to  dwell  in 
my  ears,  while  she  was  far,  far  away,  and 
possibly  I  might  never  more  behold  her. 

Madame  de  Stourville  wept  and  talked, 
and  talked  and  wept  by  turns,  appealing 
frequently  to  Heaven  and  to  me,  whether 
her  cliere  et  belle  demoiselle  was  not  the 
most  perfect  creature  in  existence? — a  fact 
I  was  ready  to  maintain  at  the  point  of  my 
sword, — and  whether  she  herself  was  not  the 
person    in   all   the   world  the  most  to  be 


162     •  BIEREDITH. 

pitied  ? — a  statement  to  which  I  was  by  no 
means  disposed  to  assent. 

Arrived  at  Salerno,  the  sight  of  that  calm 
and  beautiful  bay,  over  which  we  had  glided 
so  shortly  before,  and  of  the  spots  where, 
with  her  arm  in  mine,  we  had  walked,  re- 
called the  conversation  that  had  occurred 
with  a  vividness  that  made  the  recent  scene 
of  her  abduction  appear  like  some  frightfid 
dream.  Bitterly  did  Madame  de  Stourville 
now  reproach  herself  for  not  having  directly 
returned  to  Naples  when  Miss  Somers  had 
been  restored  to  her,  as  in  a  populous  city 
she  would  have  been  safe  from  the  daring 
violence  that  had  a  second  time  been  so  suc- 
cessfully employed  against  her,  and  in  this 
regret  Mr.  Eivers  and  I  triUy  sympathized. 

Various  and  fruitless  were  the  conjectures 
in  which  we  all  three  indulged  as  to  the 
probable  motives  of  those  who  had  planned 
and  executed  this  crime;  but  the  perfect 
ignorance  in  which  Madame  de  Stourville 


MEREDITH.  163 

was  relative  to  the  family  history  and  con- 
nexions of  Miss  Somers,  precluded  her  from 
furnishing  any  clue  to  them.  Mr.  Elvers 
again  sent  information  of  the  event  to  the 
English  minister  at  Naples,  and  authorized 
him  to  offer  a  reward  for  the  discovery  of 
Miss  Somers  and  the  detection  of  the  de- 
linquents. The  civil  authorities  at  Salerno 
proposed  to  send  persons  around  the  country 
in  search  of  the  young  lady;  but  as  we 
knew  she  had  been  taken  to  sea,  we  declined 
their  services. 

A  violent  fever  was  the  result  of  my 
wounds,  and  Mr.  lU vers  was  compelled  to 
have  recourse,  not  only  to  peremptory  orders, 
but  to  personal  superintendence,  to  prevent 
il  Signor  Carahosca  from  essaying  his 
skill,  of  which  he  entertained  considerable 
doubt,  in  extracting  the  ball  which  he  al- 
leged was  lodged  in  my  arm.  But  Mr. 
Rivers  was  determined  to  entrust  the  ope- 
ration only  to  an  English  surgeon  of  eminence 


164  MEREDITn. 

established  at  Naples,  for  whom  he  had  sent 
an  express ;  a  measure  which  greatly  irri- 
tated the  Signor,  who  repeatedly  declared 
that  his  military  experience  peculiarly  fitted 
him  for  the  treatment  of  wounds.  Madame 
de  Stourville  ventured  to  suggest  the  expe- 
diency of  calling  in  a  French  surgeon  and 
physician,  they  being,  as  she  asserted,  far 
superior  to  English  practitioners,  of  whom, 
with  the  prejudice  peculiar  to  her  nation, 
she  entertained  a  great  dread. 

"  De  English  doctors  kill  more  patients 
thah  disease  does,"  said  she.  "  And  as  to 
surgeons,  none  are  so  good  as  de  French, 
for  no  oders  have  de  same  opportunities  of 
seeing  wounds,  as  no  people  fight  like  de 
French." 

"  Cospetto  !  Signora,  you  are  in  error !" 
said  Carabosca.  "  The  Italians,  and,  above 
all,  the  Neapolitans,  are  the  most  desperate 
people  in  the  whole  world  for  fighting ;  and 
that  is  the  reason  why  we  understand  gun- 


MEREDITH.  165 

shot  and  sabre  wounds  better  than  the  sur- 
geons of  all  other  nations.  Why,  this  hand" 
— and  he  held  up  his  right  arm — '^  has 
lopped  off  more  limbs  than  I  can  count,  and 
no  one  was  ever  able  to  say  that  Giacomo 
Carabosca  bungled  in  his  operations !  Yes, 
I  am  the  man  to  whip  off  an  arm  or  a  leg 
in  a  trice !  And  it  will  not  be  my  fault, 
Signer  Rivers,  if  the  Signer  dies  from, 
having  the  amputation  too  long  deferred." 

Dr.  Luther  and  Mr.  Saunders  arrived  at 
SalQrno  even  sooner  than  was  expected ;  and 
the  first  having  administered  some  cooling 
potions  to  abate  the  fever,  the  latter  ex- 
amined my  wounds,  and  announced,  to  the 
great  satisfaction  of  Mr.  Rivers,  that  the 
one  in  my  arm  was  not  of  a  dangerous  na- 
ture, and  that  the  bullet  had  not  lodged  in 
it.  The  servants  left  at  Pajstum  now  ar- 
rived. They  had  been  rendered  incapable  of 
performing  their  duty  by  having  had  a  nar- 
cotic mixed  in  their  wine,  of  wliich  they 


166  MEREDITH. 

had  not  drank  a  sufficient  quantity  to  have 
otherwise  produced  so  violent  an  effect. 
They  had  remained  nearly  in  a  state  of  in^ 
sensibility  from  a  short  time  after  they  had 
drank  the  wine  until  a  late  hour  the  follow- 
ing day,  and  had  noticed  a  man,  the  de- 
scription of  whom  corresponded  precisely 
with  the  person  seen  by  Miss  Somers, 
leaving  the  house  at  Psestum  as  they  entered 
it,  after  removing  our  collation.  Little 
doubt  could  be  entertained  that  the  enleve- 
ment had  been  planned  for  some  hours,  and 
that  the  planners  had  been  aware  of  our 
movements.  The  postillion  who  had  driven 
the  strange  lady  to  Paestum  had  informed 
ours  that  the  lady  was  accompanied  by  a 
man  who  appeared  to  be  of  an  inferior 
grade  in  society,  and  wholly  subservient  to 
her  commands.  They  had  arrived  at  Passtum 
at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  and  the 
man  had  exchanged  signals  with  a  vessel  at 
anchor  a  short  distance  from  the  shore,  on 


MEREDITH.  167 

which  a  boat  was  soon  after  launched  witli 
three  men,  who  drew  it  up  beneath  a  shelv- 
ing bank  near  the  water's  edge.  This  was 
all  the  information  they  could  give  us,  for 
the  owner  of  the  wretched  house  at  Psestum 
either  was,  or  affected  to  be,  in  total  igno- 
rance relative  to  the  strange  lady ;  but  from 
his  denying  her  being  accompanied  by  the 
man  whom  our  servants  saw,  it  appeared  that 
he  knew  more  than  he  would  tell. 

Under  the  care  of  Dr.  Luther  and  Mr. 
Saunders,  I  soon  began  to  recover,  and 
in  the  course  of  a  week  was  able  to  bear 
the  journey  to  Naples,  whither  Madame  de 
Stourville  accompanied  Mr.  Rivers  and  my- 
self. I  was  most  impatient  to  arrive  there, 
in  the  hope  that  on  the  spot  some  intel- 
ligence could  be  obtained  of  Selina;  but, 
alas !  nothing  relative  to  her  had  been  dis- 
covered, although  the  English  minister  had 
used  every  exertion  in  his  power  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  had  been  assisted  by  the  civil  an- 


168  MEREDITH. 

tliorities  of  Naples.  Madame  de  Stoiirville 
wrote  to  the  father  of  Selina  to  acquaint 
him  with  what  had  occurred ;  and  now,  in  a 
state  of  nervous  excittition  that  it  was 
painful  to  witness,  awaited  the  result  of  the 
active  search  set  on  foot  for  the  discovery 
of  that  dear  and  lovely  girl. 


MEREDITH.  IGO 


CHAPTER  XL 


After  a  month's  sejour  at  Naples,  impa- 
tiently borne,  but  rendered  inevitable  by  my 
weakness,  I  proposed  visiting  Sicily,  urged  to 
this  step  by  a  latent,  though  feeble  hope  of 
there  gaining  some  trace  of  the  fugitives. 
Madame  de  Stourville  shed  many  tears  at 
our  parting,  which  seemed  to  renew  afresli 
the  poignancy  of  her  grief  for  Miss  Somers, 
and  I  truly  sympathized  in  her  feelings. 

We  embarked  for  Palermo  with  a  fair 
wind ;  but  had  not  been  long  at  sea,  before 
a  dull  calm  left  our  vessel  like  a  log  on  the 

VOL.  II,  I 


170  MEREDITH. 

water,  and  irritated  my  nerves  not  a  little, 
so  anxious  was  I  to  reach  our  destination. 
Under  other  circumstances,  I  might  have 
enjoyed  the  contemplation  of  the  blue  sky 
above,  and  the  as  blue  sea  which  mirrored 
it,  unbroken  by  a  single  wave,  while  the 
balmy  air  re-invigorated  my  languid  frame. 
But  my  thoughts  were  so  wholly  occupied 
by  Selina,  that  I  was  insensible  to  every- 
thing around  me;  and  I  would  have  pre- 
ferred a  storm  that  impelled  our  bark  to 
the  shore  where  I  hoped  to  learn  tidings  of 
her,  to  the  soft  and  delicious  weather  that 
prevailed. 

Having  refused  to  descend  to  the  cabin, 
or  partake  the  evening  meal,  I  remained  on 
deck,  and  watched  the  shades  of  twilight 
stealing  over  the  vessel.  Bright  purple 
clouds,  fringed  with  roseate '  and  golden 
tints,  spread  themselves  over  the  heavens, 
and  were  reflected  on  the  sea,  until  they 
every  moment   lost  some  portion  of  their 


MEREDTTH.  171 

splendour.  At  length,  they  subsided  into 
sombre  hues,  which  cast  a  dim  and  shadowy- 
veil  over  the  water,  the  rippling  of  which 
against  the  sides  of  the  vessel  produced  a 
monotonous  and  drowsy  sound,  that  in- 
creased the  pensiveness  that  stole  over  me. 
There  is  no  situation  more  calculated  to 
awaken  melancholy  reflections,  even  in  those 
not  naturally  prone  to  them,  than  the  fall  of 
evening  at  sea.  How,  then,  must  it  eifect 
those  who  have  any  subject  for  regret?  The 
mind  becomes  softened;  the  loved,  the  ab- 
sent, the  dead,  are  remembered  with  fond 
sadness,  and  voices,  silent  for  ever,  and  per- 
chance forgotten  during  the  busy  hours  of 
day,  are  now  once  more  recalled  to  memory. 
I  thought  of  my  dear  mother  in  her  distant 
grave,  until  the  past  rose  up  before  me  as 
vividly  as  if  I  had  only  lost  that  sainted 
parent  a  few  days  before.  I  reproached  my- 
self for  liaving  of  late  neglected  her  memory, 
and  accused  myself  of  ingratitude  in  having 
i2 


172  MEREDITH. 

SO  soon  found  consolation  for  her  loss.  But 
even  while  thus  reproaching  myself,  the 
thought  of  the  lovely  Selina  would  return  to 
banish  that  of  my  mother,  and  the  low  tones 
of  her  musical  voice,  and  the  beautiful  ex- 
pression of  her  soul-beaming  face,  would 
haunt  me.  Oh!  how  discordant  at  such 
moments  sounded  the  mirth  and  laughter, 
the  clatter  of  plates,  and  the  calls  for  at- 
tendance from  the  noisy  occupants  of  the 
cabin. 

It  was  while  I  was  thus  indulging  in  pen- 
sive reveries,  that  the  sailor  at  the  helm 
commenced  singing  the  very  air  that  the 
boatmen  at  Salerno  had  selected  the  evening 
previous  to  our  fatal  visit  to  Psestum. 
Every  note,  every  word,  brought  the  scene 
of  that  happy  evening  back,  and  as  I 
listened,  tears  started  to  my  eyes.  How 
powerful  is  the  effect  of  music  in  awaking 
associations !  Mine  were  of  a  very  melan- 
choly nature,  yet  I  would  not  have  changed 


MEREDITH.  173 

them  for  nil  that  pleasure  could  offer ;  and 
when  the  sailor  ceased  to  sing,  I  slipped 
some  money  into  his  hand,  and  asked  him 
to  repeat  the  song. 

Mr.  Eivers,  and  one  of  the  passengers,  a 
burly -looking,  red-faced  man,  came  on  deck 
while  the  sailor  was  still  singing;  and  I 
now  discovered  that  individual  was  an  Eng- 
lishman. He  addressed  the  sailor  in  bad 
Italian,  told  him  his  song  was  a  most  dull 
and  stupid  one,  and  advised  him  to  change 
it  for  something  of  a  more  gay  and  lively 
character.  The  sailor  said  that  the  Signor 
Forestieri  had  comrfianded  the  song. 

"  Well,  there  is  no  accounting  for  talie," 
observed  my  rubicund  compatriot ;  "  anv^  if 
the  gentleman  is  satisfied,  wliy,  it  is  no 
business  of  mine." 

"  I  have  heard  that  air  before,  somewhere 
or  other,"  said  Mr.  Kivers. 

"  0,  for  the  matter  of  that,  sir,  the  Italian 
son";s  are  all  so  like  each  other,  that  there 


174  MEREDITH. 

is  no  distinguishing  one  from  another,"  re- 
marked the  stranger.  "  I  have  now  been 
thirty-five  years,  off  and  on,  a  resident  in 
Sicily,  but  I  could  never  take  to  Italian 
music.  It  seems  to  me  to  be  all  the  same, 
and  very  unlike  our  English.  Give  me 
'  Nancy  Dawson,'  and '  Molly  put  the  Kettle 
on,'  and  half-a-hundred  other  merry  songs  of 
the  same  description,  and  I'll  give  up  the 
operas,  and  other  Italian  music,  with  all  my 
heart." 

"  Then  you  are  no  admirer  of  it,  I  ob- 
serve," said  Mr.  Eivers. 

"  No,  sir,  certainly  npt.  I  think  Italian 
music  very  like  Italian  wine,  poor,  weak, 
washy  stuff!" 

"  But  surely  the  Marsala  we  have  been 
drinking  was  neither  weak  nor  washy  ?" 

"  Agreed;  but  why?  simply  because  that 
Avine  was  manufactured  by  me." 

"  Indeed." 

"  Yes,  I  assure  you.    I  had  not  been  long 


MEREDITH.  175 

in  Sicily  before  I  determined  to  make  a 
wine  that  should  rival  Sherry,  and  I  think 
I  have  succeeded.  The  heat  of  the  climate 
ripens  the  grapes  in  Sicily  capitally,  and, 
with  plenty  of  brandy,  I  give  the  wine  they 
produce  as  much  body,  ay,  and  more  too, 
than  any  Sherry  that  ever  left  Spain.  The 
whole  secret  of  making  good  wine  consists 
in  putting  plenty  of  brandy  into  it.  Look 
at  me,  sir,  where  will  you  find  a  healthier 
or  a  heartier  man  of  sixty  years  of  age?  I 
attribute  it  all  to  my  never  diinking  any- 
thing but  Marsala,  made  after  my  own  plan. 
I  never  am  ill,  except  now  and  then  having 
a  sharp  twinge  of  the  gout,  which  I  don't 
mind  a  fig,  and  an  occasional  head-ache  not 
worth  minding,  so  I  think  I  have  a  right  to 
speak  well  of  Marsala." 

"  You  like  Sicily,  I  suppose." 

"  Cosi,  cosij  as  the  Italians  say.  I  liked 
it  better  when  Lord — let  me  see,  wliat  was 
his  name,  commanded  them ;  I  always  forget 


176  MEREDITH. 

his  name.  Lord — Lord —  ;  I  can't  remember 
it ;  but  it's  no  matter.  He  commanded  at 
Palermo,  was  a  general  in  the  army,  and 
had  two  or  three  English  regiments  there  at 
the  same  time.     Let  me  see,  what  were  the 

regiments.     The ;  bless  me,  how  odd 

that  I  can't  remember  the  names ;  but  it's 
no  consequence;  and  there  were  a  great 
many  English  people  came  there  at  the 
same  time,  and  they  could  not  bear  the 
weak,  washy,  Italian  wine,  and  so  I  took  it 
into  my  head  to  manufacture  some  that  I 
thought  would  please  them,  and  it  did ;  and 
from  that  time  I  have  gone  on,  and  my 
business  has  prospered.     There  was  Colonel 

;    what  was  his  name?     Well,  it  is 

very  vexatious  to  have  forgotten  it,  for  he 
was  one  of  my  best  customers.  Colonel — 
Colonel  Thompson,  was  it  ?  No,  not 
Thompson;  Thomas,  I  think  it  was,  or 
Sampson ;  but  it's  no  great  matter ;  he  re- 
commended my  Marsala  to  the  mess,  and  to 


MEREDITH.  177 

all  his  friends,    and,   above   all,   to   Major 

;   liow   strange   I   can't  recollect   his 

name  !  Major — Major — ;  I  think  it  begins 
with  an  N — ;  bnt  it's  no  conseqnence.  And 
there  was  King  Ferdinand  from  Naples,  and 
the  Queen,  and  the  royal  family,  all  living 
at  Palermo,  because  the  Neapolitans  thought 
the  change  of  air  would  do  them  good ;  and 
there  was  a  French  Duke,  I  forget  his 
name,  who  married  a  daughter  of  King 
Ferdinand's,  a  most  worthy  and  excellent 
lady  she  was ;  I  wish  I  could  remember  her 
name;  but  it's  no  matter.  Palermo  was 
then  a  very  gay  place,  and  the  bands  of  the 
English  regiments  used  to  play  every  even- 
ing, such  beautiful  tunes,  *  Nancy  Daw- 
son,' '  Molly  put  the  Kettle  on,'  '  Money 
Musk,'  '  liule  Britannia,'  and  '  God  save 
the  King.'  It  used  to  make  me  feel  so 
queer  like,  to  hear  these  tunes  so  far  away 
from  home.  Ay,  talk  of  Italian  music, 
what  is  it  compared  with  any  of  the  tunes 
i3 


178  MEREDITH. 

I  have  mentioned !  When  King — ;  I  forget 
his  name,  but  it's  no  great  matter,  he  was 
a  Frenchman,  and  a  fine  soklier,  too,  I  have 
heard  say;  left  Naples,  King  Ferdinand 
and  his  family  (all  but  the  old  queen,  who 
went  to  somewhere  in  Germany  ;  I  don't  re- 
member the  name;  and  died  there)  retunied 
to  Naples,  and  found  everything  so  im- 
proved and  clean,  they  could  hardly  re- 
cognise the  place.  And  the  French  duke, 
who  married  King  Ferdinand's  daughter, 
went  to  France,  and  the  English  Lord,  who 
commanded  at  Palermo,  and  the  regiments 
stationed  there,  all  left,  and  the  toAvn  was 
quite  deserted  like,  and  never  was  the  same 
since,  and  I  have  never,  except  during  two 
or  thi'ee.  visits  I  have  paid  to  England, 
heard  '  Eule  Britannia,'  '  God  save  the 
King,'  'Nancy  Dawson,'  or  'Molly  put 
the  Kettle  on,'  played  or  sung.  I  am  sorry 
to  say  England  is  very  much  fallen  ofi"  in 
this  respect  of  late.     You  no  longer  hear 


MEREDITH.  179 

the  nice  old  tunes  played  about  the  streets 
in  London  as  in  the  old  times,  on  the  hand- 
organs,  and  hurdy-gurdies.  No,  a  plague 
on  them,  they  are  always  playing  Italian 
tunes,  which  much  vexed  me." 

