LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1437, 24 September 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

MY THREE WEEKS’ HOLIDAY, AND

WHAT CAME OP IT.

“ London Society,”

Chapter HI, MY ADVENTURE

Passing slowly up the staircase I was arrested by hearing a waiter, who was in the entrance-hall, say (waving his hand towards me), ‘ Veils, monsieur.’ At the same time a tall man advanced, in whom I recognised the person who had come to my assistance in the custom-house the night before. Making me a profound bow, he addressed me in very fair English. ‘ Pardon, monsieur; could I have the honor of speaking a word with you ? I believe I saw your name in the visitors’ book this morning.’ My first thought was that he was about to question me on the correctness of Jack’s absurd entries, and I very fervently wished he were there to give his own explanations, I turned cold and hot alternately as my friend opened the door of a small apartment and invited mo to enter. Begging me to be seated, he said,

* I am in a most serious difficulty, but one in which I think you may be able to assist me.’

I was as much at a loss as before, but very considerably relieved to find the difficulty was his instead of mine.

‘ I must explain to you, monsieur, that I am acting as courier to a lady who arrived here yesterday from Rome. She has been seized with an attack of paralysis, and I am anxious to secure your services in her behalf.’

* But, sir, said I, rising, ‘ you are mistaken. lam not a medical man.’ ‘ I am quite aware of that, monsieur ; the most eminent in the place are already in attendance. But, if I mistake not, you are of the legal profession. My lady is most anxious to add a codicil to a will she executed some time ago. She was hastening to England for that purpose; but in all human probability she will never rise from her bed again, and her anxiety respecting this business the physician declares is hindering even the small hope there is of her recovery. Your arrival here seems to point out a way iq which her mind may be set at rpst j and I affi if you will consent to accompany me to her bedside and draw up the document.’

I hesitated a little, and wished Jack had been there to be consulted. Perhaps I was going to be made au actor in some unfair transaction. Really matters looked serious.

My companion evidently waited anxiously for my reply, and, seeing my hesitation he added,

‘ I assure you, monsieur, will not affect you in any way ; y u u will have the comfort of feeling chat you have helped to soothe cae last hours of a most estimable •fady, and one who has an additional claim in being a country-woman of your own.’

I felt I could no longer refuse, and expressed my willingness to acoonpduy him at once.

Passing up the sjaircaae and along a corridor, be stopped at a door at the extreme end, * ad Knocked softly. It was opened immediately by a lady about thirty years of ago, with a quiet patient face, but with so much goodness written on it that I felt greatly comforted with the certainty that she would be a party to nothing wrong. Hastily questioning my companion In French, ami receiving (I conclude), a satisfactory reply, she turned to mo, and in a low and gentle voice gratefully thanked me for granting their reuUCS'e, and. begged me to enter, Oy, q bed at the further end of the fopm lay a figure breathing heavily, and seemingly insensible to all surrounding objects, The face was pinched and drawn, and the white hair and wrinkled skin showed her to be well advanced in life. A table with writing materials stood by the bed, and a lamp with a green shade threw a ghastly shadow over the face of the sick woman, making her look like a breathing corpse. I had b en but little accustomed to such scenes ; the closeness of the apartment made me feel faint and sick, and I was obliged to exercise considerable self-control to enable me to remain in tub room,- Meanwhile the lady v. 0 , (, had spoken to mo was bending jyti the invalid’s bed, and endeavouring to

