WILLIAM FITZ-OSBERT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 55, 6 March 1871, Page 3

WILLIAM FITZ-OSBERT.

A STORY OF LOKDON LIFE IN THE DAYS OF KICHAKD CCEIHI Dli LION. From the Family Friend. Chapter VII. NELLY AND HER FATIIEK. For the first time in her life Nelly tapped 1/at the door of her father's house with fear " »nd reluctance. It; was opened, as usual, by the bondsman, Winifred. "Thou hast been abroad early, Mistress Nelly," remarked the man. " Thy father hath beeu anxiously awaiting thy return." "My father!" said Nelly, with a look of alarm. " What does ho want me for? Is anything wrong?'' "Anything wrong! Lor', Mistress Nell, the cold air hath done thee no good this morning, Thou look'st as frightened as though thou hadst seen the ghost of Rufus." "Where is my father, Winifred?" asked Nelly, endeavoring to assume her usual ease.

''Where is thy father? Why, where should he be but in his room, awaiting thy attendance at the morning meal? I pray thee, haste, good mistress, or the fried fish and hot spiced wine will be spoiled." Nelly made no reply, but went straight into the room where her father and Armstrong had, the day before, arranged the terms of Sir Hugh's capture. Fitz-Osbert was seated before the logfire, with knitted brows and folded arms. He did not move when his daughter entered. " Well, Nelly," he said, " you have had an early walk this morning. Where have you been?" Nelly drew herself up and pushed back her golden hair, resolved to have courage — resolved to demand an explanation from her father. " I have been to the cell by the river, father," she replied. There was a pause. Fitz-Osbert's eyes remained fixed on the burning logs, but there was a slight convulsive twitching about his mouth, the lines in his face grew deep and rigid, and when he spoke it was with evident difficulty. " What induced you to go there, Nell?" "The suspicion of a cruel and shameful crime," replied his daughter, who looked more spiritual and beautiful than ever, standing like a marble statue, pale and motionless. Fitz-Osbert winced as, slowly and distinctly, the bold answer fell upon his eats. " Explain yourself, child," he said, turning round, and looking his daughter full in the face. "It is for you, father, to explain," said Nelly, trying to check the tears that were starting to her eyes. "Nelly," said Fitz-Osbert, "you have been a good, dutiful daughter, but if you intend to pry into things that do not concern you — if you intend to stand between me and my purposes, I warn you that all the tender ties which have bound us together in love and happiness these eighteen years will be rent asunder. I have good cause for what I do. Heaven knows I have good cause. By the memory of your poor mother I have sworn to complete the task before me. If you have any love ipr your father, Nelly, stand not between Him and his purpose. I would not have you mingle in these affairs of violence, and I command you to do your duty as a daughter, to obey your father, and to speak no more of that which idle curiosity alone dictates." "It is no idle curiosity, father, to save a human life !" "What mean you, child?" " I mean that Sir Hugh de Danedred is -in peril of his life." '' How know you that?" "I opened the door of the cell and found him bleeding, giddy almost senseless. I had heard enough and seen enough to know that you — my own father — were concerned in this wickedness. I could not bear the awful shame, the overwhelming sense of guilt, the eternal ruin that murder "would bring upon our home. I had him rfemoved where all in mortal power will be done to save his life — and now — — " "Nelly!" shouted Fitz-Osbert, leaping to his feet and facing his daughter with clenched hands and gleaming eyes, " how dare you thrust yourself thus between me and my just revenge? How dare you — ?" " I dare do all to save Sir Hugh from your un-Christian hatred, to ease you from the crime which will brand you for ever •with the curse of Cain. Oh, father, father, turn from this evil purpose! Remember that I am your child, remember how I love you, remember how happy we have always been. Forget the wrong, whatever it be, for the sake of your child and your good name. On my knees I implore you, father, do not send me adrift the wretched offspring of an outlaw. Think of all the good you may do for this unhappy city, think how honored and respected you have been. Let not a private injury or private feud thwart all your labors for the public good. Life is very short. Oh do not let the gates of Heaven be shut against you for ever. I will be your good and faithful, loving child till death, shall part us. Say that it may be so. Do not turn away from me. Say that you will quell this unlawful anger, it seems like a black yawning gulf separating us to all eternity. I aha not afraid of danger. I ■will go with you through fire and water. I will cling to you to the last through every torture, if our cause be just, but I cannot be with you in this evil work." She could not say more but, clung to his knees, sobbing hysterica^y. A Fitz-Osbert looked down up\>n on his unhappy daughter with a strange^expressson of pain. "Nelly" I would that I could^ comply with your prayer. "^"Rise from the ground, child, and let us consult together •when we are calm, I will tell you the secret of my life— the secret of your mother's untimely end, and if, when you have learned the painful history, you still, can urge me from my purpose, I will * relinquish my claim to all. revenge, and trust to Heaven to be absolved from every evp oath." /