In  this  manner  did  Mr.  Medlicut,  for 
thus  was  he  called,  continue  to  chatter,  for- 
getting the  name  of  every  person  of  whom 
he  spoke ;  until,  no  longer  able  to  support 
his  incessant  babillage,  I  rose  and  sought 
my  cabin — an  example  which  he  quickly 
followed.  When  he  and  Mr.  Rivers  had 
entered  theii'  berths,  and  proved  by  certain 
nasal  sounds  that  they  were  asleep,  I  again 
ascended  to  the  deck,  and  once  more  re- 
clined in  my  former  station,  delighted  to  be 
released  from  the  presence  of  my  stupid 
fellow  countryman.  How  an  individual  of 
cultivated  mind,  and  refined  habits  like  ]\Ii\ 
Elvers,  could  hold  companionship  with  such 
a  person  as  Mr.  Medlicut,  siu'prised  and 
displeased  me ;  and  I  rather  piqued  myself 


180  MEREDITH. 

Oil  my  own  fastidiousness  of  taste,  which 
preckided  a  patient  endurance  of  such  an 
infliction. 

The  moon  had  now  silvered  the  sea  with 
its  bright  beams ;  a  gentle,  but  favourable 
breeze  filled  our  sails ;  and  we  glided 
smoothly  on  our  course,  the  silence  un- 
broken save  by  the  murmur  of  the  water  as 
the  prow  of  our  vessel  broke  its  glassy  sur- 
face, leaving  far  behind  in  its  wake  a  line 
of  silvery  radiance,  still  more  brilliant  than 
the  rest  of  the  sea.  Soothed  by  the  tran- 
quillity of  the  scene,  I  dropped  into  a  calm 
and  deep  sleep,  from  which  I  awoke  not, 
until,  at  an  early  hour  next  morning,  Mr. 
Elvers  stood  by  my  side,  carefully  placing 
a  warm  cloak  to  preserve  me  from  cold— an 
act  of  kindness  that  broke  my  slumber. 


MEREDITH.  181 


CHAPTER  XII. 


Mr.  Medlicut  soon  after  came  on  deck, 
and  declared  that — thanks  to  the  additional 
bumpers  of  Marsala  he  had  drunk  the  pre- 
vious night — he  had  slept  perfectly  well,  a 
precaution  he  had  been  advised  to  adopt  by 
a  colonel,  whose  name  and  regiment  he 
vainly  tried  to  remember,  and  which,  as 
usual,  he  said  was  of  no  consequence. 

"  Have  you  many  English  residents  at 
Palermo?"  inquired  Mr.  Rivers. 

"  No,  sir ;  few  except  some  merchants  and 
their  families.     Some  of  these  are  worthy 


182  MEREDITU. 

and  respectable  people.     Mr. ;   bless 

me,  how  stupid  it  is  to  forget  his  name.  He 
came  from  some  place  I  cannot  call  to  mind, 
married  the  daughter  of  an  old  friend  of 
mine,  whose  name  I  can't  remember,  which 
is  very  strange,  as  we  were  very  intimate  in 
former  years.  We  have  also  Mr.  Johnson, 
no,  Tonson,  or  Jobson,  if  I  don't  mistake,  a 
very  pleasant,  clever  fellow,  swears  by  my 
Marsala,  and  recommends  it  to  all  his 
friends  and  correspondents.  His  wife,  a 
very  pretty  woman,  a  Sicilian;  her  name 
was,  let  me  see,  Casanilla ;  no,  Chiesa  Natala ; 
no,  it  was  not  either  of  these  names,  but 
something  like  them ;  but  it's  of  no  conse- 
quence.    We  have  also  a  Mr. ;  there 

again,  hang  me  if  I  haven't  forgotten  his 
name,  although  I  know  him  as  well  as  any 
man  in  Palermo.  He  has  a  pretty  wife, 
but  a  confounded  shrew,  quarrels  with  all 
the  other  merchants'  wives,  and  makes  her 
husband  take  her  part,   however  in  the 


MEREDITH.  183 

wrong  she  may  be,  so  that  he,  although 
naturally  a  peaceable  fellow,  is  always  at 
war  with  his  neighbours  on  her  account. 
0!  the  English  women,  I  must  say,  are 
ever  much  addicted  to  prying  into  the 
afiairs  of  any  strangers,  particularly  females, 
who  come  to  Palermo,  and  are  never  over 
charitable  in  the  conclusions  they  draw  from 
their  real  or  fancied  discoveries.  Why,  it 
was  only  two  months  ago  that  they  were  all 
set  agog  by  the  arrival  of  a  lady  whom  they 
declared  to  be  a  most  mysterious  person, 
though  what  they  could  see,  in  her  to  lead 
them  to  think  so,  I  cannot  make  out.  She 
brought  a  respectable  letter  of  credit,  which, 
in  my  opinion,  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  being 
all  right,  alleged  herself  to  be  a  widow,  is 
neither  young  nor  handsome,  although  she 
bears  the  remains  of  having  been  in  her 
youth  what  is  called  a  showy  woman.  But 
because,  notwithstanding  they  made  her 
overtures  of  civility,  she  keeps  aloof  from 


184  MEREDITH. 

mixing  in  tlieir  society,  they  indulge  in 
various  conjectures  about  lier.  The  occa- 
sional visits  of  a  strange,  and  somewhat 
ferocious  looking  man,  something  between  a 
pirate  and  a  courier,  who  comes  from  Naples, 
and  stays  but  a  short  time  with  her,  has 
awakened  the  curiosity  and  suspicion  of  the 
English  ladies  at  Palermo.  This  man  has  a 
small  vessel,  in  which  he  sails  about.  It  is 
manned  by  five  or  six  Genoese  sailors,  dare- 
devil sort  of  fellows,  who,  when  in  port,  if 
questioned  about  their  master,  as  they  often 
are,  either  menace  or  ridicule  those  who 
speak  to  them.  The  lady's  establishment 
consists  of  a  female  servant  and  four 
Frenchmen,  who  seem  devoted  to  her,  and 
are,  strange  to  say  for  Frenchmen,  as  re- 
served and  silent  about  their  mistress  and 
her  affairs  as  she  herself  is." 

"  And  what  is  the  name  of  this  lady?" 
inquired  Mr.  Iiivers.  "  Her  name  is  Mrs. 
— — ,  Mrs  . ;  now  is  it  not  too  bad  of  me 


MEREDITH.  1§5 

to  have  forgotten  it?  but  it  is  of  no  conse- 
quence after  all." 

"  And  in  what  part  of  Palermo  does  this 
lady  reside?"  inquired  I,  struck  by  a  sud- 
den notion  that  she  might  be  the  very 
person  who  had  intruded  herself  on  us  the 
memorable  day  at  Paestum. 

"  She  resides  in  a  house  near  the  sea- 
shore, with  a  high-walled  garden  in  the 
rear." 

The  vessel,  the  description  of  the  man, 
and  his  habit  of  cruising  about,  agreed 
with  the  suspicions  I  had  formed;  and  it 
occurred  to  me  that  through  our  loquacious 
fellow  passenger  we  might  obtain  a  clue  to 
the  discovery  of  the  lovely  Selina.  No 
sooner  had  this  idea  entered  my  head,  than 
I  instantly  became  as  polite  and  chatty  with 
Mr.  Medlicut  as  I  had  previously  been 
cold  and  reserved.  I  encouraged  his  pro- 
pensity to  gossip,  and  was  soon  furnished 
with  innumerable  anecdotes  and  tales  rela- 


186  3IEEEDITH. 

tive  to  all  his  acquaiutances  in  Sicily.  Many 
of  them  were  not  over  creditable  to  the  per- 
sons of  whom  they  were  related ;  but  for- 
tunately, the  utter  defectiveness  of  his  me- 
mory in  retaining  names  rendered  his 
scandalous   historiettes  hannless;  and  the 

piquants  anecdotes  of  •*  Mrs.  ;  hang 

me  if  I  can  remember  her  name,"  or  "  Mi's. 
Johnson,  Tomson,  or  Sampson,"  proved,  in- 
deed, of  *•  no  consequence." 

When  he  had  left  us  to  go  down  to  the 
cabin,  to  indulge  in  a  glass  of  his  favourite 
Marsala,  which  he  pronounced  to  be  the 
universal  panacea  for  all  maladies,  being,  as 
he  asserted,  a  preventive,  as  well  as  a  cnre, 
Mr.  Kivers  observed  to  me  that  he  thought 
we  had  obtained  a  clue  to  Miss  Somers. 

"  It  stinick  me  from  the  first,"  said  he, 
"  that  this  garrulous  man,  fi*om  knowing 
Sicily  so  well,  might  Ije  of  use  to  us.  It  was 
this  belief  that  induced  me  to  cultivate  his 
acquaintance ;  although  I  saw  that  you  took 


31EREDITH.  187 

little  pains  to  conceal  the  distaste  with  which 
his  loquacity  had  inspired  you.  Had  I,  like 
you,  avoided  him,  we  should  never  have 
found  this  clue." 

At  length  our  voyage  drew  to  a  close, 
and  as  we  neared  the  Sicilian  shore,  its 
l^eauty  made  a  deep  impression  on  us. 
There  is  something  very  exciting  in  the 
first  view  of  a  strange  country.  Whatever 
notions  of  it  we  may  have  previously  formed, 
ai'e  found  to  be  so  unlike  the  reality,  that  a 
sentiment  of  disappointment  is  mingled  even 
with  the  admiration  it  calls  forth.  The 
scene  so  new  to  our  eyes  has  existed  for 
centui'ies  as  we  now  beheld  it,  and  in  the 
land  before  us,  no  familiar  face  comes  forth 
to  smile  a  welcome  to  us ;  no  friendly  hand 
is  held  out  to  meet  oui'  own ;  the  very  lan- 
guage is  new  and  strange  to  us;  and  we 
experience  that  feeling  of  loneliness  always 
peculiar  to  the  first  landing  on  a  foreign 
shore — a  feeling  that  reminds  us  of  our  own 


188  MEREDITH. 

insignificance  in  life.  Is  there  a  human 
being  in  this  new  land  that  would  care  if 
the  ocean  swallowed  us?  is  a  thought  that 
suggests  itself,  as  we  gaze  around.  This 
mental  question  hope  answered  in  my  breast, 
by  whispering,  "  Yes,  if  Seliua  dwells  in 
Sicily,  she  would  care !"  and  this  idea 
cheered  in  a  moment  the  sense  of  loneliness 
that  was  stealing  over  me. 

"  Here  we  are,  Mr. ;  hang  me  if  I 

haven't  forgotten  your  name ;  but  it's  of  no 
consequence.  Is  not  that  a  beautiful,  a 
glorious  view?  There,"  continued  Mr. 
Medlicut,  "  stands  Monte  Catalfano  on  one 
side,  and  Monte  Pellegrino  on  the  other. 
The  port  and  its  mole  are  beneath  Monte 
Pellegrino.  Yes,  Palermo,  though  somewhat 
dilapidated,  is  still  a  fine  place,  and  so  I 
think  you  will  admit  when  you  have  seen 
it  and  its  environs.  Command  me  in  all 
that  can  be  of  use  to  you ;  for  it  will  give 
me   real   pleasure    to   serve  or  oblige  my 


MEREDITH.  189 

countrymen.  I  can  offer  yoii  rooms  in  my 
house,  and  a  hearty  welcome.     It  was  only 

last  year  that  I  had  Sir  Thomas ;  dear 

me,  I  have  forgotten  his  name ;  staying  with 
me.  He  is  a  baronet,  and  has  a  fine  place  in 
some  county — let  me  see  if  I  can't  remember 
the  name.  Norfolk — no,  Sufiblk,  I  think  it 
is,  but  it's  of  no  consequence.  I  have  his 
name,  and  the  name  of  his  place  written 
down  at  home.  I  made  him  write  it,  for  I 
never  trust  to  my  memory." 

We  declined  availing  ourselves  of  his 
hospitable  offer,  and  he  then  good-naturedly 
volunteered  to  conduct  us  to  the  best  inn, 
and  arrange  with  its  owner  for  our  lodging 
&c.  during  our  stay.  "  You  must  let  me 
send  you  some  of  my  own  choice  Marsala ; 
you  will  find  nothing  like  it  in  any  other 
house  than  mine." 

Mr.  Medlicut  was  really  very  useful  to 
us,  for  he  consigned  our  luggage  to  some  of 
the  porters  on  the  mole,  all  of  whom  seemed 


190  MEREDITH. 

to  know  him  very  well ;  gave  tliem  direc- 
tions whither  they  were  to  be  conveyed; 
and  left  the  vessel  with  us.  "  Here,"  said 
he,  "is  the  Porta  Felice;  see  what  a  fine 
view  of  the  city  it  commands.  Is  it  not  a 
charming  prospect?"  And  charming  it  truly 
was,  so  much  so,  that  we  paused  to  behold 
it.  "  Ay,  I  thought  you  would  admire 
Palermo;  every  stranger  does;  and  if  you 
like  antiquities,  I  have  a  friend,  an  Irish- 
man, settled  here  many  years,  as  a  teacher  of 
the  English  language,  who  can  tell  you  all 
about  the  Carthaginians,  and  other  ancient 
people  connected  with  this  place.  He  says 
the  real  name  of  this  city  was  Panormas, 
from  which,  I  tell  him,  panorama  is  derived; 
but  this  he  will  not  admit.  Lord  bless  you, 
he  will  go  on  for  whole  hours,  and  days,  if 
any  one  will  listen  to  him,  repeating  such 
hard  words  as  are  enough  to  break  one's 
jaws  to  pronounce,  and  how  he  can  keep 
them  in  his  head  seems  a  miracle  to  me.    I 


MEREDITH.  191 

told  him  this  once,  and  he  answered,  that 
the  places  he  looked  on  reminded  him  of  the 
events  and  names  of  those  connected  with 
them,  which  had  occurred  in  the  olden  time. 
But  I  remarked,  *  Why,  I  see  the  places  as 
well  as  you  do,  but  that  does  not  make  me 
a  whit  wiser  about  the  events  or  the  names.' 
He  could  say  nothing  to  this,  for  it  was  a 
poser ;  so  he  turned  up  his  eyes  and  shrugged 
his  shoulders." 

Mr.  Medlicut  pointed  out  to  us  two  fine 
streets,  each  a  mile  long,  which  cross  the 
city  at  right  angles ;  and  the  Piazza  Vigliena, 
whence  we  had  a  beautiful  view  of  the 
north  of  the  Porta  Felice,  through  which  the 
blue  sea  was  seen;  and  to  the  south,  the 
Porta  Nuova,  the  fine  mountains,  and  a 
castle,  which  crowns  Monreale.  At  length 
we  reached  the  locando^  where  our  new  ac- 
quaintance soon  installed  us  in  very  spacious, 
if  not  comfortable  apartments,  after  bargain- 
ing, as  hard  witli   the   landlord   as  *if  he 


192  MEREDITH. 

believed  a  rigid  economy  in  our  expenditure 
was  highly  desirable,  if  not  essentially  ne- 
cessary. Again  offering  his  services  to  us, 
with  a  warmth  of  manner  that  proved  his 
desire  of  their  being  accepted,  he  took  his 
leave,  promising  an  early  visit.  , 


MEREDITH.  193 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


Having  dined,  Mr.  Elvers  and  I,  declining 
the  attendance  of  the  cicerone,  who  pre- 
sented himself  at  the  door  of  the  hotel  as 
soon  as  we  appeared  at  it,  strolled  forth  to 
explore  Palermo.  We  stopped  to  admire 
the  Cassaro,  the  general  effect  of  which  is 
good;  and  the  footways  on  each  side,  a 
comfort  so  uncommon  in  foreign  streets, 
greatly  pleased  my  companion.  The  Pa- 
lazzo Geraci  is  an  imposing  edifice ;  and  the 
majority  of  the  houses  in  this  part  of  Pa- 
lermo are  lofty  and  well  built.    I  felt  a  tre- 

VOL.  II.  K 


194  MEREDITH. 

pidation  as  I  cast  my  eyes  on  every  side  in 
search  of  some  face  or  figure  that  might 
furnish  a  chie  to  the  object  of  all  my 
thoughts,  forgetful  that  there  was  little 
probability  that  those  who  had  carried  off 
tlie  lovely  Selina  would  permit  her  to  appear 
in  public.  I  longed  to  visit  the  spot  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Medlicut  as  the  one  where 
the  mysterious  lady  had  taken  up  her  abode ; 
but  the  evening  was  now  too  far  advanced 
to  seek  it,  even  if  I  had  been  acquainted 
with  the  direction.  We  sauntered  through 
the  square  of  the  Palazzo,  and  examined 
the  building  itself,  which  is  a  motley  struc- 
ture, partly  Saracenic  and  partly  modern, 
neither  offering  good  specimens  of  architec- 
ture. 

And  now  the  shades  of  night  descended, 
and  soon  after,  the  rising  moon  came  forth 
from  her  shadowy  curtain,  flooding  the  sky 
with  light,  and  tinging  every  object  around 
with  her  silvery  beams.     The  sounds    of 


MEREDITH.  195 

music  were  heard  issuing  from  open  lattices 
and  balconies;  soft  airs  with  dulcet  words 
lisped  forth  as  Italian  lips  only  can  breathe 
them ;  or  sprightly  notes  were  struck  from 
guitars,  accompanied  by  songs,  given  in  the 
true  comic  style,  in  which  Italians  are 
said  to  excel.  Every  turn  presented  happy 
groups  hurrying  to  some  scene  of  amuse- 
ment, or  else  enjoying  the  evening  air, 
which,  after  the  sultry  days  peculiar  to  this 
country,  is  felt  to  be  a  positive  pleasure. 
Yes,  at  Palermo,  even  more  than  at  Naples, 
we  were  continually  reminded  that  we  were 
in  a  southern  climate ;  and  ill  at  ease  as  was 
my  mind,  I  felt  its  painful  thoughts  soothed 
by  the  influence  of  the  delicious  atmosphere. 
Even  Mr.  Rivers,  whose  age  and  character 
rendered  him  so  much  less  liable  to  be 
affected  by  it,  observed,  that  those  who  had 
resided  some  time  in  Italy,  and  above  all,  in 
Sicily,  could  well  understand  how  great  an 
influence  the  enervating  balminess  of  the 
k2 


196  MEREDITH. 

air,  the  sweet  music,  and  the  bright  moon- 
lit scenery,  must  have  on  an  impressionable 
nature.  "  The  very  atmosphere  is  infec- 
tious," said  he, ''  and  is  calculated  to  dispose 
him  only  to  pleasurable  emotions  who  in  our 
northern  clime  might  have  remained  a  grave 
and  reflecting  character." 

"We  strolled  to  the  Plan  odella  Marina, 
and  paused  before  the  picturesque  fountain 
near  the  Senate-house;  on  the  showers  of 
crystal-like  water  thrown  up  from  which, 
the  moonbeams  cast  the  most  dazzling  ra- 
diance. We  returned  to  our  hotel,  and, 
having  refreshed  ourselves  with  some  iced 
sorbetto,  retired  to  our  beds,  with  the 
sounds  of  tinkling  music  still  ringing  in  our 
ears  from  wandering  musicians,  who  seemed 
loth  to  give  up  the  enjoyment  of  the  cool 
and  delicious  hours  of  night. 

I  arose  early  next  morning,  impatient  to 
begin  my  search  for  the  fair  Selina.  Mr. 
Rivers,   less   anxious   on   this   point,   still 


MEREDITH.  197 

slept;  so,  leaving  a  message  with  our  ser- 
vant that  I  would  return  to  breakfast,  I 
sallied  forth,  and  took  the  direction  towards 
the  sea,  remembering  that  Mr.  Medlicut 
had  stated  that  the  house  occupied  by  the 
mysterious  lady  lay  near  the  shore. 

