United States or Madagascar ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"If anything happen to me, Philip," he said, abruptly, "perhaps he may yet be a father to poor Fanny; and if he takes to her, she will repay him for whatever pain I may, perhaps, have cost him. Stop! now I think of it, I will write down his address for you never forget it there! It is time to go to bed." Gawtrey's tale made a deep impression on Philip.
He was in this respect more severe on himself than any other mind ordinarily just and candid would have been, when fairly surveying the circumstances of penury, hunger, and despair, which had driven him to Gawtrey's roof, the imperfect nature of his early education, the boyish trust and affection he had felt for his protector, and his own ignorance of, and exemption from, all the worst practices of that unhappy criminal.
He was in this respect more severe on himself than any other mind ordinarily just and candid would have been, when fairly surveying the circumstances of penury, hunger, and despair, which had driven him to Gawtrey's roof, the imperfect nature of his early education, the boyish trust and affection he had felt for his protector, and his own ignorance of, and exemption from, all the worst practices of that unhappy criminal.
His look, so fixed so intense so stern, awed the policeman; his hand trembled as he fired, and the ball struck the parapet an inch below the spot where Morton knelt. An indistinct, wild, gurgling sound-half-laugh, half-yell of scorn and glee, broke from Gawtrey's lips. He swung himself on near near nearer a yard from the parapet.
He was struck, and almost awed, by the profound gloom which lurked under Gawtrey's broad humour a gloom, not of temperament, but of knowledge. However in this, their second reunion, there was a greater gaiety than in their first; and under his host's roof Morton insensibly, but rapidly, recovered something of the early and natural tone of his impetuous and ardent spirits.
By his bedside sat Liancourt, who, long alarmed at his disappearance, had at last contrived, with the help of Mr. Barlow, to trace him to Gawtrey's house, and had for several days taken share in the vigils of poor Fanny. While he was yet explaining all this to Philip, and congratulating him on his evident recovery, the physician entered to confirm the congratulation.
Morton, in a word, was fascinated; this man was the only friend he had made. I have not thought it necessary to detail to the reader the conversations that had taken place between them, during that passage of Morton's life when he was before for some days Gawtrey's companion; yet those conversations had sunk deep in his mind.
Gawtrey, nodding to his comrade and giving a hurried bow to the host, descended also. As they passed the porter's lodge, they found Lilburne on the step of his carriage; he turned his head abruptly, and again met Mr. Gawtrey's eye; paused a moment, and whispered over his shoulder: "So we remember each other, sir? Let us not meet again; and, on that condition, bygones are bygones."
Never were parted cherries brighter than her dewy lips; and the colour of the open neck and the rounded arms was of a whiteness still more dazzling, from the darkness of the hair and the carnation of the glowing cheek. Suddenly Fanny started from Gawtrey's arms, and running up to Morton, gazed at him wistfully, and said, in French: "Who are you? Do you come from the moon? I think you do."
Quick, divide the spoils! Sauve qui peat!" Then Morton heard where he sat, his hands still clasped before his face, a confused hubbub of voices, the jingle of money, the scrambling of feet, the creaking of doors. All was silent! A strong grasp drew his hands from his eyes. "Your first scene of life against life," said Gawtrey's voice, which seemed fearfully changed to the ear that beard it.
Word Of The Day