LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 762, 29 November 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

MISTRESS EUPHEMIA. Chapter 11. ' Gentlemen, fill your glasses for a toast I know you will all drink right willingly— Mistress Euphemia Walwyn, the boast of the West country!' The toast was drunk with enthusiasm by the party, most of whom were rather flushed with wine : only one man allowed his glass scarcely to touch his lips in honoiir of the lady; that man was Lord Wreford. For Mistress Walwyn had refused him, and he hated her with a mean base hatred that could only have existed in the breast of a bad man. It was hardly a week since he had ridden away from Walwyn Manor, vowing vengeance on the girl who had dared to reject him, and ever since he had been plotting and planning a scheme by which to wreak his rage upon her; it was matured now. He had read what she herself hardly knew of - her love for William Templeton—and it was through her heart that he had determined to strike his blow, but his time was not yet come; and with a bland smile he lifted his glass to his lips, setting it d"wn again with the wine untasted. The scene was the largest room in the chief inn of Exeter, the time nine p. m, and the company most of the gentlemen who dwelt within twenty miles of the city, and who had met at the Bell to drink a bowl, or rather a good many bowls, of punch, and indulge in a cast or two of the dice before proceeding to the assembly that was held that night at the town hall. To judge from their faces, many of the gentlemen would be quite unable to quit their present position, except to assume a humbler one. William Templeton was there, but he had been more temperate than most. The idea of appearing before his mistress flushed and heated with wine would have disgusted him, and he let the bottle pass him again and again till his friends rallied him on his abstinence. He had reason to be glad of it soon ; for he heard Lord Wreford in his low sneering tone utter some base speech against women, that if spoken now before a party of gentlemen might cause the offender to he kicked out of the room, but then was considered rather a mark of high breeding. Not however by all the company. The veins in Mr Templeton's forehead swelled, and his hands were clenched as though in anger. Lord Wreford cast one keen glance at him, then continued, 'For myself I have ever been a professed adorer of the sex, and I love a fine woman better than anything the world can show; but as to believing in her truth or honour, I would as soon belie.ve that the wind will stay for ever in the west, or that a soapbubble will never burst.'

This remark my lord made in a low but perfectly clear tone, apparently speaking to his right-hand neighbour—a small Devonshire squire, as utter a toady, and as low in morals and nature, as a man could well be —but from time to time glancing at Mr Templeton. ' Does your lordship speak of the sex in general, or of one woman in particular ? ' inquired the former worthy, leering hideously. His lordship shrugged his shoulders, and took a pinch of snuff, an action that displayed his white delicate hand to admiration.

'Of both, Sir. All wits from the time the world began have declared woman's nature to be as changeful as the wind, her boasted virtue frail and hollow as a bubble. I, while humbly indorsing my belief in their knowledge of woman as a whole, add my experience of women in particular as perfectly agreeable to their conclusions.' This speech written down seems somewhat studied and lengthy ; it needed the airy graoe of my lord's manner, the slight curl of his finely cut lip, to make its point, and these gave it the sharpness of a poisoned arrow.

None heard it but the squire and William Templeton. Most of the company were too tipsy to understand any conversation not relating to themselves; and those who were not were engaged in a noisy discussion as to the character of Mr Wilkes, under cover of which Lord Wreford's remarks passed unheeded. His lordship went on : ' Your western beauties, sir, are adorable. Nothing was ever seen so fresh and fair as they ; they stir even my heart. They know not the snares of a town life, they have never felt the temptations and dangers of London, that Mr Addison described thirty years ago, and that assuredly have not decreased since then; yet let me ask you if even in this quiet Devon the breath of scandal is quite unknown ? Is a fair one's fall a thing unheard of ? If so, I have found Arcadia. If not, why, sir, what shall we say of women's honor ? They can all be subdued, 'tis but a matter of time; even that fair and proud beauty whose health—' ' Stop, my lord; not a word of that lady. What you have already said is a lie, an insult to every gentleman that has or had a mother; but you touch not her name while I can prevent it.'

William Templeton had started up, his face crimson, his eyes blazing with rage, but his voice so clear and stern it roused the general attention, and caused all eyes to be turned on him, wondering what had caused this sudden outburst.

Lord Wreford's hands trifled with his gold snuff box, but there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes as he looked up, saying quietly, f To be continued. 1