How  bright  and  balmy  was  the  morning, 
and  how  did  my  heart  throb  with  renovated 
hope  as,  with  agile  step,  I  hurried  along, 
passing  nearly  unnoticed  many  a  building, 
fountain,  or  point  of  view,  that,  under 
other  circumstances,  I  should  have  long 
loitered  to  admire  !  But  now,  every  thought, 
every  feeling,  was  centered  in  the  engrossing 
one — a  longing,  impatient  desire  to  discover 
and  free  the  adorable  Selina  from  her  thral- 
dom. So  rapid  was  my  pace  that  many  a 
sauntering  Sicilian  stopped  to  look  at  me, 
muttering  some  remark  on  the  forestieri 
Inglese^  who  neither  walked  nor  did  anything 
else  like  other  people.  At  length  I  reached 
the  shore,  and  noticed  no  less  than  three 


198  MEREDITH. 

houses  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  each  at  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  other,  but 
any  one  of  which  might  have  answered  the 
notion  conveyed  by  Mr.  Medlicut.  A 
vessel  lying  at  anchor  nearly  in  front  of  one 
of  the  houses,  reminded  me  of  the  statement 
relative  to  the  supposed  friend  of  the  mys- 
terious lady,  and  induced  me  to  reconnoitre 
this  dwelling  more  closely.  It  had  a  garden 
attached  to  it,  surrounded  by  a  high  wall ; 
and  some  of  the  windows  facing  the  sea  had 
iron  bars,  which,  with  the  general  dreary 
aspect,  gave  very  much  the  appearance  of  a 
prison  to  this  solitary  abode.  While  I 
stood  looking  at  it,  a  man  in  a  bailor's  di'ess 
opened  the  door,  and,  observing  me,  ap- 
proached, and  inquired  in  Italian  what  I 
wanted?  I  answered,  that  I  was  in  search 
of  an  English  lady,  who,  I  was  informed, 
resided  in  one  of  the  houses  near  the  beach. 
"  There  is  no  such  person  here,"  said  he, 
in  a  very  dogged  tone ;  "  and  as  the  owner 


MEREDITH.  199 

of  this  house  dislikes  haviug  strangers  prowl- 
ing around  his  dwelling,  you  will  do  well  to 
withdraw." 

"  The  owner  has  no  right  to  dictate  to 
me,  while  I  do  not  enter  his  house  or  gar- 
den," replied  I.  "  All  persons  may  pass 
where  I  now  stand,  and  pause  to  look  around 
them,  if  they  please." 

"  We  shall  soon  see,"  observed  he ;  and 
applying  a  whistle  to  his  lips,  three  men  in 
sailors'  attii^e  came  forth  instantly  from  the 
house,  and  he  having  spoken  to  them  in  a 
low  tone  of  voice,  they  drew  close  to  me, 
and  with  threatening  gestiu'es  and  angry 
voices  desired  me  to  go  away.  Indignant 
at  their  insolence,  I  felt  little  disposed  to 
obey  the  mandate ;  but  conscious  that  against 
four  men,  and  in  a  solitary  situation,  re- 
moved from  any  hope  of  assistance  from 
passers  by,  resistance  w^ould  be  unavailing, 
I  moved  away,  the  men  remaining  in  front 
of  the  house  as  if  watching  me. 


200  MEREDITH. 

Wlieii  I  was  at  some  distance  from  the 
dwelling,  wliicli  I  now  became  convinced 
was  the  identical  one  of  which  I  was  in 
search,  I  encountered  a  tall  man  of  a  most 
forbidding  aspect,  and  with  a  very  peculiar 
mode  of  Avalking.  He  eyed  me  narrowly, 
and,  having  passed  on,  turned  his  head 
again  to  look  at  me ;  but  observing  that  I 
did  the  same  by  him,  he  resumed  his  route. 
Had  I  entertained  any  doubt,  the  presence 
of  this  man  would  have  convinced  me  that 
my  suspicions  were  well  founded;  for  his 
appearance  perfectly  coincided  with  the  de- 
scription given  by  the  fair  Selina  of  the 
person  who  had  carried  her  off  from  La 
Cava.  I  instantly  determined  to  go  to  Mr. 
Kivers,  and  with  him  seek  a  magistrate,  to 
demand  an  authority  to  examine  the  pre- 
mises; and,  fearful  that  suspicions  of  my 
intention  might  lead  to  the  removal  of  the 
object  of  my  search,  I  was  hurrying  rapidly 


MEREDITH.  201 

towards  the  town,  when  I  lieard  tlie  sound 
of  horses'  feet  advancing  in  a  gallop  behind 
me,  and  in  another  instant  the  man  I  had 
seen  but  a  few  minutes  before,  followed  by 
three  others,  came  up  to  me. 

"  I  wish  to  know,"  cried  he,  in  Italian, 
but  with  an  accent  that  proved  it  was 
not  his  native  tongue,  "  why  you  came 
prowling  around  my  house  like  a  spy,  and 
resisted  the  orders  of  my  servants  to  leave 
the  place?" 

I  was  about  to  reply,  when  he  jumped 
from  his  horse,  made  a  sign  to  his  followers 
also  to  dismount,  and  advancing  to  me, 
while  one  of  the  men  held  the  horses  of  the 
others,  he  violently  seized  me.  Two  of  the 
sailors  assisted  him  to  secure  my  arms  be- 
hind my  back,  when  they  placed  me  on 
one  of  the  horses,  and,  guarded  by  the  party, 
I  was  led  back  to  the  sea-shore.  There  I 
perceived  a  boat,  with  two  men  resting  on 

K  o 


202  MEREDITH. 

their  oars,  into  wliich,  in  spite  of  all  resist- 
ance, I  was  soon  placed;  while  two  more 
men  entered  it,  and  quickly  rowed  off  to- 
wards the  vessel  lying  at  anchor,  into  which 
I  was  forcibly  removed,  and  sluit  up  in  a 
small  cabin. 


MEREDITH.  203 


CHAPTER  Xl\, 


All  this  had  been  the  work  of  a  few  mi- 
nutes ;  and  as  I  heard  from  the  small  port- 
hole of  the  cabin  the  sound  of  the  oars  as 
the  boat  was  rowed  back  to  shore,  the  whole 
thing  seemed  to  me  more  like  a  dream  than 
a  reality.  And  here  I  was,  a  prisoner,  power- 
less to  rescue  her  to  whose  place  of  cap- 
tivity I  had  but  so  lately  discovered  a  clue ! 
To  the  lot  which  might  be  reserved  for  me 
by  the  lawless  wretch  who  had  thus  made 
me  a  prisoner,  I  gave  not  a  thought ;  so 
wholly  was  I  engrossed  by  my  anxiety  for 


204  MEREDITH, 

the  lovely  Selina,  about  whose  fate  all  that 
I  had  seen  of  the  reckless  man  in  whose 
power  I  felt  convinced  she  was,  occasioned 
me  to  be  more  than  ever  alarmed.  What 
would,  what  could  Mr.  Rivers 'think  of  my 
sudden  disappearance?  How  great  would 
be  his  terror  and  anxiety !  My  mind  was 
in  a  tumult ;  a  thousand  thoughts  fraught 
with  bitterness  passed  through  it,  all  uniting 
with  the  maddening  consciousness  that  I 
was  a  prisoner,  and  guarded  by  a  force  suf- 
ficient to  defeat  any  efforts  I  could  make  to 
escape.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  notwithstand- 
ing the  agitation  of  my  mind,  after  some 
hours  I  began  to  experience  the  pangs  of 
hunger;  but  though  I  repeatedly  knocked 
at  the  door  of  the  cabin  —  outside  which  I 
heard  a  man  continually  moving — and 
called  aloud,  no  notice  was  taken  of  me. 
Not  until  long  after  the  clouds  of  night  had 
shrouded  my  little  prison  in  total  darkness, 
was  the  door  opened,  a  loaf  of  bread  and  a 


MEREDITH.  205 

flask  of  wine  placed  bctore  me ;  and  I  was 
told  tliat  I  miglit  retire  to  rest  in  tlie  rude 
berth  in  the  cabin  whenever  I  felt  disposed. 
I  asked  for  a  light,  which  was  rudely  de- 
nied me;    and   my   gaolers    having   Avith- 
drawn,  I  was  again  locked  in,   and  left  to 
my  own  painful  reflections.     I  ate  some  of 
the  coarse  bread,  and  drank  a  little  of  the 
wine,  which  restored  me,  and  then  scrambled 
into  the  berth,  when  I  soon  fell  into  a  deep 
slumber,  from  which  I  was  awaked  hj  a 
noise  in  the  cabin.     The  total  darkness  pre- 
cluded me  from  seeing ;  but  I  put  forth  my 
hand,  and,  to  my   horror  and  disgust,  it 
came  in  contact  with  a  living,  moving  sub- 
stance, that  rushed  nimbly  over  the  cover- 
ing of  my  wretched  berth,  and  scampering 
up    my   pillow,    whisked    its  unclean    tail 
against  my  face.     Another  and  another  in 
quick  succession  followed ;  and,  to  my  utter 
dismay,    I   discovered  that  the  cabin  and 
the  berth  were  infested  by  rats — animals, 


206  MEREDITH. 

above  all  others,  the  most  hateful  to  me.  I 
called  aloud  for  a  light ;  but  my  cries  ex- 
cited only  the  rude  merriment  of  the  brutal 
sailors,  whose  derisive  laughter  I  could  hear, 
as  they  mimicked  my  demand. 

I  covered  my  head  with  the  bed-clothes 
as  a  protection  from  these  odious  animals; 
but  judge  of  my  disgust  when  I  found  that 
two  or  three  of  them  had  penetrated  beneath 
the  scanty  covering,  and  were  assailing  me 
with  their  teeth.  I  jumped  from  the  berth, 
dashed  my  horrible  assailants  to  the  floor, 
and  searched  in  every  corner  for  some 
weapon  to  defend  myself  from  their  attacks, 
but  nothing  could  I  find.  My  only  resource 
from  their  invasion  was  to  stand  in  the 
middle  of  the  cabin,  away  from  the  sides, 
— up  which  they  kept  continually  clamber- 
ing,— to  kick  all  those  that  ran  over  my 
feet,  and  to  strike  at  the  more  hardy  which 
attempted  to  climb  up  my  legs.  Never  had 
I  passed,  or  even  conceived  a  notion  of  a 


MEREDITH.  207 

night  so  horrible, — and  never  did  I  so  wel- 
come the  first  break  of  day.  I  could  now 
see  these  odious  animals  clamber  up  the 
table  and  devour  the  bread,  of  which  I  had 
partaken  only  a  small  portion  the  previous 
night ;  but  when  the  daylight  became  more 
broad,  they  eyed  me  askance,  and  scam- 
pered away  to  their  different  hiding-places, 
leaving  me  in  a  state  more  easily  to  be 
imagined  than  described. 

And  now  my  prison  door  was  opened, 
and  two  of  the  sailors  entered.  They 
looked  at  me  with  derision,  and  mockingly 
demanded  why  I  cried  out  so  much  in  the 
night.  "  You,  a  brave  Inglese^  could  surely 
not  be  afraid  of  such  harmless  things  as 
rats,  though,  Cospetto^  they  do  sometimes, 
as  I  dare  say  you  have  discovered,  bite  very 
sharply.  Look  there,  signor  "  —  and  the 
speaker  held  up  his  hand,  and  shewed  more 
than  one  mark  from  the  teeth  of  the  rats. 
"  But  after  all,"  continued  he,  "  they  do  no 


208  MEREDITH. 

great  damiigc,  and  their  presence  proves 
that  ours  is  a  good  vessel,  for  these  animals, 
more  sensible  than  men,  always  know  when 
to  forsake  a  falling  house,  or  a  sinking 
ship." 

"  How  long  am  I  to  be  thus  illegally 
detained?"  demanded  I. 

''As  long  as  it  pleases  our  Capitano  to 
keep  you,"  was  the  answer. 

"  He  has  committed  an  act  that  he  may 
yet  have  reason  to  repent,"  said  I. 

"  I  would  not  advise  you  to  tell  him  so, 
for  he  cares  little  for  law,  and  still  less  for 
the  opinions  of  those  who  are  in  his  power," 
replied  the  former  speaker.  "  He  has  a 
peculiar  dislike  to  inquisitive  people,  and 
you  proved  yourself  to  be  of  this  class, 
by  prowling  about  his  habitation,  so  he  has 
taken  care  that  you  shall  trouble  him  no 
more  on  shore." 

"  Yes,  yes,  our  Capitano  is  not  a  man  to 


MEREDITH.  209 

permit  any  one  to  meddle  with  him,"  said 
another  of  the  sailors.  "  He  makes  short 
work  of  it  when  he  wishes  to  get  rid  of 
troublesome  people." 

"  He  may  one  day  meet  with  those  who 
are  as  revengeful  and  determined  as  him- 
self," muttered  the  third  sailor,  a  dark, 
dogged-looking  man,  with  a  scowling  brow, 
and  a  powerful  sinewy  frame,  who  had 
entered  the  cabin  while  the  other  was 
speaking. 

"  What !  because  he  gave  you  a  blow 
yesterday?"  said  one  of  the  crew. 

"  Sono  Romano^^^  replied  the  scowling- 
looking  fellow;  *'  and  a  Eoman  forgets  not 
a  blow." 

"  You  will  learn  to  do  so,  when  you  are 
as  long  with  our  Capitano  as  we  have  been," 
observed  the  other,  "  for  he  likes  to  keep  his 
hands  in  exercise,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  Talk  of  the  evil  one  and  he  will  appear, 


210  MEREDITH. 

for  here  comes  our  Capitano.  All  hands  on 
deck  quickly,  for  he  will  not  approve  of  our 
being  here,  confabbing  with  the  prisoner,'^ 
said  the  first  speaker ;  and  all  three  rapidly 
retreated,  taking  care  to  lock  the  cabin  door. 
I  expected  every  moment  that  he  would 
descend,  and  enter  my  odious  prison;  but 
though  he  remained  on  deck  some  time,  he 
did  not ;  and  when  I  heard  his  boat  leave 
the  vessel,  I  shrank  with  disgust,  and,  to 
say  the  truth,  with  terror,  at  the  notion  of 
being  another  night  exposed  to  the  invasion 
of  the  abominable  animals  who  had  assailed 
me.  A  coarse  meal,  consisting  of  ship  beef 
and  biscuit,  was  presented  to  me  soon  after 
the  departure  of  the  Capitano,  as  he  was 
styled,  and,  hunger  conquering  the  repug- 
nance and  disgust  excited  by  its  appear- 
ance, I  partook  of  this  bad  fare  with  an 
appetite  often  found  wanting  when  luxuri- 
ous repasts  were  served  to  me.     As  the 


MEREDITH.  211 

shades  of  evening  were  descending,  I  heard 
the  plashing  of  oars  alongside  our  boat; 
and  through  the  port-hole  could  distinguish 
the  voices  of  the  sailors  as  they  shipped  the 
provisions,  brought  from  the  shore,  on  board 
our  vessel.'^ 

"  You  are  well  laden,"  observed  a  sailor 
from  the  deck.  "  We  are  going  to  have  a 
long  voyage,  I  suppose,  if  I  may  judge  from 
the  quantity  of  sea  stock." 

"  Yes,  il  Capitano  said,  we  are  to  hold 
ourselves  in  readiness  to  sail  the  moment  he 
comes  on  board,  and  he  will  be  here  before 
it  is  dark." 

"  And  where  are  we  bound  for?" 

*'  You'll  know  that  when  he  tells  us.  I 
fancy  he  wants  to  take  the  prisoner  out  of 
the  way." 

"  The  sky  looks  black  and  threatening, 
and  the  wind  is  getting  up ;  I  don't  half  like 
the  appearance  of  the  weather ;  but  we  al- 


212  MEREDITH. 


s  have  tlie  luck  of  it  when  we  2:0  to  sea 


t)^ 


way 

If  he  wants  to  get  the  prisoner  out  of  the 
way,  there  is  a  much  shorter  and  less  trou- 
blesome mode  of  doing  it." 

"How  so?" 

"  Knock  him  on  the  head  and  throw  him 
overboard;  with  enough  shot  to  keep  his 
body  from  floating." 

"  Just  like  you,  always  for  murder." 

"  Better  to  kill  one  man,  than  to  run  the 
risk  of  having  five  or  six  drowned,  say  I, 
especially  when  I  am  one  of  the  number." 

"  I  don't  think  there  will  be  much  of  a 
storm,  after  all." 

"  You'll  learn,  before  many  hours  are 
over.  Look  at  the  mares'  tails,  how  quick 
they  float  over  the  sky,  and  see  the  sea-gulls 
how  they  seem  to  ride  the  foaming  crests  of 
the  waves  !  It  was  just  such  an  evening  as 
this  that  the  heavy  gale  came  on  when  we 
were  taking  the  two  ladies  from  near  Pas- 
turn,  and  what  a  night  it  turned  out  !'* 


MEREDITH.  213 

I  had  listened  with  breathless  attention 
to  this  discourse,  and  the  last  portion  of  it 
brought  the  conviction  that  the  vessel  I 
was  now  in  was  the  identical  one  in  which 
the  lovely  Selina  had  been  taken  away ;  as 
also,  that  the  house  near  the  shore  was  her 
present  abode,  and  that,  to  prevent  the  dis- 
covery of  which  I  had  the  clue,  I  was  thus 
forcibly  removed  from  Palermo.  How  did 
I  now  execrate  my  own  rash  impatience  in 
having,  alone  and  unarmed,  attempted  to 
trace  her,  by  which  I  had  placed  myself  in 
the  power  of  the  wretch  who  commanded 
this  vessel,  and  thus  lost  tlie  chance  of 
rescuing  her  from  his  clutches.  Had  I 
been  furnished  with  a  judicial  authority  to 
search  for  her,  and  a  sufficient  force  to  carry 
it  into  effect,  she  might  now  have  been  in 
safety  under  the  protection  of  Mr.  Eivers 
and  myself,  while,  by  my  rashness,  the 
chance  of  delivering  her  was  more  remote 
than  before.     My  life  had  never  previously 


214  MEREDITH. 

appeared  to  me  so  valuable  as  now,  when 
reflecting  that  it  was  necessary  to  her 
safety.  With  the  knowledge  I  had  so  lately 
attained  of  him  who  had  spirited  her  away, 
and  of  the  place  of  her  confinement,  were  I 
but  free  I  could  soon  rescue  her ;  but  should  a 
violent  death  overtake  me, — and  in  the  hands 
of  the  lawless  men  around  me,  such  an 
event  seemed  by  no  means  improbable, — who 
was  to  follow  up  the  pursuit  with  that  zeal 
and  vigilance  which  love  alone  can  give  ? 

The  boat  having  deposited  its  sea-stock 
on  board,  pushed  off  again  to  shore  in  order 
to  convey  il  Capitano  to  his  vessel.  I  heard 
the  busy  note  of  preparation  going  on  at 
every  side,  and  felt  my  breast  filled  with 
rage  at  the  anticipation  of  being  soon  car- 
ried far  away  from  Palermo,  which  I  was 
now  convinced  held  all  that  was  dearest  to 
me  on  earth.  The  consciousness  of  my  own 
utter  helplessness  in  the  position  in  which  I 


MEREDITH.  215 

was  placed,  nearly  maddened  me;  and  so 
wholly  engrossed  my  thoughts,  that  I  was 
only  aroused  from  my  reverie  by  finding  the 
odious  animals  which  had  tormented  me 
during  the  previous  night  again  returning 
to  the  attack. 


•216  MEREDITH. 


CIIAPTEPt  XV. 


There  is  something  humiliating  in  having 
the  sense  of  our  corporal  infirmities  forced 
on  our  attention,  while  our  minds  are  occu- 
pied by  one  absorbing  thought.  I  expe- 
rienced this,  and  felt  more  than  half 
ashamed  at  the  consciousness  that  while  my 
heart  owned  the  most  intense  passion  for  an 
object  so  every  way  worthy  to  excite  it,  I 
could  even  for  a  moment  forget  her,  in  the 
sensations  of  horror  and  disgust  excited  by 
those  odious  animals,  the  rats.  I  used  my 
utmost  efforts  to  repel  their  contact,  and 
heard  many  a  squeak  as  I  kicked  at  them. 


