Page 180 [180]
132
Ks
to fold her hands together ; but the ener
which had supported her so long fled to
she sunk back into the friendly arms
which were extended to receive her.
CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH,
Yontains some introductory particulars relative to
a young gentleman who now arrives upon the
scene, and a new adventure which happened to
Oliver.
Ir was almost too much happiness to
bear. Oliver felt stunned and stupified
by the unexpected intelligence; he could
not weep, or speak, or rest. He had
scarcely the power of understanding any¬
thing that had passed, until after a long
ramble in the quiet evening air a burst of
tears came to his relief, and he seemed to
awaken all at once to a full sense of the
joyful change that had occurred, and the
almost insupportable load of anguish
which had been taken from his breast.
The night was fast closing in when he
which he had culled with peculiar care
for the adornment of the sick chamber.
As he walked briskly along the road, he
heard behind him the noise of some ve¬
hicle approaching at a furious pace. Look¬
ing round, he saw that it was a post¬
chaise driven at great speed; and as the
horses were galloping, and the road was
narrow, he stood leaning against a gate
until it should have passed him by.
As it dashed on, Oliver caught a
glimpse of a man in a white night-cap,
though his view was so brief that he could
not identify the person. In another second
or two the nightcap was thrust out of the
chaise window, and a stentorian voice bel¬
lowed to the driver to stop, which he did
as soon as he could pull up his horses,
when the nightcap once again appeared,
and the same voice called Oliver by his
name.
“Here!” cried the voice. Master
Oliver, what’s the news? Miss Rose—
Master O-li-ver.”
“Ts it you, Giles?” cried Oliver, run¬
"ang up to the chaise door.
Giles popped out his nightcap again,
preparatory to making some reply, when
he was suddenly pulled back by a young
gentleman who occupied the other corner
of the chaise, and who eagerly demanded
what was the news.
|
‘
4
c Better—much better,” repued Oliver
hastily.
“Thank Heaven!” exclaimed the gon
tleman. " You are sure?”
“Quite, sir,” replied Oliver; "tha
and Mr. Losberne says that all danger #
at an end.”
The gentleman said not another word,
but opening the chaise-door leaped out,
and, taking Oliver hurriedly by the arm,
led him aside.
c This is quite certaint’—there is no
possibility of any mistake on your part,
my boy, is there?” demanded the gentle¬
man in a tremulous voice. " Pray do not
deceive me by awakening any hopes that
are not to be fulfilled.”
“TI would not for the world, sir,” re¬
plied Oliver. “Indeed you may believe
me. Mr. Losberne’s words were, that she
would live to bless us all for many years
to come. I heard him say so.”
The tears stood in Oliver’s eyes as he
recalled the scene which was the begin¬
ning of so much happiness, and the gen
tleman turned his face away, and re¬
mained silent for some minutes. Oliver
gh he heard him sob more than once,
but he feared to anterrupt him by any
farther remark,—for he could well guess
what his feelings were,—and so stood
apart, feigning to be occupied with his
nosegay.
All this time Mr. Giles, with the white
night-cap on, had been sitting upon the
steps of the chaise, supporting an elbow
on each knee, and wiping his eyes with a
blue cotton pocket-handkerchief dotted
with white spots. That the honest fellow
had not been feigning emotion was abun¬
dantly demonstrated by the very red eyes
with which he regarded the young gen¬
tleman, when he Turned round and ad¬
dressed him. ré
“1 think you had better go on to my
mother’s in the chaise, Giles,” said he.
“T would rather walk slowly on, so as to
gain a little time before I see her. You
can say I am coming.”
“I beg your pardon, Mr. Harry,” said
Giles, giving a final polish to his ruffled .
countenance with the handkerchief, " but
I should be very much obliged to you. It
wouldn’t be proper for the maids to see
me in this state, sir; I should never have
any more authority with them if they did.”
“Well,” rejoined Harry Maylie, smil¬
ing, “you can do as you like. Let him
“ better or worse 7”
it, and.do you follow with us. Only firs‘