Stranica 182 [182]
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s [ have considered,” was the impatient
reply —"1 have considered for years,—
considered almost since I have been capa¬
ble of serious reflection. My feelings re¬
main unchanged, as they ever will; and
why should I suffer the pain of a delay in
giving them vent, which can be
tive of no earthly good? No. Before I
leave this place, Rose shall hear me.”
“She shall,” said Mrs. Maylie.
s "There is something in your manner
which would almost imply that she will
man anxiously.
6 Not coldly,” rejoined the old. lady;
“far from it.”
“How then?" urged the young man.
“She has formed no other attachment !"
“No, indeed,” replied his mother.
“You have, or I mistake, too strong a
hold on her affections already."
s What I would say,” resumed the old
lady, stopping her son as he was about to
speak, “is this. Before you stake your all
on this chance,—before you suffer your¬
self to be carried to the highest point of
hope, reflect for a few moments, my dear
child,on Rose’s history, and consider what
effect the knowledge of her doubtful birth
may have on her decision,—devoted as
she is to us with all the intensity of her
noble mind, and that perfect sacrifice of
self which in al] matters, great or trifling,
has always been her characteristic.”
c What do you mean ?”
“That I leave you to discover,” replied
Mrs. Maylie. “I must go back to Rose.
God bless you!"
“T shall see you again to-night?” said
the young man eagerly.
I leave Rose.”
“You will tell her I am here?" said
Harry.
6 Of course," replied Mrs. Maylie.
“And say how anxious I have been,
and how much I have suffered, and how I
long to see her—you will not refuse to do
this, mother ?”’
s No, said the old lady, “I will tell
her that;” and, pressing her sons hand
affectionately, she hastened from the room.
Mr. Losberne and Oliver had remained
at another end of the apartment while
this hurried conversation was proceeding.
The former now held out his hand to
Harry Maylie, and hearty salutations
were exchanged between them. The doc¬
tor then communicated, in reply to multi¬
farious questions from his young friend, a
precise account of his patient’s situation,
of promise as Oliver’s statement had en
couraged him to hope, and to the whole
of which Mr. Giles, who affeeted to be
busy about the luggage, listened with
greedy ears.
“Have you shot anything particular
lately, Giles?" inquired the doctor, when
he had coneluded.
6 Nothing particular, sir,” replied Mr.
Giles, colouring up to the eyes.
“ Nor catching any thieves, nor identi¬
fying any house-breakers?”’ said the doc¬
tor maliciously.
“None at all, sir,” replied Mr. Giles
with much gravity.
s Well,” said the doctor, “I am sorry
to hear it, because you do that sort of
thing so well. Pray, how is Brittles ?”
“The boy is very well, sir,” said Mr.
Giles, recovering his usual tone of patron¬
age, "and sends his respectful duty, sir.”
“'That’s well,” said the doctor. “ See¬
ing you here, reminds me, Mr. Giles, that
on the day before that on which I was
called away so hurriedly, I executed, at
the request of your good mistress, a small
commission in your favour. Just step into
this corner a moment, will you?"
Mr. Giles walked into the corner with
much importanee and some wonder, and
was honoured with a short whispermg
conference with the doctor, on the term1¬
nation of which he made a great many
bows, and retired with steps of unusual
stateliness, The subject matter of this
conference was not disclosed in the par¬
lightened concerning it; for Mr. Giles
walked straight thither, and having called
for a mug of ale, announced, with an air
of majestic mystery which was highly
effective, that it had pleased his mistress,
in consideration of his gallant behaviour
on the occasion of that attempted robbery,
to deposit in the local savings bank the
sum of twenty-five pounds for his sole use
and benefit. At this the two women ser¬
vants lifted up their hands and eyes, and
supposed that Mr. Giles would begin to be
quite proud now; whereunto Mr. Giles,
pulling out his shirt-frill, replied, " No,
no’—and that if they observed at any
time that he was at all haughty to his in¬
feriors, he would thank them to tell him
so. And then he made a great many
other remarks, no less illustrative of his
humility, which were received with equal
favour and applause, and were withal as
original and as much to the purpose as
the remarks of great men commonly are,
ing passed cheerfully away, for the doctor