MEREDITH.  217 

The  Capitano  now  arrived,  and  ere  lie 
left  the  boat,  londly  demanded  whether 
Geronimo  had  returned?  Being  assured 
that  he  had  not  — "  Then  he  has  fled, 
and  with  no  good  intention,"  observed  he. 
"  He  is  a  traitor,  I  am  sure,  and  has  gone 
to  betray  us.  Let  us  immediately  set  sail, 
and  so  foil  the  villain's  plans." 

The  boat  was  instantly  hoisted  and 
secured,  the  anchor  weighed,  the  sails  un- 
furled, and  I  felt  the  vessel  heave  and 
stagger,  as,  impelled  by  the  wind,  which  had 
now  greatly  increased,  she  reeled  along,  the 
spray  already  dashing  against  her  sides 
with  a  loud  sound,  and  falling  in  showers 
over  her  bulwarks. 

*M¥e  are  going  to  have  a  heavy  gale, 
Capitano,"  said  one  of  the  sailors. 

*'  And  what  if  we  are?"  replied  the  cap- 
tain. "  Would  you  have  us  remain  tossing 
in  the  bay  all  night,  you  stupid  brute? 
And  do  you  not  know  that  the  vessel  is 

VOL.  II.  L 


218  MEREDITH. 

much  safer  away  from  the  land,  and  with 
plenty  of  sea  room?  But  all  you  Italians 
are  cowards,  and  if  you  had  your  own  way 
would  never  go  out  of  sight  of  land." 

I  heard  the  sailor  mutter  a  curse  between 
his  teeth,  while  the  captain,  who  had  taken 
the  helm,  issued  his  orders  with  a  sternness, 
mingling  them  with  oaths,  that  proved  he 
did  not  seek  to  conciliate  the  good  will  of 
his  myrmidons.  The  vessel  had  cleared  the 
port ;  the  wind  getting  every  moment 
stronger,  and  the  waves  lashed  into  fury  by 
it,  when  a  ship  was  seen  following  in  our 
wake,  eveiy  sail  crowded ;  and  she  gained  on 
us  so  fast,  that  the  captain  cried  out  that 
he  believed  we  were  pursued. 

"  Put  on  every  rag  of  canvas  we  have," 
exclaimed  he;  "  for  I  would  rather  sink  the 
vessel  than  allow  her  to  be  boarded." 

"  Steady  the  helm,"  cried  the  second  in 
command,  "  and  mind  her  head." 

"  How  many  knots  are  we  making  ?" 


MEREDITH.  219 

"  Nine,  or  thereabouts." 

"  Then,  by  Jove,  we  shall  be  caught !" 
and  curses  loud  and  deep  followed  this 
speech. 

The  wind  was  now  blowing  a  perfect 
hurricane,  and  the  waves  dashed  over  the 
weather  side  of  the  vessel,  and  penetrated 
into  the  cabin  and  hold. 

"  Eeef  the  mainsail,"  screamed  il  Capi- 
tano ;  and  scarcely  had  the  order  been  com- 
plied with,  when  "Haul  in  the  mainsail" 
followed.  The  vessel  was  driven  before  the 
wind,  at  one  moment  mounting  the  mighty 
waves  that  threatened  to  overwhelm  her, 
and  the  next  sinking,  as  if  stunned  and 
powerless,  into  the  deep  trough  of  waters, 
whence  it  appeared  impossible  she  should 
ever  rise  again.  Every  plank  creaked  as  if 
in  agony,  while  the  sounds  of  the  fitful 
gusts  of  wind  that  flapped  and  rent  the 
sails,  mingled  with  the  roaring  of  the  white 
crested  waves  that  struck  the  vessel  until  it 
L  2 


220  MEREDITH, 

reeled,  and  staggered  like  a  helpless  thing 
tormented  by  demons.  The  sounds  of  a 
voice  issuing  from  a  speaking-trumpet  were 
now  heard,  as  the  pursuing  vessel  ap- 
proached nearer  to  us;  but  the  wind  and 
waves  drowned  the  words.  My  heart  beat 
rapidly,  for  the  notion  that  the  ship,  the 
appearance  of  which  so  much  discomposed 
il  Capitano,  might  bring  freedom  to  me, 
darted  through  my  brain.  But  quickly  did 
the  sense  of  my  danger  chase  all  hope. 
Shut  up  as  I  was,  without  the  power  of 
rushing  on  deck,  the  vessel  might  be  sunk  if 
borne  down  on  by  the  pursuing  one,  without 
a  chance  being  afforded  me  of  making  a 
struggle  to  escape.  The  rats,  with  the  pre- 
science of  danger  often  attributed  to  them, 
now  became  more  bold  than  ever,  and  ran 
towards  every  corner  to  seek  an  egress  from 
the  cabin ;  their  squeaks  rising  in  propor- 
tion to  the  increased  external  noise.  Mad- 
dened by  the  contact   of  these  loathsome 


MEREDITH,  221 

animals,  "which  not  even  a  sense  of  the 
danger  of  my  position  could  make  me  for- 
get, I  rushed  towards  the  door,  and  dashed 
myself  furiously  against  it,  in  the  hope  of 
bursting  it  open,  when  the  vessel  lurched 
violently,  and  that  which  my  weight  failed 
to  effect,  was  noAv  achieved  by  the  shock 
the  ship  had  experienced.  The  door  flew 
open,  and  I  fell  headlong  on  the  companion, 
the  rats  rushing  over  my  body  ia  their 
eagerness  to  get  on  deck.  When  I  ascended, 
all  was  confusion,  and  il  Capitano  and  his 
crew  were  so  occupied  at  their  different 
posts,  that  my  presence  was  unnoticed.  I 
saw  the  pursuing  ship  gaining  rapidly  on 
us,  and  expected  that  in  a  very  short  time 
she  would  be  alongside  our  vessel,  in  which 
case  I  determined  to  jump  overboard,  and 
trust  to  Providence  for  my  preservation. 

*'  Go  below  instantly,"  said  il  Capitano 
to  a  sailor,  whose  ferocious  countenance  I 
had  formerly  marked,  ^'  and  bring  the  pri- 


222  MEREDITH. 

soner  on  deck.  Fly !  there  is  not  a 
•moment  to  be  lost.  He  must  be  thrown 
overboard  before  yonder  ship  is  close  enough 
to  save  him,  for  should  he  be  found  in  our 
vessel,  the  worst  consequences  will  ensue." 
I  cast  one  rapid  glance  towards  the  fast  ap- 
proaching ship,  and  mentally  recommending 
myself  to  the  protection  of  Heaven,  jumped 
overboard,  before  the  sailor  sent  to  execute 
his  brutal  captain's  orders  had  time  to  seize 
me.  I  felt  the  white  and  hissing  foam 
open  as  a  grave  to  me,  penetrated  the  dark 
green  abyss  beneath  it,  and  in  an  instant,  as 
if  impelled  by  some  irresistible  force,  I  was 
raised  and  flung  forward  by  a  mighty  wave, 
and  again  sank,  as  I  thought,  to  rise  no 
more.  An  eternity  of  thought  was  crowded 
into  this  brief  span.  The  past  and  the 
present  flashed  through  my  brain  with  the 
velocity  of  lightning,  and  the  love  of  life, 
inherent  in  every  heart,  led  me  to  make  a 
desperate  effort  for  the  preservation  of  mine. 


MEREDITH.  223 

To  swim  amid  such  waves  I  felt  would  be 
impossible ;  but  when  I  once  more  rose  to 
the  surface  of  the  sea,  I  endeavoured  to 
float,  and  was  borne  on  the  waves,  now 
mounting  and  then  descending  as  they 
rushed  rapidly  on,  but  no  more  sinking 
beneath  them.  I  heard  two  pistol  shots 
following  quickly  on  each  other,  fired  from 
the  vessel  I  had  left,  but  neither  of  them 
touched  me,  though  it  was  clear  from  the 
nearness  that  I  was  the  object  aimed  at. 
The  waves  fortunately  bore  me  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  pursuing  ship,  close  to  which 
I  was  now  approaching,  when  the  dread  of 
being  carried  beneath  it  by  the  impetuosity 
of  the  current,  led  me  to  cry  out  as  loudly 
as  I  could  for  succour.  In  a  moment  a  rope 
was  thrown  out  to  me  from  the  deck,  which 
after  a  few  efibrts  I  seized,  and  clinging 
to  it  with  all  my  strength,  was  drawn  to 
the  side  of  the  vessel,  two  or  three  men 
having  been  let  down  in  the  mean  time,  and 


224  MEREDITH. 

secured  to  the  ship's  side,  in  order  to  assist 
me,  exhausted  as  I  now  was,  to  enter  the 
ship.  I  lost  all  consciousness  in  the  arms 
of  my  deliverers,  and  for  many  hours  re- 
mained nearly  in  a  death-like  state. 

When  I  again  became  sensible,  I  learned 
that  the  vessel  I  had  escaped  from  had  gone 
to  pieces  two  hours  after  I  had  left  it,  owing 
to  having  ran  against  another  ship,  and 
that  not  a  soul  on  board  had  been  saved. 
The  sailor,  who,  irritated  by  the  brutality 
of  il  Capitano,  had  ran  away  at  Palermo, 
had  given  information  to  the  civil  authority 
at  that  place,  that  an  Englishman  had  been 
kidnapped,  and  carried  off  ;  and  Mr.  Eivers, 
assisted  by  Mr.  Medlicut,  had  instituted  a 
search  for  me  in  all  directions,  and  offered 
a  large  reward  for  my  rescue,  which  induced 
the  worthy  magistrates  and  police  of  Palermo 
to  make  more  than  usual  efforts  to  accom- 
plish this  point.  An  armed  vessel,  on 
board   of   which  was  the  man  who   had 


MEREDITH.  225 

betrayed  il  Capitano,  had  been  despatched  to 
giv^  chase  to  that  in  which  I  was  a  captive; 
and  would,  on  coming  near  it,  have  instantly 
fired  on  and  brought  it  to,  had  the  com- 
mander not  feared  to  risk  my  safety.     The 
sailor,  who  knew  the  reckless  brutality  of 
il  Capitano  and  his  crew,  expected  that  I 
should  be  poniarded  and  thrown  overboard, 
whenever  his  late  master  saw  that  escape 
was  impossible ;  so  he  kept  a  close  look  out 
on   the   vessel,    saw   me  jump   overboard, 
beheld  the  Capitano  aim  two  shots  at  me, 
while  I  was  buffeting  with  the  waves,  and 
threw  out  the  rope,  by  the  aid  of  which, 
under    Divine    Providence,    my   life    was 
saved. 

My  first  question  on  recovering  the  use 
of  my  faculties  was  whether  this  man  had 
also  given  information  to  the  magistrate 
relative  to  the  present  abode  of  the  young 
lady  forcibly  carried  off  from  the  neighboiu'- 
hood  of  Pa3stum. 

L  3 


226  ,  MEREDITH. 

"  Signor,  no!"  replied  he,  "there  was  no 
reward  offered  for  her,  so  I  did  not  toucU  on 
the  subject." 

I  turned  from  this  mercenary  brute  with 
disgust,  and  he  noticing  my  emotion  said, 
"  NoAv  that  the  Signor  is  free,  and  will  be 
at  Palermo  so  soon,  he  knows  where  to  find 
the  Signorina  without  any  assistance  from 
me,  but  I  hope  he  will  think  me  entitled  to 
some  additional  reward  for  having  saved 
his  life." 

"  Eeveal  to  me  what  you  think  was  the 
motive  that  led  il  Capitano  to  take  off  the 
young  lady,"  asked  I.  "Be  frank,  and 
above  all  things,  speak  the  truth!" 

"  Si  Signor ^  si^  sono  Romano^  and  1 
always  speak  the  truth,  except  when  it  is 
my  interest  not  so  to  do.  I  believe  il 
Capitano  was  employed  by  the  elderly 
Signora  to  get  possession  of  the  young 
Signorina,  whom  she  wished  to  keep  hi  her 
custody.     He^  I  verily  believe,  w^ould  have 


MEREDITH.  227 

preferred  getting  rid  of  the  Signorina  by 
foul  play,  for  somehow  or  other  he  seemed 
to  dislike  her  greatly,  had  he  not  been  in 
dread  of  the  elderly  Signora,  who  supplied 
him  with  money,  and  who  attached  great 
importance  to  having  the  Signorina  in  her 
power.  We  had  been  cruising  about  a  few 
days  in  the  Bay  of  Naples,  where  il  Capitano 
left  us  for  a  time;  and  when  he  returned, 
he  was  disguised  in  a  whimsical  manner, 
and  we  sailed  for  Salerno,  in  the  bay  of 
which  we  anchored,  —  keeping  always  a 
scout  or  two  on  shore,  who  had  emissaries, 
to  bring  information  from  the  neighbouring 
towns  and  villages.  When  the  elderly 
Signora  had  been  two  or  three  days  at 
Salerno,  one  evening  our  scout  learned 
that  the  person  il  Capitano  was  in  search 
of  had  arrived  there,  and  was  to  go  on  to 
Passtum  next  day.  It  was  instantly 
arranged  that  the  Signora  should  proceed 
to   that   place,  and  our  vessel  sail  there ; 


228  MEKEDITH. 

anchor  as  near  shore  as  was  safe,  and  send 
a  boat  to  lie  under  the  rocks  until  il 
Capitano  joined  it.  The  rest,  you  know — 
your  presence  and  that  of  the  elderly  Signora, 
and  servants  with  you,  embarrassed  il 
Capitano  very  much;  and  I  heard  him 
swear  that  if  an  opportunity  offered,  he 
would  get  rid  for  ever  of  meddling  fools, 
who  crossed  his  schemes,  and  rendered  their 
execution  so  difficult. 

"You  have  doubtlessly  learned  that  sopo- 
rific drugs  Avere  administered  to  your 
servants,  and  to  the  postillions  in  the  house 
at  Psestum,  by  il  Capitano,  who  mixed  them 
in  their  wine,  with  the  connivance  of  the 
owner  of  that  wretched  abode,  who  also 
concealed  him  under  the  straw  when  you 
searched  for  him.  The  rest  you  already 
know — the  ladies  were  taken  on  board  the 
Vessel  you  lately  escaped  from,  the  young 
Signorina,  weeping  and  lamenting  her  fate 
nearly  all  the  voyage,  in  spite  of  the  con- 


MEREDITH.  229 

solation  offered  by  tlie  Signora,  who  endea- 
voured to  reconcile  lier  to  her  lot,  and  who 
lavished  many  marks  of  affection  on  her. 

^' We  had  a  very  severe  gale  on  our  voyage, 
but  weathered  it  well,  and  reached  Palermo 
safely,  whence  the  Signorina  was  conveyed 
to  the  house  near  the  sea  shore,  wandering 
around  which  you  were  detected,  and  on 
your  retreat  were  encountered,  and  taken 
prisoner,  by  il  Capitano.  I  vowed  that  I 
would  have  my  revenge  on  him;  and  I 
have  kept  my  oath.  Sono  Romano^  Signor, 
and  Eomans  always  keep  their  promises. 
When  the  ship  Avent  to  pieces,  he  boldly 
stemmed  the  waves,  and  made  for  this 
vessel.  Some  of  the  crew  saw  him,  one 
moment  borne  on  the  crest  of  a  high  wave, 
and  the  next  disappearing  as  it  descended. 
They  were  for  throwing  out  a  rope  to  him, 
as  in  your  case,  and  did,  in  spite  of  my 
advice  to  the  contrary.  He  grasped  it  as 
only  drowning  men   do   any   object    that 


230  MEREDITH. 

offers  a  chance  of  safety,  and  was  drawn 
close  to  tlie  vessel's  side.  I  stood  there,  our 
eyes  met,  though  the  waves  between  whiles 
beat  over  his  face — he  touched  the  ladder, 
and  in  another  moment  would  have  been 
saved,  when  I,  remembering  his  brutality 
and  insults  to  me — a  Eoman,  struck  him  a 
violent  blow  on  the  head,  with  an  oar  I  held 
in  my  liand,  which  caused  him  instantly  to 
let  go  his  grasp  of  the  rope.  He  sank,  but 
rose  again,  for  a  second;  and  in  that  brief 
interval  gave  me  a  glance,  in  which  hate, 
bitter,  burning  hate,  and  despair,  were 
depicted,  then  disappeared  to  rise  no  more ! 
I  shall  remember  that  look  to  my  dying 
hour.  It  froze  my  blood,  and  made  me 
wish  I  had  not  struck  the  blow  that  caused 
his  death:  but  so7io  Romano,  he  had 
wronged  and  insulted  me,  and  my  heart 
panted  for  vengeance.  I  have  had  it,  but 
it  is  less  sweet  than  I  had  imagined  it  to 
be,  for  somehow  or  other,  that  last  glance 


MEREDITH.  231 

of  his  is  continually  recurring  to  my  mind, 
and  I  cannot  look  at  the  sea  without  ex- 
pecting to  see  his  ghastly  face,  and  rolling 
eyeballs,  in  the  last  agony  of  despair  and 
death,  scowling  at  me." 


232  MEREDITH. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


And  now  I  once  more  stood  on  the  shore 
of  Palermo !  0  !  the  joy  of  that  moment ; 
my  heat  beating  high  at  the  prospect  of  soon 
beholding  the  lovely  Selina,  and  of  restoring 
her  again  to  the  worthy  Madame  de  Stoiir- 
ville.  Mr.  Elvers,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Medlicut,  met  me  before  I  had  walked 
many  paces,  and  never  had  I  previously 
seen  him  so  much  moved,  as  he  again  and 
again  clasped  me  in  his  arms,  and  anxiously 
examined  my  countenance. 

"  You  look  fatigued,  and  must  feel  so. 


MEREDITH.  233 

my  clear  friend,"  said  Mr.  Elvers.  "  Let 
us  go  to  the  inn,  that  you  may  seek  the 
repose  of  which  you  seem  to  stand  so  much 
in  need." 

In  a  few  words  I  told  Mr.  Elvers,  that 
having  now  discovered  where  Miss  Somers 
was  concealed,  I  could  have  no  repose  until 
I  had  released  her  from  her  prison.  At- 
tended by  Mr.  Medlicut,  we  instantly  walked 
off  to  the  house  near  the  sea-shore ;  and  as 
we  approached  it,  my  heart  throbbing  with 
emotion,   Mr.    Medlicut   observed,  "Why, 

there's  the  house  of  Mrs ,  what  is  her 

name?  It  is  really  too  bad  of  me  always  to 
be  forgetting  names!  Mrs. — ;  Mrs. — ;  no 
I  can't  remember;  but  I  mean  the  myste- 
rious English  lady,  who  has  excited  so 
much  curiosity  at  Palermo ! " 

We  knocked  several  times  at  the  door 
before  it  was  opened;  but  at  length  a 
woman  appeared,  and  informed  us  that  la 
Signora  and  Signorina  had  left  the  house 


234  MEREDITH. 

two  days  before,  and  she  knew  not  where 
they  were  gone,  nor  if  they  meant  to 
return.  I  refused  to  believe  a  statement 
that  filled  me  with  alarm  and  anger,  and 
chilled  in  an  instant  the  hopes  that  a  few 
minutes  before  were  glowing  so  warmly  in 
my  heart.  She,  however,  offered  to  let  us 
see  the  house  at  once;  and  so  convince 
ourselves  that  her  statement  was  correct. 
I  hurried  through  all  the  rooms,  until  I 
reached  that  which  bore  indications  of  hav- 
ing been  inhabited  by  the  fair  Selina.  The 
windows  of  this  chamber  had  iron  bars, 
and  the  door  strong  bolts  on  the  exterior. 
A  few  Italian  books  were  scattered  on  the 
table,  and  some  pencil  sketches  lay  near 
them.  I  looked  on  the  drawings,  and  all 
doubt  of  their  being  Selina's  vanished,  when 
I  saw  that  each  of  them  represented  the 
scenes  which  we  had  visited  together.  Some 
views  of  la  Cava,  a  spirited  sketch  of 
Salerno,  and   another   of  the  Temples  at 


MEREDITH.  235 

Psestum,  struck  me  at  once,  by  their  perfect 
verisimilitude ;  but  when,  on  examining 
them  more  closely,  I  saw  a  male  figure, 
evidently  meant  for  myself,  introduced  in 
each  of  the  drawings,  how  did  my  heart 
beat! 