Nelly rose to her feet, and placing her hands on her father's shoulders, looked eagerly into his face. It seemed to calm her distracted mind. There was hope in those gentle words which fell like rays of sunshine through the black clouds of her trouble. "Dear father, tell me all. I will listen very patientty. I always felt there was a mystery about my mothei*'s death, but I knew the subject pained you, and I thought it better to wait until you should wish me to hear it. Dreadful though the story may be, I know that it will do me good to hear it now. I do not fear the result, for no earthly injury, however cruel, however vile, can justify before all-merciful Heaven a long-fostered and horrible veugeance. I feel that Heaven is a realm, of peace and joy, abounding in love for all that is beautiful and good, lull of gentle mercy for the rebel world, and if Heaven is so merciful why should we foolish creatures foster hatred and revenge. Fifcz-Osberfc loved his daughter. In her beautiful face and form as she grew up to wonianhoocl he saw ihe image of her gentle Sa£on mother, audas she stood with her ]ifctjle white hands pressed on his shoulders, and her large angel eyes lighted with the inspiration of another world, the strength of parental love dispersed theslrong, bitter passion ofhis heart, and the severe lines in his face seemed to melt away into a soft, sorrowful expression. He felt that Nelly was too good for that selfish, wicked age. "Nelly" he said, passing his hands through the thick mass of hair which fell over iher neck and shoulders, "you shall henceforth be my counsellor. I will confide to you all my plans, all my hopes, ali my sorrows — you shall be a greater help and comfort to me now than ever before, for you shall not be enstranged from me by family secrets and hidden schemes. Go to your room and wipe away the traces of your ; tears. In the meantime Winifred shall bring in breakfasts ' Yet stay, Nelly, tell me first what you have done with Sir Hugh?" "I: cannot tell you now, father," said Nelly, "but I will tell you presently when you have told me all about mother, and when you have promised to do him no further injury." "Be it so. I see you claim the right of a conqueror. I have lowered my banner, and now I must submit." A( smile flitted on Nelly's lips, but it quickly disappeared, for her heart was heavy with anxiety about the young Crusader. "I am not the conqueror, but you yourself, father, if you have subdued this feeling of hatred against an innocent man." "No, not innocent, Nelly," said her father, the dark lines reappearing on his face. / " Forgive me, I do wrong to speak on J this subject now. I will send Winifred! with the wine and the fish, and will haste to be by your side, like a good little daughter." So sayiug, Nelly tripped from the room, her quick womanly instinct foreseeing the necssity of tact and gentleness to gain her end. If Sir Hugh, by the goodness of. Providence, should recover, and she could succeed in dispersing the mysterious desire of her father to do him injury, all would be well. She knew the task before her was not an easy one; it was the struggle of good and evil—of love against deep-rooted hatred; but she was accustomed to look up to Heaven for help, and she looked up to Heaven now with a feeling of . faith and hope. She quickly gave Winifred instruction to take in the morning repast, and that amiable domestic obeyed her with unusual alacrity. It was the custom of the domestics to sit at the further end of the same table whereat Fitz-Osbert and his ' daughter took their meals; and when Nelly came down from her room, looking. brighter and happier, they all sat down in silence. Fitz-Osbert was silent, for his heart was disturbed with conflicting passions; now with hot hatred of the Danedreds, now with love for his daughter. Nelly was silent, thinking of Sir Hugh, and wondering what dreadful secret her father had to. disclose. When the meal was over, and the remains cleared away by old Winifred and the maid, Fitz-Osbert drew his seat up to the log-fire. "Come and sit here, Nelly," he said, in a voice peculiarly sad and gentle. Nelly took a small wooden stool, and sat at his feet. "It is well, Nelly, that I should tell you at once all that has to be told. You do not remember your mother; it pleased God to take her from me while you were yet a little child, just beginning to walk." Nelly always fancied she could remember faintly the face of her mother; and she strove to bring back more than the dim outline that passed before her mind. " She was taken from me under circumstances so dastardly and cruel, that I almost feel unequal to the task of relating the dreadful story." Fitz-Osberfc looked into the fire as he spoke, and all the evil passion was again taking possession of his features. To be continued.