rouse its occupant from her stupor. In a short time her efforts were successful; the old lady opened her eyes, and murmured brokenly, ‘ I am ready; it is under my pillow.’ The younger lady drew a folded letter from beneath the invalid’s head, and, handing it to me, she said, ‘ In this paper you will find my friend’s wishes, which she is anxious should be made binding after her death by being now put into legal form and properly signed.’ ‘But, madam,’ I exclaimed, ‘is your friend in a state to make any disposition of her property now?’ ‘ Perfectly so,’ she replied. ‘ She is very ill, but quite able to sign the document, the draft of which she drew up herself three days ago on her becoming aware of the reasons for making the change, and she was then in as good a state of health as either you or myself. ’ I took the paper, and proceeded to the best of my ability to place it in legal form, and at the same time to make it as simple as possible. The invalid, who had never taken her eyes from me while I was so employed, and who seemed greatly relieved of her anxiety, was now raised by her attendants, and, with a little assistance, signed the document. Her friend and the courier then added their signatures as witnesses. * We have now,’ said the younger lady, ‘ one more request to make ; it is that you will promise to keep this an entire secret for the present; there is a reason why it is advisable that it should not be known to one of the parties concerned during my friend’s lifetime. For the present security of the deed it will be left in the hands of the English Consul here, and he will have instructions to whom alone to deliver it up; allow me to thank you in my friend’s behalf for your courtesy in the matter, and to present you with her acknowledgment of your professional services.’ So saying she placed in my hand a sealed envelope, and opening the door with a graceful bow wished me good night. I hastened to my room, very much puzzled as to how to account for my absence to Jack without betraying the confidence reposed in me, which was not for a moment to be thought of. To my intense relief he had not returned from his solitary walk. I threw myself into an armchair, and could hardly believe that the whole thing was not a dream ; but the envelope in my hand convinced me of its reality. I opened it with some curiosity as to the amount of fee it contained. Judge of my surprise when, on breaking the seal, I drew forth a Bank of England note for one hundred pounds, accompanied by a note begging me to accept it. There was no mistake about that, at any rate, and I only wished that in my future professional career my services were likely to meet with half so good remuneration. At first I began to calculate how jolly wo could be with part of this lucky windfall, but presently remembered that as Jack knew to a halfpenny the amount of my resources, I must carefully avoid any display of my wealth; so I prudently resolved to put it carefully away in an inner pocket, and to think no more about it till my return to town. I also came to the conclusion that it would be wise to jump into bed at once, and, by feigning to be fast asleep, to avoid Jack’s questioning as to how I had passed the time of his absence. I suppose I must actually have been so much in earnest in my pretending sleep that, in spite of my nervous excitement, the drowsy god did take possession of me, for I have no remembrance of seeing my friend Jack till daylight the next morning. Nearly a fortnight we spent in the pleasant watering place, and I learned (much against all my modest resolutions) to enjoy bathing amongst all the fair ladies who disported themselves daily in the water; I even danced, and got up one or two very mild and innocent flirtations, and I certainly did not enjoy myself less for feeling every now and then a certain crisp little bit of paper safely buttoned into my waistcoat pocket. One evening, as we entered our hotel for dinner, an unusual bustle and a carriage laden with luggage at the door proclaimed a departure, aud presently I saw borne down in the arms of two attendants the old lady whose acquaintance I had made in such a singular manner. Behind her came the younger lady, and I thought, ‘Now, then, I’m in for it, for she will certainly recognise me.’ I felt myself getting red to the roots of my hair ; but I need have been under no alarm, for no one took the slightest notice of me, and she merely included Jack and myself in the general salutation she gave as she passed through the hall. ‘ Boor old thing,’ said Jack, ‘she does not look as if she would be long for this world, does she ?’

Soon after this Jack aud I started on a hurried tour through some of the quaint old

towns in the neighbourhood ; but as we me with no adventures I need not weary the reader with descriptions of places to which abler pens than mine have done such frequent justice, but will only state that at the end of the three weeks we returned to England by the same route, and that my sufferings were on the whole rather greater than before, I must not omit to mention, that the young lady and her father had left the day after Jack had met them at the ball; but their present destination we did not know. Certainly I never concerned myself about it, and as Jack kept a profound silence on the subject I had no means of ascertaining if he felt more anxious than my# elf. The Count still lingered, and we saw his dissipated face glaring from the quay among the crowds of idlers who daily watch the departure and arrivals of the steamers. {To he continued.)