The  woman,  in  answer  to  our  inquiries, 
informed  us  that  la  Signora  and  her 
daughter  had  set  off  so  unexpectedly,  that 
they  had  hardly  had  time  to  pack  up  some 
clothes  for  the  journey.  An  hour  before 
il  Capitano  had  got  into  his  boat  to  go  on 
board  his  ship,  he  had  been  busy  destroying 
papers.  ^'  La  Madre  could  not  console  la 
Signorina,"  added  the  woman,  "  for  she 
was  never  seen  to  smile  since  she  had  been 
brought  from  Italy.  It  was  hard  to  be 
kept  a  prisoner  as  la  Signorina  was;  but 
la  Madre  spent  most  of  the  day  with,  and 
appeared  fond  of  her." 

"Did  il  Capitano  see  la  Signorina?" 
inquired  Mr.  Medlicut — a  question  I  longed, 


236  MEREDITH. 

but  had  not  courage  to  ask,  so  unwilling 
was  I  that  those  present  should  notice  my 
emotion. 

"No,  Signor!  he  never  approached  the 
chamber  of  la  Signorina,  nor  partook  of 
the  repasts  prepared  for  her  and  la  Madre. 
He  lived  in  an  apartment  in  a  remote  part 
of  the  house,  and  was  separately  served 
with  all  that  he  required." 

This  piece  of  intelligence  removed  a 
weight  from  my  mind ;  for  it  was  a  great 
consolation  to  know  that  she  had  not  been 
subjected  to  the  annoyance  of  an  association 
with  the  odious  Capitano.  Who  could  this 
mysterious  woman,  who  called  herself  the 
mother  of  Selina,  be?  That  lovely  girl 
had  herself  told  me  that  she  had  never 
known  a  mother's  care;  and  now,  in  a 
foreign  land,  a  total  stranger  starts  up, 
gains  possession  of  her  person  by  unfair 
means,  and  keeps  her  a  prisoner  !     All  this 


MEREDITH.  237 

was  so  strange  and  incomprehensible,  that 
the  more  I  reflected  on  it,  the  less  conld  I 
develope  the  mystery. 

'^  You  will  now,  I  hope,  return  with  me 
to  our  hotel,"  said  Mr.  Elvers,  disturbing 
the  reverie  into  which  I  had  fallen ;  "  for 
you  have  need  of  rest  and  refreshment." 

^'  You  would  much  oblige  us,  Mr.  Med- 
licut,"  said  Mr.  Eivers,  ''  by  gaining  all 
the  information  possible  relative  to  the 
English  lady  who  lately  inhabited  this  house. 
Her  name,  connexions,  in  short,  all  that  is 
known  of  her,  for  we  are  much  interested 
in  the  subject." 

''  Her  name — nothing  is  more  simple  ! 
I  have  it  at  my  fingers'  ends — have  heard 
it  often — have  seen  it  in  her  letter  of  credit. 
Her  name  is  Mrs — ;  Mrs. — ;  how  stupid  of 
me  to  forget  it !  Never  was  there  such  a 
bad  memory  for  names  as  mine  is.  Let 
me  see,  it  begins  with  an  L.     Yes;  I  am 


238  MEREDITH. 

sure  L  is  the  first  letter!  Lester,  is  it? 
No;  Lindsell.  Yes — yes — now  I  have  it; 
her  name  is  Lindsell !" 

Mr.  Eivers  instantly  made  a  note  of  it 
in  his  pocket-book. 

^'  Did  you  know  the  man  who  commanded 
the  vessel  in  which  Mr.  Meredith  was  a 
prisoner ;  and  who,  it  appears,  acted  as  the 
agent  of  Mrs.  Lindsell?"  inquired  Mr. 
Eivers. 

"  I  have  seen  him  occasionally  in  the 
streets;  but  had  no  personal  acquaintance 
with  him.  His  name,  too,  I  have  heard. 
I  think  it  was  Moranville.  Yes;  it  was 
Moranville.  He  was  not  an  Englishman, 
although  he  spoke  English  very  well.  It 
was  said  he  came  from  Cuba;  yes,  Cuba 
was  the  place.  I  remember  it,  because 
some  one  told  me  that  he  had  some  famous 
cigars  that  he  brought  with  him  from  the 
Havannah,  and  that  he  spoke  often  of 
Cuba." 


MEREDITH.  239 

Mr.  Elvers  made  another  note. 

"  As  that  man  has  been  drowned,  it  will, 
I  think,  be  requisite  to  have  his  property 
and  papers  secured,"  said  Mr.  Elvers.  "  The 
latter  may  throw  some  light  on  the  recent 
illegal  transactions  in  which  he  has  taken 
so  active  a  part.  This  investigation  must 
be  executed  by,  or  in  the  presence  of,  a  ma- 
gistrate ;  and  you  will  much  oblige  me,  Mr. 
Medlicut,  by  having  it  done." 

The  woman  in  the  house  being  questioned, 
pointed  out  the  apartment  of  il  Capitano ;  but 
declared  that  he  always  took  the  key  with 
him  wherever  he  went.  So  anxious  was  I  to 
obtain  some  information  that  might  furnish 
a  clue  to  the  motives  that  led  to  his  myste- 
rious conduct  with  regard  to  Selina,  and 
disclose  the  cause  of  the  part  taken  in  it 
by  Mrs.  Lindsell,  that  I  induced  Mr.  Elvers 
to  remain  in  the  house  until  the  civil  au- 
thority sent  a  proper  person  to  have  the 
room  of  the  late  Capitano  forced  open. 


240  MEREDITH. 

Mr.  Mecllicut  obligingly  went  himself  to 
the  magistrate,  and  in  a  short  time,  two 
persons  authorized  by  him  arrived,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  a  locksmith,  opened 
the  door.  To  our  great  disappointment, 
however,  not  a  single  document  was  found. 
The  hearth  was  covered  with  fragments  of 
burnt  papers,  not  one  of  which  contained 
a  legible  word;  in  the  drawer  of  a  desk 
three  or  four  pair  of  false  whiskers,  musta- 
chios,  and  wigs  of  various  colours,  were 
found,  which  had  evidently  been  intended 
as  disguises.  Some  boots  and  shoes  were 
also  discovered,  with  one  heel  of  each  pair 
much  higher  than  the  other;  a  disparity 
evidently  meant  either  to  conceal  a  lameness, 
or  to  give  the  effect  of  being  lame.  The 
stratagem  reminded  me  of  Selina's  descrip- 
tion of  the  peculiarity  of  the  walk  of  the 
man  who  had  carried  her  off  from  la  Cava ; 
but  who  could  never  more  molest  her.  He 
was  called  away  to  his  last  account,  with 


MEREDITH.  241 

no  time  to  repent  or  atone  for  his  sins; 
and  though  the  suddenness  and  manner  of 
his  death  shocked  me,  it  nevertheless  was 
a  consolation,  that  henceforth  the  object 
dearest  to  me  on  earth  was  freed  from  his 
desperate  snares  and  reckless  schemes  against 
her  liberty. 

I  possessed  myself  of  the  drawings  of 
Selina,  unseen  by  any  one,  placed  them  in 
my  breast,  and  then  left  the  house,  deter- 
mined to  have  persons  dispatched  in  every 
direction  in  search  of  Mrs.  Lindsell  and 
the  treasure  of  which  she  had  so  unfairly 
possessed  herself. 

Mr.  Medlicut  lent  us  every  assistance 
wHh  the  magistrates,  by  whom  it  was  evi- 
.;.  .  ..  much  esteemed.  Of  course  he 
made  strange  blunders  about  the  names  of 
those  connected  with  the  affair  in  question ; 
either  totally  forgetting,  or  wholly  chang- 
ing them,  much  to  the  amusement  of  all 
presp^.t  ill  the  office  of  the  magistrate,  to 

VOL.  II.  M 


242  MEREDITH. 

whom  his  defective  memory  seemed  to  be 
well  known.  Nevertheless,  he  so  far  suc- 
ceeded in  carrying  our  wishes  into  effect, 
that  before  night  several  men  were  sent  off 
in  different  quarters  to  search  for  Mrs. 
Lindsell;  and  hopes  were  held  out  to  us 
that  in  a  few  days  we  might  calculate  on 
receiving  intelligence  of  the  success  of  their 
exertions,  if  that  lady  was  still  in  Sicily. 

Mr.  Elvers  and  I  had  so  many  questions 
to  ask  each  other,  that  we  were  glad  to  find 
ourselves  again  Ute-d-tete,  I  could  have 
embraced  him,  as  he  declared  that  he  con- 
sidered it  a  duty  positively  incumbent  on 
us,,  to  leave  no  means  untried,  to  discover 
the  place  of  Miss  Somers's  concealment,  and 
to  restore  her  once  more  to  the  |.xuuv.o.wi. 
of  Madame  de  Stourville;  whose  helpless- 
ness and  want  of  knowledge  of  the  world, 
however  much  to  be  deplored  as  incapaci- 
tating her  for  the  task  she  had  under- 
taken, were  in  some  degree  compensated  by 


MEREDITH.  243 

her  excellent  principles,  and  extreme  at- 
tachment to  her  eleve.  The  justly  merited 
commendations  he  bestowed  on  the  lovely 
Selina,  found  a  ready  echo  in  my  breast; 
and  I  was  never  more  convinced  of  the 
excellence  of  his  judgment,  and  refinement 
of  bis  taste,  than  when  he  had  uttered 
them. 

When  I  found  myself  that  night  in  a 
clean  and  airy  chamber,  and  reposing  on  a 
comfortable  bed,  I  could  not  forbear  con- 
gratulating myself  on  the  contrast  both 
afforded  to  my  wretched  prison  and  berth 
on  board  the  vessel  of  il  Capitano.  Yet 
this  very  same  chamber  and  bed  had  only  a 
few  nights  previously  struck  me  as  being  far 
inferior  to  the  accommodation  that  might 
be  expected  in  so  large  a  city  as  Palermo, 
and  at  all  events  much  inferior  to  the  apart- 
ment I  occupied  at  Naples.  How  pleasant 
it  was  to  feel  assured  that  my  slumbers 
would  not  be  broken  by  the  odious  and  dis- 
M  2 


244  MEREDITH. 

gusting  animals  that  had  assailed  me  in  my 
prison ;  and  that  the  next  morning  I  should 
awake  to  liberty  and  sunshine,  free  to  re- 
new my  search  for  her  whose  lovely  image 
was  the  last  that  floated  in  my  mind,  as  my 
eyes  closed  in  sleep,  and  mingled  in  my 
dreams  when  I  had  sunk  into  the  repose 
which  my  fatigue,  and  previous  nights  of 
watching,  had  rendered  so  requisite  to  re- 
cruit my  nearly  exhausted  frame. 


MEREDITIL  245 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


When  I  awoke  next  morning,  my  servant 
informed  me  that  a  rude  and  ill-looking 
man,  in  a  sailor's  dress,  desired  to  see  me. 
"If  I  might  be  so  bold,  sir,"  cried  he;  "I 
would  take  the  liberty  of  advising  you  not 
to  see  this  man ;  he  seems  to  be  a  desperate 
fellow;  and  when  I  told  him  you  were 
asleep  and  could  not  be  disturbed,  he  got 
into  a  passion,  said  he  must,  and  would  see 
you,  that  he  was  a  Roman,  and  would  not 
be  trifled  with.  He  di'ew  himself  up,  sir, 
when  he  said  he  was  a  Roman,  just  for  all 


246  MEREDITH. 

the  world  as  if  lie  said  he  was  a  king; 
which — only  I  did  not  like  to  provoke  him, 
he  looked  so  fierce — would  have  made  me 
laugh,  for  I  remembered  the  half-naked  set 
of  fellows  I  used  to  see  when  we  were  at 
Kome,  and  thought  that  surely  there  was 
nothing  to  be  proud  of  in  being  a  Roman." 

"  Send  up  this  man  directly,"  said  I. 

"  Had  I  not  better  call  Mr.  E-ivers's  ser- 
vant, sir,  and  have  him  to  stay  outside  the 
door  with  me  while  this  ill-looking  sailor  is 
in  your  room?" 

"  No,  there  is  no  occasion ;  send  up  the 
man  immediately." 

My  orders  were  obeyed,  but  the  alarm 
visible  in  my  servant's  face,  when  he  left 
my  chamber,  proved  either  a  strong  attach- 
ment to  my  person,  or  a  great  dread  of  com- 
promising the  safety  of  his  own. 

"  I  am  here,  Signer,  to  offer  my  services 
to  you,"  said  the  sailor.  "  I  have  heard 
that  a  reward  has  been  ofiered  to  any  one 


MEREDITH.  247 

who  will  discover  the  abode  of  la  Signorina, 
whom  I  assisted  il  Capitano  in  capturing 
near  Psestum,  and  I  am  willing  to  earn  it. 
Sono  Romano^  signer,  and  if  I  say  I  will 
discover  her  place  of  concealment,  you  may 
trust  me  I  will  do  it.  Am  I,  for  this  said 
reward,  expected  to  do  aught  more  than 
discover  where  she  is?  I  am  thus  particu- 
lar, for  if  it  be  required  that  I  should  bring 
the  Signorina  to  you,  be  assured  that,  dead 
or  alive,  she  shall  be  brought.  Sono  Ro- 
mano, signer;  and  a  Roman  never  breaks 
an  engagement." 

I  shuddered  as  I  heard  these  last  words, 
and  the  ferocious  and  determined  look  of 
this  hardened  man  rendered  their  sense  still 
more  alarming.  "  Should  any  injury  befall 
the  young  lady,  you  will  forfeit  the  reward," 
answered  I. 

"  But  if  the  elderly  Signora,  who  lacks 
not  money  or  servitors,  should  make  a 
vigorous  resistance  to  my  efforts  to  rescue 


2l8  MEREDITH. 

la  Signoriua  from  their  hands,  woiikl  you 
prefer  my  leaving  her  to  them,  and  incur- 
ring the  disgrace  of  a  defeat,  to  risking  her 
life,  and  in  all  probability  losing  it  ?  So7io 
Romano^  Signor,  and  defeat  to  me  would  be 
terrible." 

^'  You  are  to  employ  some  men  on  whom 
you  can  depend,  in  searching  on  every  side 
to  discover  where  the  Signorina  is  kept  con- 
fined; when  you  have  eifected  this  object, 
guard  the  house  so  that  she  cannot  be  re- 
moved from  it ;  and  despatch  a  person  to 
me  forthwith,  and  I  will  come  with  a  re- 
gular and  legal  force  to  deliver  her." 

"It  is  well,  Signor,  you  shall  be  faith- 
fully obeyed,  and  I  hope  soon  to  send  you 
good  tidings ;"  and  away  he  strode,  with  the 
air  of  a  man  determined  to  accomplish 
what  he  had  undertaken. 

Mr.  Eivers  and  I  having  determined  on 
remaining  at  Palermo  until  the  place  of 
concealment  of  Miss  Somers  was  discovered, 


MEREDITH.  249 

Mr.  Mecllicut  proposed  our  employing  an 
acquaintance  of  his  as  a  cicerone;  and 
though  I  would  have  preferred  being  left  to 
the  indulgence  of  my  own  reflections,  in- 
stead of  going  a  round  of  sight-seeing,  when 
my  thoughts  were  wholly  occupied  by  one 
object,  I  consented  to  the  proposition  in 
order  to  amuse  Mr.  Rivers.  We  com- 
menced with  the  cathedral,  erected  by  an 
Englishman,  Archbishop  Walter;  it  was  in- 
vested with  greater  interest  to  us  on  that 
account.  The  beautiful  tracery  exhibited 
on  the  exterior,  and  the  gates  with  their 
archivolt  mouldings  and  sculptured  span- 
drels pleased  us,  but  the  general  effect  of 
the  building  is  much  deteriorated  by  the 
cupolas  that  crown  its  turrets.  We  next 
proceeded  to  the  Eoyal  Palace,  which  con- 
tains some  good  rooms  and  fine  pictures. 
In  the  armory  we  were  shewn  the  sword  of 
the  celebrated  Count  Eoger,  the  dimensions 
M  3 


250  MEREDITH. 

of  wliicli  reminded  one  of  the  lines  descrip- 
tive of  that  of  William  Wallace, — 

"  The  sword  that  seem'd  fit  for  an  archangel  to  wield 
Was  light  in  his  terrible  hand," 

and  proves  the  strength  of  the  Norman's  arm. 
The  small  church  of  St.  Peter,  with  its  sub- 
terranean chapel,  and  exquisite  mosaics, 
offers  some  fine  specimens  of  Saracenic 
splendour ;  but  each  and  all  of  the  objects  I 
beheld,  however  worthy  of  attention,  failed 
to  divert  my  mind  from  the  one  point  which 
wholly  engrossed  it. 

On  the  fourth  day  a  messenger  arrived 
from  the  Roman  who  had  been  dispatched 
to  obtain  intelligence  of  the  lovely  Selina. 
Too  illiterate  to  write,  he  had  employed 
one  of  his  friends  to  convey  to  me  the  tid- 
ings that  he  had  at  length  discovered  the 
retreat  of  la  Signora  and  la  Signorina, 
who  were  concealed  in  a  villa  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Catania,  with  one  female  and 


MEREDITH.  251 

six  male  attendants.  He  pledged  himself 
not  to  leave  the  spot  until  my  arrival,  which 
he  urged  should  be  as  speedy  as  possible, 
and  advised  my  being  accompanied  by  an 
armed  force  to  meet  the  resistance  that 
would  in  all  probability  be  offered  by  the 
servants  of  la  Signora,  who  were  well 
armed,  and  men  of  desperate  characters. 

We  immediately  applied  to  the  magis- 
trate, who  furnished  us  with  a  legal  autho- 
rity to  obtain  possession  of  the  person  of 
Miss  Somers,  and  an  escort  of  police  to  en- 
force it,  and*  having  provided  ourselves  with 
a  lettiga  for  her  accommodation,  we  set  out. 
Though  we  travelled  as  expeditiously  as  we 
could,  it  was  not  until  the  evening  of  the 
second  day  that  we  reached  Catania.  The 
messenger  dispatched  to  Palermo  by  my 
emissary  served  as  a  guide  to  the  villa, 
which  was  seven  or  eight  miles  distant  from 
the  town.  The  route  to  it  was  almost 
impassable  for  any  but  the  horses  of  the 


9n9. 


MEREDITH. 


couiitiy,  and  totally  so  for  carriages,  but 
it  presented  some  views  of  wild  and  pic- 
turesque scenery,  which  under  other  cir- 
cumstances I  should  have  had  pleasure  in 
beholding.  It  wound  sometimes  through 
woods,  interspersed  with  huge  rocks  half 
overgrown  by  moss,  and  at  others  through 
fertile  vineyards ;  the  wild  aloe  and  prickly 
pear-trees,  so  abundant  in  Sicily,  raising 
their  picturesque  heads  high  above  the  trees 
and  plants  that  surrounded  them.  Large 
chasms,  half  hid  by  the  parasitical  plants 
that  spread  over  them,  proclaimed  the  vol- 
canic nature  of  the  soil ;  and  the  huge  rocks 
scattered  at  a  distance,  bore  evidence  that 
their  expulsion  had  left  these  voids  which 
we  remarked  in  the  sultry  earth. 

A  rude  hamlet,  consisting  of  some  half 
dozen  cottages  and  a  wretched  looking 
osteria,  terminated  the  route ;  and  adjoining 
it,  but  separated  by  a  high  wall,  stood  the 
villa  in  the  midst  of  its  own  grounds. 


MEREDITH. 


CHAPTEE  XVIII. 


The  master  of  the  osteria,  as  well  as  the 
other  uncouth  looking  inhabitants  of  the 
hamlet,  betrayed  considerable  symptoms  of 
alarm  at  the  appearance  of  the  police.  They 
shrunk  away  as  if  fearful  for  themselves, 
and  were  only  reassured  when  my  emissary, 
the  Roman,  greeted  our  arrival  by  rushing 
from  the  house,  and  proclaimed  us  to  be 
the  friends  he  had  been  expecting. 

"  They  are  safe,  Signor,"  said  he,  "  in 
yonder  villa.  I  only  promised  to  discover, 
not  to  deliver  them  up.     I  have  watched 


254  MEREDITH. 

them  clay  and  night  lest  they  should  escape ; 
and  whatever  may  be  the  sum  you  think 
proper  to  give  me,  over  and  above  the  sti- 
pulated reward,  and  I  doubt  not  but  that  a 
Signor  Inglese — so  generous  as  all  of  your 
nation  are  said  to  be — Avill  reward  me  well, 
I  may  say  with  truth  that  I  have  merited  it. 
You  know  not,  Signor,  what  I  have  had  to 
undergo.  Living  at  night  concealed  beneath 
the  trees  on  the  damp  ground  until  my 
bones  ached,  and  scorched  by  the  burning 
sun  in  the  days,  my  eyes  fixed  on  the  villa. 
Then  the  wine  in  this  wretched  osteria  is 
abominable,  and  resembles  nothing  but 
vinegar.  Yes,  yes,  Signor,  sono  Romano; 
what  I  engage  to  do,  that  I  do ;  and  no  one 
can  impeach  the  honour  of  Giovamii  Barti- 
luzi." 

We  left  our  horses  at  the  osteria.,  and,  led 
by  Giovanni,  proceeded  to  the  villa.  Having 
knocked  at  the  gate,  the  porter  drew  back 
a  sliding  board,  through  which  he  was  en- 


MEREDITH.  255 

abled  to  reconnoitre  us,  and  demanded  our 
business.  The  police  officer  told  liim  that 
he  must  instantly  give  us  admittance,  or 
take  the  consequence  of  disobeying  the  law, 
at  the  same  time  shewing  him  the  warrant. 
After  reflecting  for  a  short  time,  he  opened 
a  door  by  the  side  of  the  gate,  and  we  en- 
tered what  had  once  been  a  pleasure-ground, 
but  which  was  now  a  wild  mass  of  shrubs 
and  trees  intermingled  with  flowering  plants, 
the  gravel  walk  which  led  through  it  being 
overgrown  with  rank  grass  and  briers.  The 
porter  left  his  lodge,  which  was  close  to  the 
gate,  and  accompanied  us  to  the  house, 
through  a  path  of  tangled  shrubs,  long 
grass,  flowers,  and  weeds.  The  moon  shone 
bright  on  the  vestibule  and  marble  colon- 
nade, which  formed  the  entrance  of  the 
villa,  the  chaste  and  beautiful  architecture 
of  which,  seen  through  the  lofty^stone  pines 
and  cedars,  had  a  beautiful  effect.  A  white 
marble  terrace  extended  along  the  front, 


256  MEREDITH. 

witli  large  sculptured  vases  of  the  same 
costly  material,  placed  at  iutervals  on  pe- 
destals, and  a  fountain  in  the  centre  threw  up 
its  silvery  showers  towards  the  dark  blue  sky, 
gemming  the  odorous  orange  trees  around 
it  with  its  widely-spread  pearls. 

And  this  was  the  dwelling  of  the  lovely 
Selina;  —  meet  temple  for  such  a  divi- 
nity! How  my  heart  throbbed  as  I  as- 
scended  the  steps,  and  anticipated  that  in  a 
few  minutes  I  should  behold  her.  We  rang 
the  bell  repeatedly  before  any  one  appeared 
to  answer  the  summons.  At  length  a  win- 
dow above  the  door  was  opened,  and  a  per- 
son demanded  our  business*  The  police 
officer  displayed  his  warrant,  and  required 
instant  admittance  in  the  name  of  the  law ; 
declaring  that,  if  it  Avas  denied,  he  would  by 
force  obtain  it.  After  some  hesitation,  the 
door  was  opened  by  two  servants,  four  more 
standing  near ;  who,  in  answer  to  our  desire 
to  see  the  Signora,  led  us  through  a  suite  of 


MEREDITH.  257 

rooms,  in  the  most  remote  of  whicli  we  found 
the  lady  seated.  Although  she  endea- 
voured to  maintain  a  calm  and  unconcerned 
demeanour,  it  was  evident  that  she  was 
under  the  influence  of  fear  and  anxiety,  for 
there  was  a  considerable  degree  of  trepi- 
dation in  her  manner.  She  was  tall  and 
slight,  and  her  age  seemed  to  he  about 
forty-five  or  fifty. 

"  How  am  I  to  account  for  this  in- 
trusion?" said  she,  in  Italian,  addressing 
herself  to  the  ofiicer  of  the  police ;  and  had 
I  previously  entertained  any  doubt  of  her 
identity,  her  voice  would  have  convinced 
me  that  the  lady  Avho  had  forced  herself 
on  us  at  Ptestum  was  now  before  me.  The 
thick  veil  and  large  cloak,  worn  by  her  on 
that  occasion,  so  effectually  concealed  her 
features  and  figure,  that  I  might  have  been 
unable  to  recognise  her ;  but  her  voice  re- 
moved all  doubt.  The  ofiicer  having  shewn 
her  his  authority,  she  demanded,  ^vith  an 


258  MEREDITH. 

air  of  proud  and  stern  defiance,  how  long  it 
was  that  the  Sicilian  laws  interfered  between 
a  mother  and  her  child?'' 

"  But  we  deny  that  the  young  lady,  of 
whose  person  you  have  surreptitiously  ob- 
tained possession,  is  your  child,"  replied  the 
ojSicer. 

''  I  can,  however,  prove  that  she  is;  and 
consequently  I  have  a  right  to  retain  her." 

"  That  right  you  must  establish  before 
our  court  of  law  at  Palermo ;  and  my  duty 
is,  to  conduct  you  and  the  young  lady  you 
allegeto.be  your  daughter,  to  that  place." 

"  But  if  I  refuse  to  obey  this  mandate?" 
— and  the  speaker  drew  herself  up  to  her 
utmost  height,  and  looked  disdainfully 
around  her. 

"  Why  then  I  shall  be  under  the  dis- 
agreeable necessity  of  using  force  to  convey 
you  there." 

"  And  will  two  English  gentlemen  see  a 
countrywoman  thus  insulted?"   said   Mrs. 


MEREDITH.  259 

Lindsell,  giving  an  appealing  glance  to  Mr. 
Eivers  and  me. 

"  No  Englishman  can  abet  or  advise  re- 
sistance to  the  law  of  any  country  in  which 
he  may  happen  to  be,"  replied  Mr.  Elvers ; 
**  and  as  we  stand  here  as  the  friends  of  Miss 
Somers,  and  are  authorized  by  the  lady  under 
whose  protection  her  father  placed  her  to 
assist  in  her  restoration  to  her,  we  are  much 
more  disposed  to  forward  the  proceedings 
instituted  to  effect  that  purpose,  than  to  do 
anything  to  retard  them." 

"  I  must  remind  the  Signora  that  we  are 
losing  time,"  said  the  officer  of  police, 
"  and  must  request  her  to  prepare  imme- 
diately to  accompany  us  to  Palermo.  The 
young  lady,  also,  must  appear,  that  these 
gentlemen  may  identify  her  previous  to  our 
setting  out." 

Mrs.  Lindsell  looked  vexed  and  mortified, 
and,  after  a  moment's  pause,  said,  "  You 
surely  will  not  think  of  compelling  ladies  to 


260  MEREDITH. 

travel  at  night.  My  daiigliter  is  indis- 
posed, and  a  journey  on  horseback,  exposed 
to  the  night  air,  might  have  a  very  injurious 
effect  on  her." 

"  Let  the  Signorina  immediately  appear !" 
said  the  officer.  A  command  uttered  in  so 
peremptory  a  manner,  that  Mrs.  Lindsell 
thought  it  most  prudent  to  comply  with  it, 
and  instantly  sent  a  servant  to  summon  the 
young  lady.  How  my  heart  throbbed  when 
the  door  of  the  apartment  again  opened,  and 
Selina,  the  lovely  Selina,  entered !  On  be- 
holding me  she  uttered  a  faint  cry,  and 
with  extended  arms  advanced  to  meet  me ; 
but  recollecting  herself,  she  paused  for  a 
moment,  and,  covered  with  blnshes,  offered 
me  her  hand,  saying,  ''  Oh !  Mr.  Meredith, 
is  it  indeed  you — and  dear  Mr.  Elvers!" 
extending  a  hand  to  him.  A  passionate 
burst  of  tears  impeded  her  utterance.  Never 
had  she  appeared  so  lovely  in  my  eyes  as  at 
that  moment.     Her  beautiful  face  bathed 


I 


MEREDITH.  261 

in  tears,  that  expressed  more  eloquently 
than  words  her  satisfaction  at  seeing  us; 
and  though  not  disposed  to  be  vain,  how 
much  of  the  cause  of  that  satisfaction  did  I 
appropriate  to  my  own  share.  Mr.  Eivers 
continued  to  hold  her  hand  in  his,  as  he 
whispered  assurances  that  her  safety  should 
now  be  secured ;  while  Mrs.  Lindsell  bit  her 
lip,  and  betrayed  various  other  symptoms 
of  impatience  and  displeasure  at  this  appa- 
rent good  understanding  between  Selina  and 
Mr.  Eivers.  "  This,  then,  is  the  young 
lady  of  whom  you  have  been  in  search,  gen- 
tlemen?" inquired  the  officer;  and  on  our  an- 
swering in  the  affirmative,  he  asked  if  we 
could  identify  the  Signora  as  the  lady  who 
had  abetted  in  forcibly  seizing  the  Signorina 
on  the  road  near  Psestum  ?  To  which  ques- 
tion we  also  replied  in  the  affirniative.  Se- 
lina having  now  become  more  calm,  and  her 
blushes  having  subsided,  I  observed  that  she 
had   grown  thinner  and  much  more  pale 


262  MEREDITH. 

than  she  had  been  wont  to  be.  Her  eyes,  too, 
looked  languid  and  heavy,  and  her  whole 
appearance — now  that  the  first  emotion  of 
joyful  surprise  at  seeing  her  friends  had 
passed  away — indicated  a  delicate  state  of 
health. 

"  Is  this  lady  your  mother,  Signorina?" 
demanded  the  officer. 

Selina  paused  a  moment  before  she 
replied;  Mrs.  Lindsell,  with  a  countenance 
full  of  anxiety,  looking  at  her  earnestly. 

"  She  says  so,"  answered  the  lovely  girl, 
glancing  timidly  at  us. 

"  But  have  I  not  convinced  you  that  I 
am!"  demanded  Mrs.  Lindsell.  "Kecollect 
yourself,  Selina;  you  will  hereafter  regret 
having  thrown  the  least  doubt  on  the  near 
and  dear  relationship  in  which  we  stand  to 
each  other." 

"  I  know  not  what  to  believe,  or  what  to 
say,"  murmured  the  innocent  girl,  turning 
to  Mr.  Eivers.     "  If  this  lady  be  indeed  my 


MEREDITH.  263 

mother,  as  she  asserts,  it  woiikl  greatly 
grieve  me  to  appear  undutiful,  or  to  give 
her  pain,  but  as,  until  I  saw  her,  I  never 
heard  that  my  mother  lived,  and  that  my 
father  never  named  her  to  me,  I  cannot, 
without  other  proofs,  be  satisfied  that  she  is 
my  parent." 

"  Cruel  girl,"  said  Mrs.  Lindsell,  "  thus 
to  torture  a  mother's  heart,"  and  she 
applied  her  cambric  handkerchief  to  her 
eyes.  Selina  immediately  went  to  her,  and 
taking  her  hand,  said  with  the  utmost 
gentleness,  "  Forgive  me  for  having  pained 
you,  indeed  it  is  most  unwillingly;' but  all 
appears  so  new,  so  strange  to  me,  that  I 
cannot  yet  believe  that  I  have  found  a 
mother.  When  all  that  is  now  so  myste- 
rious shall  be  explained,  and  that  it  is 
proved  that  you  indeed  stand  in  that 
relation  to  me,  you  shall  find  all  the  duty, 
all  the  affection,  a  daughter  ought  to  feel  for 
a  mother."     The  paleness  and  general  air 


264  MEREDITH. 

of  indisposition  which  hung  around  Selina, 
induced  Mr.  Eivers  and  me  to  request  the 
officer  not  to  insist  on  the  ladies'  removal 
that  night,  and  after  some  difficulty  he 
consented  to  our  wishes ;  specifying  at  the 
same  time  that  although  the  Signora  and 
Signorina  might  enjoy  the  uninterrupted 
privacy  of  their  chambers,  he  must  apprise 
them,  that  the  doors  must  be  guarded,  to 
prevent  the  possibility  of  escape." 

*'  Were  my  friend  here  I  should  not  be 
exposed  to  insult,"  said  Mrs.  Lindsell, 
looking  daggers  at  the  officer. 

"  If  you  refer  to  il  Capitano,"  replied  he, 
somewhat  spitefully,  "  lie  can  no  more  be 
the  accomplice  in  your  schemes,  for  he  has 
gone  to  render  an  account  of  his  transgres- 
sions, in  another  world,  instead  of  suffi3ring, 
as  he  inevitably  would  have  done,  for  them 
in  this." 

"What  mean  you?"  demanded  Mrs. 
Lindsell,  starting  to  her  feet. 


MEREDITH.  2G5 

^^  He  is  no  more,  Signora;  lie  perished  in 
the  wicked  enterprise  in  which  he  had 
embarked,  for  the  purpose  of  removing  this 
gentleman,"  pointing  to  me,  "from  Pa- 
lermo ;  when  he  knew  his  interference  and 
protection  might  have  shielded  the  Signo- 
rina  from  the  machinations  of  her  enemies." 

"I  will  not  believe  that  he  is  dead!'' 
exclaimed  Mrs.  Lindsell,  looking  incredu- 
lously at  the  officer. 

"  You  will  do  just  as  you  please,  Signora," 
answered  he,  "  but  if  you  doubt  my  asser- 
tion, you  will  perhaps  be  more  disposed  to 
credit  these  gentlemen,"  bowing  to  Mr. 
Eivers  and  myself,  "  who  can  confirm  what 
I  have  stated." 

Selina  involuntarily  clasped  her  hands,  as 
if  in  thankfulness ;  then,  turning  still  paler 
than  before,  she  shuddered,  and  murmured, 
"  So  sudden !  so  unprepared  to  die !  Oh !  it 
is  dreadful!"  I  noticed  the  expression  of 
Mrs.  Lindsell's  countenance  at  this  moment, 

VOL.  II,  N 


266  MEREDITH. 

and  it  bore  so  little  appearance  of  sympathy 
with  the  feelings  of  the  lovely  and  gentle 
Selina,  that  I  turned  from  the  contempla- 
tion to  dwell  on  the  beautiful  face  of  the 
former ;  which,  like  a  crystal  vase  filled  with 
sparkling  water,  permitted  the  pure  element 
within  to  be  revealed. 

^^Is  that  terrible    man  indeed  dead?" 
asked  Selina,  turning  to  me. 

"Yes,  positively,  certainly.     You  have 
nothing  more  to  dread  from  him." 

"  And  you,  you  also  have  suffered  from 
his  wicked  plots,  and  for  me  too !"  And 
oh !  what  a  look  of  gratitude  beamed  in  her 
beautiful  eyes !  Mrs.  Lindsell  evinced  strong 
symptoms  of  impatience  as  she  observed  the 
confidential  terms  on  which  we  were  con- 
versing; and,  evidently  for  the  purpose  of 
interrupting  it,  told  Selina  that  "it  was 
time  to  retire  for  the  night,  and  prepare 
for  th e  j  ourney  of  the  morrow .  These  gentle- 
men," said  she,  "must  need  refreshment ;  and 


MEREDITH.  267 

if  I  may  still  give  orders  in  my  own  house,  I 
shall  instruct  my  people  to  serve  some  in 
the  salle  a  manger  ^ 

So  saying,  she  bowed  coldly  and  haugh- 
tily to  Mr.  Eivers  and  me,  while  Selina 
shook  hands  cordially  with  us  both,  and 
then  returning  to  Mrs.  LindselFs  side, 
left  the  chamber  with  her,  followed  by  the 
officer  of  police,  and  three  of  his  assistants, 
who,  having  satisfied  themselves  that  there 
were  no  other  means  of  ingress  to  or  egress 
from  the  chambers  of  the  ladies,  established 
sentinels  at  the  doors,  there  to  remain 
during  the  night. 


n2 


268  MEREDITH. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


When  left  alone  with  Mr.  Rivers,  his 
first  exclamation  to  me  was,  "  Never  did  I 
behold  mother  and  daughter  who  bore  so 
little  resemblance  to  each  other  as  Mrs. 
Lindsell  and  Miss  Somers.  They  are  so 
totally  dissimilar,  that  I  cannot  bring  myself 
to  believe  that  so  near  a  relationship,  if 
any,  exists  between  them.  Be  assured,  there 
is  some  mystery  in  this,  which  we  must,  if 
possible,  fathom ;  for  the  fact  that,  through 
any  motives,  Mrs.  Lindsell  should  be  induced 
to  act  in  concert  with  such  a  man  as  il 


MEREDITH.  269 

Capitano,  proves  that  she  is  very  unfit  to 
be  the  companion  or  guardian  of  our  charm- 
ing young  friend.  And  yet,  when  I  recall 
the  disclosures  made  by  Madame  de  Stour- 
ville,  of  the  charge  given  her  by  Mi\ 
Somers,  not  to  let  his  daughter  form  ac- 
quaintance or  mix  with  any  persons  what- 
soever during  their  residence  in  Italy,  it 
appears  to  me  that  he  must  have  dreaded 
some  discovery  or  attempt  to  obtain  either 
an  influence  over  the  young  lady  or  to  get 
possession  of  her  person.  Why  should  he 
dread  this,  if  he  knew  his  own  right  to  be 
indisputable?  and  why  trust  so  precious  a 
charge  to  so  incompetent  a  person  to  guard 
it  as  our  good,  but  helpless  Madame  de 
Stoui'ville?" 

The  justice  of  these  reflections  alarmed 
and  disturbed  me ;  and  it  appeared  doubtful 
whether  Mr.  Somers  or  Mrs.  Lindsell  had 
the  best  founded  claim  to  the  lovely  being, 
whose  relationship   to   either   could   only. 


270  MEREDITH. 

from  what  we  knew  of  them,  be  a  source  of 
annoyance  and  discomfort  to  herself.  How 
many  painful  thoughts  passed  through  my 
mind  during  that  long  and  sleepless  night, 
all  pregnant  with  melancholy  forebodings 
for  the  future  destiny  of  the  fair  creature 
dearest  to  me  on  earth.  Of  what  avail  was 
the  possession  of  a  large  fortune,  and  the 
power  of  selecting  a  wife  for  myself,  if  I 
could  not  share  that  fortune  with  Selina, 
and  free  her  from  all  control,  save  that  of 
an  adoring  husband.  Mr.  Somers  might 
have  other  views,  and  so  refuse  to  grant 
my  suit  for  her.  He  was,  from  what 
Madame  de  Stourville  had  stated,  a  man 
of  mystery ;  and  we  had  no  clue  to  discover 
more  of  him  than  he  wished  to  be  known. 
Should  he,  indeed,  establish  his  right  to 
Selina,  what  reason  had  we  to  hope  that 
her  happiness  would  be  his  object?  and  as 
to  Mrs.  Lindsell,  all  that  we  knew  of  her 
was  little  calculated  to  give  us  confidence 


MEREDITH.  271 

that  the  fate  of  the  fair  young  girl  would 
be  a  fortunate  one  in  her  hands. 

At  an  early  hour  the  next  morning  we 
were  on  our  route  to  Palermo.  Miss  Somers 
in  the  lettiga  we  had  had  the  precaution  to 
bring  for  her  use,  and  Mrs.  Lindsell  in  one 
that  appertained  to  herself;  the  police  force 
attending,  and  Mr.  Elvers  and  myself, 
riding  one  at  each  side  of  the  vehicle  that 
contained  Miss  Somers. 

After  a  tedious  journey  we  reached  Pa- 
lermo in  safety,  and  immediately  presented 
ourselves,  with  our  charge,  before  the  ma- 
gistrate. Mrs.  Lindsell,  when  questioned, 
declared  that  Selina  was  her  child;  and 
added,  that,  separated  soon  after  the  birth  of 
her  daughter  from  her  husband,  he  had 
taken  her  infant  from  her,  and  detained 
her  ever  since;  that,  actuated  by  a  mo- 
ther's fondness,  she  had  continually  kept  a 
person  to  watch  over  the  movements  of  her 
child,  and,  if  possible,  to  snatch  her  from  a 


272  MEREDITH. 

father  who  loved  her  not,  to  restore  her  to 
her  arms;  but  that  so  cautiously  had  she 
been  guarded,  that  no  opportunity  had  ever 
been  afforded  for  carrying  her  off  during 
the  seventeen  years  that  had  elapsed ;  but 
that  ascertaining  that  she  had  been  con- 
signed to  the  care  of  a  French  lady  to  travel 
in  Italy,  all  the  mother's  tenderness  and 
longing  desire  to  regain  her  daughter  had 
revived  in  her  heart,  and  she  considered 
herself  justified  in  the  means  she  had  em- 
ployed to  effect  this  purpose. 

"  But  have  you  any  proofs  to  establish 
your  assertion  that  this  young  lady  is  your 
daughter?"  demanded  the  magistrate. 

"  The  certificate  of  her  baptism  is,  with 
other  important  documents,  in  a  casket  in 
the  desk  of  the  house  I  lately  occupied  in 
the  environs  of  this  city." 

"  Let  the  desk  or  the  casket  be  brought 
here  immediately!"   said  the    magistrate; 


MEREDITH.  273 

and  two  officers  of  the  police  were  instantly 
clispatclied  in  search  of  it. 

Although  Mrs.  Lindsell  still  struggled  to 
retain  her  self-possession,  it  was  evident 
that  she  was  ill  at  ease,  and  felt  wounded  at 
the  reserve  evinced  towards  her  by  Selina 
— a  reserve  that  was  well  calculated  to  im- 
press all  present  with  a  doubt  of  her  being 
really  the  mother  of  the  young  and  lovely 
being,  whose  presence  had  excited  so  lively 
an  interest  for  her  in  the  hearts  of  the  spec- 
tators. 

In  due  time  the  two  officers  of  the  police 
retui^ned,  and  stated  that  they  had  found 
the  desk  referred  to  broken  open,  wdth  no 
casket  or  papers  to  be  found  in  it. 

"  Then  I  have  been  plundered,  treach- 
erously plundered!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Lind- 
sell, her  countenance  betraying  the  strongest 
symptoms  of  anger  and  alarm. 

"  The  person  left  in  charge  of  the  house 
n3 


274  MEREDITH. 

declares,  that  after  the  Signora  and  Signo- 
rina  had  departed  from  it,  il  Capitano  went 
to  the  chamber  of  la  Signora,  and  having 
secured  the  door  of  it,  remained  some  time 
there.  When  he  quitted  it,  the  woman  went 
in,  and  discovered  that  the  desk  had  been 
forced,  and  its  contents  taken  away;  and 
she  further  declares  that  il  Capitano  was 
the  person  who  did  it." 

"The  wretch  I  the  monster!"  murmured 
Mi's.  Lindsell,  turning  very  pale. 

"  That  wretch  and  monster,  Signora,  as 
you  call  him,  is  now  no  more.  The  report 
of  his  death  has  been  well  authenticated ; 
but  it  is  unfortunate,  to  say  no  worse  of  it, 
that  a  lady  should  have  employed  so  un- 
worthy an  agent  in  concerns  of  such  a  deli- 
cate nature,  and  should  permit  a  man  to  be 
domiciled  beneath  her  roof  who  could  take 
so  base  an  advantage  of  her  confidence." 

Mrs.  Lindsell's  cheeks  glowed  with  the 
blushes   of  wounded  pride,   and  her   eyes 


MEREDITH.  275 

sought  the  ground  as  she  listened  to  this 
well-merited  reproof.  Selina's  fair  counte- 
nance eloquently  expressed  the  shame  and 
disgust  awakened  in  her  mind  by  this 
public  exposure  of  the  woman  who  asserted 
herself  to  be  her  mother,  as  well  as  at  the 
denouncement  of  the  vile  man  who  was 
thus  proved  to  have  been  her  associate. 
The  magistrate  next  examined  Selina,  who, 
with  a  modest  self-possession,  related  to  him 
all  the  circumstances  of  both  the  e7iUve- 
ments,  and  the  fact  that  in  the  Captain,  as 
he  was  called,  she  recognised  the  person  who 
had  forcibly  carried  her  off  from  la  Cava. 
While  she  spoke,  Mrs.  Lindsell  cast  appeal^ 
ing  looks  at  her,  but  they  were  disregarded ; 
and  although  she  said  nothing  to  criminate 
that  lady,  her  fear  and  disgust  of  il  Capitano 
were  so  strongly  manifested  in  her  counte- 
nance and  manner,  that  the  magistrate  be- 
trayed much  sympathy  for  her. 

"  You  are  now,  young  lady,"  said  he, 


276  MEREDITH. 

"  for  ever  released  from  all  alarm  from  that 
vile  person,  who,  whether  actuated  by  some 
hidden  motive  of  his  own,  or  merely  acting  in 
compliance  with  the  instructions  of  an- 
other,"— and  here  he  looked  sternly  at  Mrs. 
Lindsell, — "  has  been  the  cause  of  so  much 
terror  and  anxiety  to  you.  With  regard  to 
you,  Signora,  the  circumstances  of  this  case 
are  such,  that  in  the  absence  of  all  proof  to 
substantiate  the  assertions  you  have  made 
that  this  young  lady  is  your  daughter,  I 
find  it  my  duty  to  detain  you  a  prisoner, 
until  the  father  of  the  Signorina  comes  for- 
ward." 

''  Me  a  prisoner !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Lind- 
sell. "  You  do  not,  cannot  mean  to  perpe- 
trate such  an  act  of  injustice !" 

"  You  stand  here,  Signora,  as  the  ac- 
knowledged accomplice  of  a  man  whom  you 
yourself  have  charged  with  felony.  The 
abduction  of  la  Signorina  is  a  crime  of  deep 
dye,  and  until  you  have  given  proof  that 


MEREDITH.  277 

she  is  your  daugliter,  your  freedom  cannot 
be  granted  you.  The  Signorina  I  deliver 
to  the  safe  custody  of  this  respectable  gen- 
tleman, whose  age  renders  him  a  fit  person 
for  the  charge,  until  the  father,  or  the  per- 
son empowered  by  him  to  receive  her,  shall 
arrive." 

Oh !  what  a  sweet  smile  played  over  the 
lips  of  Selina,  when  she  heard  this  sentence 
pronounced ;  and  how  great  was  my  rapture 
as  I  listened  to  it ! 

"  You  surely  will  not  separate  me  from 
my  daughter,"  said  Mrs.  Lindsell,  "  I  am 
her  proper,  her  natural  protectress;  suffer 
her  to  remain  with  me  at  least  until  her 
father  arrives?" 

"  It  would  be  unjust,  Signora,  to  consign 
the  innocent  to  a  prison." 

"But  you  put  her  into  the  hands  of 
strangers,  of  whom  you  know  nothing  !  Is 
it  right,  is  it  decent,  that  a  young  girl 
should  be  confided  to  a  man,  who  stands  in 


278  MEREDITH. 

no   degree   of  relationship  to  her?     It  is 
monstrous,  it  is  unheard  of!" 

"  I  will  do  that,  madam,  which  I  con- 
ceive to  be  my  duty  in  this  very  peculiar 
case.  For  you,  Signora,  if  the  horrors  of  a 
prison  affright  you,  I  will  relax  the  severity 
of  justice,  and  permit  you  to  reside  a 
prisoner  in  a  neighbouring  convent,  where 
you  will  be  as  strictly  guarded,  but  more 
kindly  dealt  by,  than  in  the  prison.  And 
now,  Signer,  (turning  to  Mr.  Elvers,)  I  con- 
sign this  young  lady  to  your  guardianship. 
You  are  not  to  leave  Palermo  until  this 
mysterious  affair  is  explained.  Instruc- 
tions were  forwarded  to  Naples  the  day  you 
set  off  to  rescue  la  Signorina,  that  the  lady 
to  whom  her  father  had  given  her  in  charge 
should  immediately  despatch  intelligence  to 
him  of  what  has  occurred,  and  come  here 
herself  by  the  next  packet.  She  will,  in 
all  probability,  arrive  this  evening,  as  the 
return    packet  is   expected;    and  in   the 


MEREDITH.  279 

meanwhile,  my  sister,  an  elderly  and  well 
reputed  lady,  will  be  the  companion  of  la 
Signorina  until  her  female  friend  arrives. 
She  will  reach  your  alhergo  in  a  few 
minutes,  so  you  had  better  take  this  young 
lady  there  at  once.  And  you.  Messieurs,'' 
turning  to  two  police  officers,  "  conduct  the 
prisoner  to  the  Convent  of  Santa  Eosalie, 
to  the  abbess  of  which,  this  note,"  and  he 
wrote  a  few  lines,  "  will  explain  my  wishes." 

"  Selina,  my  child!  my  child!"  exclaimed 
Mrs.  Lindsell,  "can  you,  will  you  leave 
your  distracted  mother?  Oh!  it  is  cruel, 
it  is  barbarous,  thus  to  tear  my  daughter 
from  me !" 

Miss  Somers  approached  her,  and  with  a 
dignified  gentleness,  that  touched  all  pre- 
sent, reminded  her  that  she  must  now,  as 
well  as  she  had  hitherto  done,  confine  her- 
self within  the  bounds  of  simple  politeness, 
withholding  all  demonstrations  of  the  affec- 
tion and  duty  a  child  owed  a  parent,  until 


280  MEREDITH. 

it  was  proved  that  she  indeed  stood  in  that 
relation  to  her." 

"  Cold-hearted,  obdurate  girl,  how  ill  do 
you  requite  the  foolish  fondness  that  urged 
a  doting  mother  to  have  recourse  to 
desperate  means  to  gain  possession  of  you," 
and  covering  her  face  with  her  handkerchief; 
she  left  the  office  escorted  by  the  police, 
while  we  conducted  the  lovely  Selina  to  our 
inn,  tears  rolling  down  her  cheeks  at  the 
reproaches  of  Mrs.  Lindsell. 


MEREDITH.  281 


CHAPTEE  XX. 


"  I  MUST  appear  a  cold  and  heartless  being 
to  you,"  said  Selina,  "  in  parting  thus  with 

my  mo ,  but  no,  I  do  not,  cannot  believe 

she  is  my  mother !  My  heart  prompts  me 
to  disavow  the  affinity,  and  my  lips  cannot 
pronounce  what  my  feelings  deny." 

Mr.  Eivers  and  I  soothed  her  to  the 
utmost  of  our  power,  but  it  was  evident 
that  her  feelings  were  deeply  wounded  by 
the  extraordinary  position  in  which  she 
found  herself,  for  she  often  interrupted  us, 
saying,  "  Oh !  if  after  all  she  should  prove  to 


282  MEREDITH. 

be  my  mother,  how  shall  I  reproach  myself, 
how  even  pardon  myself,  for  the  indilBference, 
the  more  than  indifference,  I  feel  towards 
her!     Oh!  it  is  dreadful." 

The  sister  of  the  magistrate  soon  joined 
us  at  the  albergo;  she  seemed  a  kind- 
hearted,  sensible  woman,  and  evinced  a 
great  deal  of  sympathy  towards  Selina, 
whom  the  presence  of  one  of  her  own  sex 
comforted  and  re-assured. 

"  I  have  endeavoured  to  recall  to  memory 
all  the  incidents  and  events  of  my  child- 
hood," said  Selina,  in  reply  to  some  observa- 
tion of  Mr.  Elvers,  "  in  order  to  know  if 
there  can  be  the  least  foundation  for  her 
statement  of  being  my  mother.  I  have  a 
faint  recollection  of  England,  and  of  a  kind 
nurse,  and  her  tears  and  my  grief  at  being 
taken  from  her  by  a  gentleman  who  I  was 
told  was  my  papa :  and  I  remember  his  con- 
veying me  to  London,  and  when  I  wept  in  the 
carriage,  his  saying  I  was  a  naughty  trouble- 


MEREDITH.  28B 

some  child,  and  shaking  me  roughly  by  the 
arm,  and  my  being  from  that  moment  very 
much  afraid  of  him.  I  remember  also  my 
having  an  English  governess,  who  accom- 
panied papa  and  me  to  Paris,  and  his  con- 
ducting us  to  a  house  at  St.  Germains,  in  a 
very  retired  situation,  with  a  garden,  in 
which  I  used  to  play.  My  governess  was 
very  kind;  and  after  some  years  I  had 
masters  who  came  from  Paris  to  give  me 
lessons.  Papa  very  seldom  visited  me, 
and  when  he  did,  never  shewed  me  any 
affection.  When  I  grew  up,  I  began  to 
think  it  very  strange  that  he  did  not  like 
me,  as  I  tried  all  I  could  to  please  him; 
but  it  was  of  no  use;  the  more  I  endea- 
voured to  please,  the  less  he  liked  me,  so 
I  grew  more  and  more  shy,  and  afraid  of 
him,  and  my  good  governess  observing  it,  be- 
came, if  possible,  more  kind  and  affectionate 
to  me.  Oh !  the  wretchedness  of  having  a 
parent  who  does  not  love  one!  whom  one 


284  MEREDITH. 

cannot  win  by  docility  and  dutiful  attention. 
Often  did  I  then  think,  that  if  I  had  a 
mother,  how  tenderly  I  should  love  her. 
How  I  pictured  to  myself  the  support,  the 
consolation,  the  blessing,  she  would  be,  until 
tears  have  rolled  down  my  cheeks.  Nay, 
the  very  name  of  mother  sounded  so  sweetly, 
so  softly,  in  my  ears,  that  I  associated  with 
that  dear  and  tender  tie  all  that  is  most 
soothing  and  sweet  in  life.  And  now  that 
one  is  found  who  asserts  that  title  to  my 
affections,  and  "who  professes  to  love  me, 
my  heart  refuses  to  acknowledge  her  as  a 
mother;  and  I  find  myself  involuntarily 
shrinking  from  her  caresses,  and  doubting 
her  professions,  as  if  some  strong  and  secret 
instinct  told  me  that  she  has  no  right  to 
the  affection  and  duty  she  claims.  Alas! 
how  sad  is  my  fate.  I  turn  with  little  less 
coldness  and  mistrust  from  him  who  calls 
himself  my  father,  but  from  whom  I  have 
never  yet  received   a  parental   caress   or 


MEREDITH.  285 

blessing,  as  I  do  from  her,  wlio  declares 
herself  to  be  my  mother,  but  whose  caresses 
chill  and  revolt  me ! " 

Selina  ceased  to  speak,  for  tears  impeded 
her  utterance;  and  Mr.  Rivers  tenderly 
taking  her  hand,  told  her,  that  while  he 
lived,  she  should  ever  find  in  him  all  the 
care  and  kindness  of  a  father. 

How  was  my  attachment  to  Mr.  Eivers 
enhanced  by  the  deep  interest  and  regard 
which  he  evidently  entertained  for  this  dear 
and  artless  girl! 

"I  continued  to  live  in  perfect  seclusion  ' 
at  St.  Germain's,"  resumed  Selina,  ''  never 
visiting  Paris,  and  seldom  seeing  my  father, 
until  a  year  ago,  when  my  dear,  good 
governess  was  seized  with  a  malady,  which, 
alas!  soon  terminated  fatally.  When  she 
became  conscious  of  her  danger,  she  sent 
for  my  father,  and  in  a  solemn  manner  con- 
signed me  to  his  care;  invoking  him  to 
love  and  cherish  me,  and  assuring  him  that 


286  MEREDITH. 

I  was  not  unworthy  of  his  affection.  He 
heard  her  with  evident  impatience;  and 
would  fain  have  taken  me  with  him  to 
Paris,  leaving  my  good,  my  tender  gover- 
ness, who  had  so  often  nursed  me  in  illness, 
solely  to  the  care  of  servants.  But  I  so 
wept,  and  prayed  not  to  be  separated  from 
her  to  the  last,  that  he  at  length  permitted 
me  to  remain,  saying,  ^  that  if  I  chose 
to  make  myself  ill  by  watching  over  a  dying 
bed,  where  I  could  be  of  no  possible  use,  as 
nothing  could  save  her,  I  might  take  the 
consequences  of  my  own  folly.'  His  hard- 
ness of  heart,  on  this  occasion,  wounded  me 
to  the  quick ;  and  when,  the  next  day,  my 
dear  and  excellent  friend  expired,  calling 
down  blessings  on  my  head,  I  almost 
wished  to  die  too;  for  I  felt  I  no  longer 
had  any  one  on  earth  who  loved  me.  I 
pass  over  the  sad,  sad  scene  that  preceded 
and  followed  her  death.  Even  now,  I  can- 
not revert  to  it  without  grief;"  and  here 


MEREDITH.  287 

her  tears  flowed  afresh.  "  My  father  came 
for  me  the  next  day ;  took  me  to  Paris,  to 
a  house  in  the  Faubourg  de  Eoule,  where 
good  Madame  de  Stourville  was  installed  as 
my  g Oliver nante  ;  and  in  a  short  time 
afterwards,  we  were  on  our  route  through 
the  south  of  France  and  Italy.  That  he 
should  entrust  an  only  child  to  a  person, 
who,  though  highly  recommended,  was  a 
total  stranger  to  him,  as  well  as  to  me,  was 
such  a  proof  of  indifference,  that  it  renewed 
my  grief  for  the  death  of  that  dear  and 
attached  friend  who  had  so  carefully  and 
tenderly  studied  my  happiness.  Fortu- 
nately for  me,  Madame  de  Stourville  proved 
to  be  all  good-nature  and  kindness ;  though 
her  inexperience  in  travelling,  and  her  want 
of  knowledge  of  the  world,  unfit  her  for 
being  much  more  than  an  affectionate  com- 
panion." 

Although  the  sister   of   the   magistrate 
understood  not  a  word  of  Selina's  narra- 


288  MEREDITH. 

tive,  which  had  been  spoken  in  her  native 
tongne,  the  beautiful  countenance,  and  tears 
of  the  fair  speaker,  produced  such  an  effect 
on  the  warm-hearted  Sicilian,  that  she  more 
than  once  arose,  and  in  an  effusion  of  pity, 
kissed  the  forehead  of  the  dear  girl,  ex- 
claiming, ''  Poveretta^  cava  figlia  mia 
cava  /" 

Our  evening  repast  had  only  just  been 
served,  when  the  packet  from  Naples  ar- 
rived, and  I  hurried  to  the  pier  to  meet 
and  escort  Madame  de  Stourville  to  the 
alhergo^  Selina,  as  I  left  the  room,  thank- 
ing me  with  a  look  and  a  smile  that  might 
richly  have  repaid  the  greatest  service. 

Madame  de  Stourville  had  but  just  left 
the  ship,  and  was  animatedly  reasoning  with 
the  custom-house  officer  on  her. right  to 
have  all  her  packages  and  bandboxes  taken 
at  once  to  the  inn  without  any  delay,  while 
he,  who  understood  not  a  word  of  French, 
was  loudly  vociferating,  in  Italian,  that  no 


MEREDITH.  289 

boxes  or  packages  should  be  removed  until 
a  strict  examination  of  their  contents  had 
taken  place.  When  she  saw  me  piercing 
the  crowd  of  idlers  who  had  gathered  round 
to  listen  to  the  angry  discussion,  which  was 
rendered  amusing  to  the  bystanders,  owing 
to  neither  of  the  interlocutors  understanding 
the  language  of  the  other,  she  exclaimed, 
with  delight,  "  OA,  mon  Dieu!  quel 
plaisir,  Monsieur  Meredis^  vous  arrivez 
tres  heureusement^  jwur  me  sauver  de 
ce  terrible  homme.  He  is  a-  barbare, 
not  know  one  word  of  de  French  language. 
N^est  ce  pas^  c'est  choquant  de  rencontrer 
tine  ignorance  pareille  /" 

By  a  douceur  conveyed  into  the  hand  of 
the  custom-house  officer,  I  quickly  obtained 
permission  to  have  the  boxes  of  IMadame  de 
Stourville  merely  opened  for  appearance 
sake,  and  then  sent  to  our  hotel,  to  which 
I  conducted  that  lady  herself. 

Madame  de  Stourville's  joy  at  again  em- 
VOL.   II.  0 


290  MEREDITH. 

bracing  Selina  was  really  toucliing.  She 
wept  and  smiled  by  turns,  asked  a  thousand 

questions,  never  giving  time  to  have  any  of 

I* 

them  answered,  and  by  her  volubility  and 
exaggeration  of  manner  excited  the  wonder 
of  the  quiet  sister  of  the  magistrate,  who 
now  took  her  leave,  affectionately  embracing 
her  "  cava  poveretta^'^ — as  she  called  Se- 
lina,— and  offering  her  services  in  any  or 
every  way  in  which  they  could  be  made 
available. 

Madame  de  Stourville  told  us,  that  pre- 
viously to  her  leaving  Naples  she  had  writ- 
ten to  Mr.  Somers,  and  informed  him  of  all 
that  had  occurred;  and  that,  therefore,  his 
presence  might  in  due  time  be  looked  for 
at  Palermo.  When  acquainted  that  Mrs. 
Lindsell  claimed  Selina  for  her  daughter, 
the  anger  and  indignation  of  the  old  lady 
knew  no  bounds. 


MEREDITH.  291 


CHAPTEE  XXL 


The  next  day  Madame  de  Stourville  saw 
the  magistrate,  and  gave  her  deposition  of 
having  had  the  charge  of  Miss  Somers  con- 
signed to  her  by  the  father  of  that  young 
hidy.  It  was  signified  to  us,  that  nothing 
further  could  be  done  in  the  afiliir  until  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Somers — an  event  antici- 
pated with  little  pleasure  by  any  one  of  the 
party,  but  to  which  we  all  resigned  our- 
selves as  well  as  we  could. 

Happy  were  the  hours  that  intervened 
between  the  coming  of  Madame  de  Stour*- 
0  2 


292  MEREDITH. 

viile  and  that  of  Mr.  Sorners.  During  one 
of  our  daily  walks,  when  the  gouvernante 
and  ]\Ii\  Elvers  were  listening  to  Mr.  O'De- 
nessy's  details  of  some  interesting  antiquities 
lately  discovered  in  the  neighbourhood,  I 
seized  the  opportunity  of  revealing  my  pas- 
sion to  the  lovely  object  who  had  inspired  it. 
I  felt  her  arm  tremble  within  mine;  I  saw 
her  head  gently  turned,  as  if  to  conceal  her 
blushes,  as  I  passionately  conjured  her  to 
tell  me  if  I  might  hope  that  I  was  not 
wholly  indifferent  to  her.  I  said  that  if  she 
would  give  me  hope,  I  w^ould  pledge  myself 
to  conciliate  her  father  by  every  means  in 
my  power;  and  that  as  neither  my  family 
nor  fortune  were  objectionable,  I  trusted 
that  he  might  be  induced  to  bestow  her 
hand  on  me. 

"  I  am  deeply  sensible  of  the  generosity 
of  your  conduct,"  replied  Selina.  "  The 
offer  you  have  made  me,  and  at  a  moment 
when  my  position  is  so  painful  a  one,  that 


MEREDITH.  293 

even  my  birth  seems  shrouded  in  mystery, 
proves  the  sincerity  of  your  attachment,  and 
the  delicacy  and  generosity  of  your  senti- 
ments, but " 

"Oh!  Selina — dear,  lovely  Selina!"  in- 
terrupted I,  "  only  say  that  I  am  not  to 
despair — only  tell  me  that  you  do  not  for- 
bid me  to  solicit  your  father,  and  I  will  ask 
no  more !" 

"  But  ought  I,  Mr.  Meredith,  to  accord 
this  sanction  until  it  is  known  to  whom  I 
really  belong?" — and  her  voice  became  still 
more  tremulous  from  emotion. 

"  Yes,  lovely  Selina,  you  ought — you 
will — nay,  you  must  grant  me  this  permis- 
sion, ufdess  you  wish  to  make  me  the  most 
wretched  of  men.  Give  me  that  dear  little 
hand  in  token  of  assent,  and  I  will  bless 
you!" 

The  little  hand,  trembling  like  a  fright- 
ened bird,  was  held  out  to  me;  and  as  I 
pressed  it  within  mine,   I  would  not  have 


294  MEREDITH. 

olianged  the  hope  of  its  future  entire  pos- 
session for  an  empire !  I  bent  forward  to 
steal  a  glance  at  lier  beautiful  face,  and 
never  before  had  I  seen  it  so  transcendently 
lovely.  Covered  witli  blushes,  the  down- 
cast lids  of  her  darkly -fringed  eyes  were 
begemmed  with  tears;  yet  a  sweet  smile 
parted  her  rosy  lips,  and  told  that  those 
precious  drops  were  not  tears  of  sorrow. 

There  was  something  unspeakably  touch- 
ing in  the  whole  air  and  manner  of  Selina 
during  the  rest  of  that  day.  A  timidity 
and  sweet  consciousness  of  our  engagement, 
mingled  with  an  effort  to  appear  unembar- 
rassed as  usual,  rendered  her  still  more  cap- 
tivating than  ever  in  my  eyes.  Wishing  to 
spare  her  feelings  in  the  presence  of  our 
friends,  I  forbore,  as  much  as  my  passion 
would  permit,  from  any  of  those  demon- 
strations of  attentions  which  my  heart 
prompted ;  and  she  more  than  once  during 


MEREDITH.  295 

the  evening  thanked  me  with  her  eyes  for 
my  forbearance. 

A  week,  a  blissful  week,  rolled  away; 
during  which  every  day,  every  liour,  brought 
to  light  some  new  quality  in  Selina,  and 
rendered  her  dearer  to  me.  When  walkino- 
by  her  side,  T  would  describe  my  home, 
and  dwell  with  delight  on  future  plans  of 
happiness  when  she  should  be  its  adored 
mistress.  She  would  listen  with  pleasure, 
and  approve  my  schemes  for  adorning  it; 
would  even  suggest  some  little  plans  of  her 
own,  and  at  length  scrupled  not  to  avow 
that  her  heart  would  be  as  desolate  as  my 
own,  should  the  briglit  prospect  now  held 
out  be  doomed  to  disappointment. 

Mr.  Elvers  was  not  unobservant  of  our 
attachment ;  and  deeming  it  to  be  his  duty, 
he  spoke  to  me  seriously  on  the  subject, 
pointing  out  all  that  wisdom  could  dictate 
on  the  imprudence  of  entering  into  an  en- 


296  MEREDITH. 

gagement  with  a  person  whose  parentage 
seemed  so  doubtful,  and  whose  father  might 
never  consent  to  our  union.  He  admitted 
that  the  superiority  of  Selina,  both  in  mind 
and  person,  were  such  as  to  justify  my  at- 
tachment, but  thought  it  unfair,  even  to- 
wards her,  to  engage  her  affections  before  I 
could  count  on  my  addresses  being  sanc- 
tioned by  her  father. 

The  counsel  came  too  late,  and  I  avowed 
that  it  had,  for  I  entertained  such  confidence 
in  the  friendship  of  Mr.  Elvers  that  I  could 
not  now  be  disingenuous  with  him.  He 
shook  his  head,  wished  that  I  had  been  less 
precipitate,  and  hoped  that  Mr.  Somers 
might  be  more  considerate  to  the  happiness 
of  his  amiable  daughter  than  he  had  hither- 
to, from  all  w^e  had  heard,  proved  himself 
to  be. 

^'  Your  family  and  fortune  might  entitle 
you  to  form  any  alliance,"  observed  Mr. 
Eivers,  "  and  should   render   you   a  very 


MEREDITH.  297 

» 

desirable  husband  in  the  eyes  of  Mr.  Somers, 
whatever  his  own  wealth  may  be ;  but  with 
a  man  so  eccentric  as  he  seems  to  be,  there 
is  little  confidence  to  be  placed  on  the  mo- 
tives that  may  influence  him  in  giving  or 
withholding  his  consent  to  his  fair  daughter's 
union  with  you." 

Two  days  after  this  conversation,  Mr. 
Somers  arrived  at  Palermo.  The  announce- 
ment of  this  event  blanched  the  cheek  of 
Selina  with  a  deadly  paleness,  and  produced 
such  a  tremor  in  her  frame,  that  it  was 
piteous  to  behold  her.  Madame  de  Stour- 
ville  also  betrayed  evident  symptoms  of 
alarm  when  summoned  to  his  presence,  and 
asked  Mr.  Rivers  to  accompany  her,  that  he 
might  assist  in  the  explanation  she  had  to 
give,  and  shield  her  from  the  fii'st  outbreak 
of  Mr.  Somers's  anger.  When  the  three 
left  the  room — -for  Selina  had  gone  with  her 
gouvernante  and  Mr.  Eivers — I  felt  a  pre- 
sentiment of  evil  that  filled  my  breast  with 


298  MEREDITH. 

« 

inquietude  and  gloom.     The  alarm  evinced 
by  Selina  and  Madame  de  Stourville  at  this 
approaching   interview  with    Mr.    Somers, 
proclaimed  how  harsh  and  stern  that  gentle- 
man must  be,  and  quelled  the  hope  that  for 
days  I  had  been  nourishing  in  my  heart.     I 
paced  the  chamber  rapidly,  pausing  every 
five  minutes  to  listen  whether  any   sound 
might  be  heard.     I  went  into  the  passage, 
almost  tempted  to  become  an  eavesdropper, 
so  great  was  my  anxiety  and  impatience  to 
learn  what  was  going  on ;  and  again  I  re- 
turned to  the  deserted  salon,  and  endea- 
voured to  occupy  my  thoughts  by  writing 
to    Selina,    and  painting  to  her  the   state 
of   my    feelings.     But    even   this  task   I 
could  not  accomplish,  so  great  was  the  agi- 
tation I  experienced;  so,  casting  away  the 
pen,  and  tearing  into  fragments  the  paper  I 
had  written  on,  I  again  paced  the  room. 
On  one  of  the  tables  assigned  for  Selina's 
use  lay  the  book  I  had  been  reading  aloud 


MEREDITH.  299 

to  her  that  morning.  An  unfinished  sketch 
from  her  pencil  was  beside  it,  and  a  glass 
containing  a  bouquet  of  flowers  I  had  pre- 
sented to  lier  stood  in  the  centre.  These 
little  marks  of  domesticity  appealed  to  my 
feelings  with  irresistible  force ;  they  recalled 
the  happy  hours  I  had  lately  been  passing  in 
this  now  deserted  room,  and  I  fancied  I  had 
never  previously  valued  tliem  as  I  now  did, 
when  in  all  probability  I  should  enjoy  them 
no  more. 

At  length  Mr.  Elvers  returned  alone. 
His  countenance  announced  that  the  inter- 
view with  Mr.  Somers  had  not  been  an 
agreeable  one ;  and  I  felt  my  fears  confirmed 
before  he  had  time  to  speak. 

''  He  is  a  strange  man,  and  a  harsh  and 
unreasonable  one  too,"  said  he.  "  He  seems 
to  forget  the  good  fortune  of  his  daughter 
having  been  rescued,  and  restored  to  him, 
in  the  anger  in  which  he  indulges  against 
poor,  helpless  Madame  de  Stourville,  whom 


300  MEREDITH. 

he  blames  for  the  enlevement  having  oc- 
curred. He  used  little  ceremony  or  courtesy 
in  commenting  on  her  impropriety  in  per- 
mitting you  and  myself  to  accompany  them 
to  Paestum,  and  to  reside  at  the  same  hotel 
with  them  here,  adding,  in  reply  to  her  asse- 
verations of  our  kindness,  and  the  protection 
we  had  afforded  to  her  young  lady  and  herself, 
the  zeal  we  had  evinced,  and  the  assistance  we 
had  afforded,  in  rescuing  Miss  Somers, '  that 
this  offered  no  justification  for  her  having 
disobeyed  his  orders  to  permit  his  daughter 
to  form  no  acquaintance  while  under  her 
care.'  His  reception  of  Selina  had  been 
most  cold  and  heartless.  He  did  not  em- 
brace or  even  shake  hands  with  her,  and 
when  she  could  not  repress  the  tears  this 
unkindness  called  forth,  he  told  her  that  he 
supposed,  now  that  she  fancied  herself  a 
heroine  of  romance,  tears  were  indispensable 
on  every  occasion.  The  only  circumstance 
that  seemed  to  make  an  impression  on  him, 


MEREDITH.  301 

was  when  I  informed  him  that  a  lady  had  now 
claimed  Miss  Somers  as  her  daughter.  He 
started,  and  his  face  became  flushed  with 
anger.  '  And  where  is  this  person  ?'  de- 
manded he.  I  informed  him  that  she  was 
in  safe  custody ;  when  he,  with  a  most  ma- 
lignant expression  of  countenance,  declared 
that  if  he  could  accomplish  it,  she  should 
never  again  be  restored  to  liberty.  I  asked 
permission  to  present  you;  and  I  noticed 
that  when  I  mentioned  your  name,  he 
started,  and  inquired,  *  whether  you  were 
not  the  son  of  Mr.  Spencer  Meredith,  of 
Meredith  Park  ?'  I  answered  in  the  affirma- 
tive ;  and  he,  after  pausing  for  a  moment, 
replied,  that  being  now  fatigued  by  his  long 
journey  from  Paris,  and  recent  voyage,  he 
must  decline  the  introduction  until  to- 
morrow, and  having  bowed  me  out,  I  with- 
drew, leaving  poor  Miss  Somers  and  her 
gouvernante  with  him." 

We  saw  no  more  of  Selina  or  Madame  de 


302  MEREDITH. 

Stourville  tliat  night ;  but  one  of  tlie  waiters 
came  to  remove  all  the  various  little  articles 
that  belonged  to  both,  '\nien  questioned 
by  Mr.  Eivers,  why  he  did  so,  he  informed 
us  that  //  signor  padre  de  la  signorina 
had  ordered  that  everything  appertaining  to 
the  ladies  should  be  conveyed  to  the  salon 
at  the  other  side  of  the  hotel,  which  he  had 
engaged,  and  in  which  their  repasts  w^ere  to 
be  served.  This  statement  seemed  to  be  a 
confii'mation  of  my  worst  fears ;  for  it  clearly 
indicated  a  determination  of  excluding  us 
from  that  intercoui'se  which  had  lately 
formed  the  happiness  of  my  life,  and  I 
sought  my  pillow  that  night  in  a  state  of 
mind  very  different  to  any  of  the  last  few 
preceding  ones,  when  the  certainty  of  meet- 
ing the  object  of  my  heart's  dearest  affections 
was  the  last  thought  ere  sleeping,  and  the 
lii'st  that  presented  itself  on  awaking. 

After  a  painfully  restless  night,  I  arose 
early,  and,  having  hurried  thi'ough  the  duties 


MEREDITH.  303 

of  my  matinal  toilette,  descended  to  the  salon . 
Mr.  Elvers  had  not  yet  made  his  appearance, 
but  soon  after  I  entered  the  room,  the  door 
opened,  and  the  head  of  Madame  de  Stour- 
ville  exhibited  itself.  Seeing  me  alone,  she 
quickly  came  in,  carefully  closed  the  door, 
and  burst  into  tears.  "  Oh,  my  young 
friend!"  exclaimed  she,  "you  know  not — 
you  cannot  know  what  ce  cher  ange  and 
I  have  had  to  undergo  since  we  saw  you  last. 
Oh,  dat  cruel  man,  he  is  a  barbareand  tyran^ 
and  I  would  give  him  my  demission  dis  very 
day,  and  retiu'n  to  ma  belle  France^  only  I 
cannot  bear  to  leave  ce  j^auvre  cher  ange 
alone,  in  the  power  of  such  a  vicked  iyran. 
He  blames  me  for  all,  and  \^furieiix\  and 
did  call  me  '  meille  folic — moi!  Marie  An- 
toinette de  Stoiirville,  vieillejblle,  dat  has 
not  yet  forty  years.  0  !  c'est  trop  mal, 
beaucoup  trop  mail  but  I  wiU  write  to 
Paris,  and  get  de  certificate  of  my  baptism, 
and  shew  it  to  him,  for  I  vill  not  be  called 


304.  MEREDITH. 

vieille,  dat  I  vill  not.  Ce  cher  pauvre 
ange^^^  resumed  Madame  de  Stourville,  "  is 
forbidden  to  see  you  or  Monsieur  Rivere 
any  more,  except  in  the  presence  of  Monsieur 
Somers,  and  lie  does  not  vish  to  see  either  of 
you  if  he  can  help  it.  She  be  very  unhappy, 
and  cry,  cry,  enough  to  make  any  one 
miserable  to  see  her.  But  I  must  go  to 
ce  cher  pauvre  ange^  and  if  notre  me- 
chant  tyran  know  I  did  come  here,  he  would 
send  me  avay  from  her  for  ever.  Mo7i 
Dieu !  quel  horrible  hom?ne,  to  call  me 
vieillefolle^ri'est'Ce  pas  c'estune  infamief^ 

I  asked  Madame  de  Stourville  whether 
she  would  take  charge  of  a  few  lines  from 
me  to  Selina;  but  she  positively  refused. 
*'  No,  no,  mon  ami ;  it  would  not  be  right, 
not  honourable,  and  Marie  Antoinette  de 
Stourville  could  not  do  vat  is  not  honour- 
able." 

"  Will  you,  then,  dear,  good  Madame  de 


MEREDITH.  305 

Stourville,  tell  her  how  much  I  grieve,  how 
much  I  suffer  by  this  cruel  separation." 

*'  I  will  tell  her  you  are  always  her  good 
friend,  and  very  sorry  not  to  see  her,  but  I 
must  not  tell  more,  it  would  be  wrong ;  so 
adieu,  mon  cher  Monsieur  Meredis,  dites 
mille  choses  ai/nmhles  de  ma  part  a  Mon- 
sieur Riverej  but  do  not  tell  to  him  that 
Monsieur  Somers  did  call  me  vieillefoUe,  for 
he  might  demand  liaison  of  dat  tt/ran  for 
such  a  calumny  against  me,  and  I  vould  not 
be  de  cause  of  a  duel  between  dese  gentle- 
men for  all  de  vorld." 

At  any  other  moment,  I  should  have  been 
amused  at  the  ludicrous  anger  of  poor 
Madame  de  Stourville  at  being  called  old, 
and  at  her  anxiety  not  to  have  this  charge 
repeated  to  Mr.  Kivers,  whom,  it  was  now 
plain,  she  took  for  granted  entertained  a 
more  than  ordinary  interest  for  her,  as  she 
proved  by  the  supposition  that  he  would 

VOL.  II.  P 


30G  MEREDITH. 

resent — nay,  fight  a  duel  with  the  person 
wlio  made  such  an  assertion.  But  my  wholl 
soul  was  occupied  by  one  single  thought,  and 
that  was,  my  dread  of  being  separated  from 
Selina ;  and  consequently,  the  weakness  and 
folly  of  the  good-natured  old  Frenchwoman 
passed  without  comment  when  Mr.  Elvers 
joined  me. 


END   OF   VOL.  II. 


T,  C.  Savin,  Printer,  107,  St.  Martin's  Lane. 


btaMI 


aiflHi