THE CLERKS AND TWINS.
(From Once a Week.) "Was I dreaming? was I mad? and then the truth in all its nakedness flashed across me, and I understood the miserable perfidy of the sisters In my absence they had come to the singular determination of changing lovers. Aimee was to be Bob's, Greraldine was to mme — a cool arrangement, to say the least of it, to which I could not understand Bob's agreeing without first consulting me. The case, however, was too clear to admit of a doubt, and I resolved never again to trust a woman's love, never tagain to l»lf«ve in a mans' friendship. Wretched is the man whose faith in human godness is shiprecked. - 1 was miserable, I had nothing left to believe in. I was glad, however, that I had found out in time the worthlessness of the woman to whom I was plighted before I was bound to her for life : and yet such was the love I bore her, that I verily believe had she asked my forgiveness I should have taken her back to my heart again. Before leaving the grounds, which would never be entered by me. again, I took one long last look at those walls within which I had spent so many happy days, and then like one in a dream walked back to Liverpool. I looked neither right nor left ; I heard nothing, saw nothing ; and it has often been to me a matter of astonishment how I reached my lodgings in safety. I nearly upset my old landlady, when she opened the door, in my hurry to reach my room. There I locked myself ' up, and longed for my mother to comfort me, but the only comforter I had was Mrs. Buggins, who followed me up-stairs as fast as her obesity would permit, and knocking at my door, entreated me " like j a dear good gentleman to take a bit of j something to eat." 1 told her that I conld not eat, and begged to be left to die in peace : and I really did my best to die of a broken heart, but death would not come to me when I called. I lay on my hard horsehair sofa for some hours, refusing all Mrs. Buggins's entreaties to open my door, but at length with darkness came hungergroped my way drawer, and fortunaely found a biscuit, which kept my cravings quiet for a while, only to'return, however, with renewed force after a space. I was thinking of following the example of pious iEneas and his comrades who were driven " consumer^ mensas," but it struck me that my mahogany would be tough, and at the same moment a delicous clatter of plates reached my ear. I could not resist those dulcet sounds, and crossing the room on tip-toe I turned the key gently in the lock, the bolt slided back, and there was no obstacle but a door between my hunger- and the food that would satisfy it. Mrs. Buggins must have heard the turning lock, for . immediately the door opened, and my nostrils were saluted with a savoury smell. I heard the sound of a tray laid upon the table : I could not Avait for a light, but groping with my hands, seized the first eatable that came in my way, and when she returned I was gnawing ravenously atasamall leg of Welsh mutton, when she returned with a moderator, the light from which displayed to my astonished eye Robert Ramsay calmly seated in my arm-chair. This was impudence I impudence without a precedent ! I stood aghast, my mouth was too full to permit of articulation, and I had to wait for some seconds before I was able to splutter out a command that he should leave my presence. He smiled and was on the point of speaking, when, unable to restrain any longer my indignation at his insolence, I hurled the loaf at his head. He ducked and escaped the blow, and I was preparing to attack him with my fists, when my legs began to fail me and I fell fainting on the floor. " Hou dare you show your false face in this room, Robert Ramsay ?" I whispered, as consciousness returnea. " Percy, you make a mistake. Before ten minutes are over I shall have all the apology I want ; but you are too weak to talk, my poor fellow, let me lead you to a chair and I will talk to you." I was too weak to resist, he placed me in an arm-chair, and took a seat near me. Nothing I knew could explain away what I had seen with my own eyes, but still I wished to hear what he had to say without pretending to listen ; accordingly, I feigned sleep, but though my eyes were closed, my ears were on the stretch not to to lose a word of Bob's narrative. " You are quite worn out, I see, Percy" he began, after throwing his cigar into the grate ; " so I will make my story as short at possible. I must begin, however, from the first, and, tell you that on returning from seeing you off, I found a note begging my immediate presence at Rosebank. Old Crump, I knew, had left Liverpool for a few days, and, thinking that the girls wanted my escort for a ride, I obeyed the summons at once. I found them in their walking dresses ; they wished me to take them somewhere, where, they would not say, till I had promised to accompany them. I promised rashly, and then they told me that they were going to consult an oculist, of whose arrival they had just heard from their maid. I begged them to pause before they placed themselves under the care of a man of whose capabilities they knew nothing ; but they said, and said rightly, that he could not make their squints worse, and he might make them better. They told me that no one knew how much they felt their misfortune, and that they wondered how you and I could marry such frights, and then they pictured yours and their father's joyful surprise, if, on returning, you and he should find their squints cured. They quivered all over with the very anticipation of such an event, I could resist no longer. I took them to the oculist, who said the squints were perfectly curable, and that a slight optration would set them right. They offered to undergo it at once: Q-eraldine sat down like a heroine and hardly winced when, the lancet touched her eyes, AimSe was nearly as good, though ihe W aot yew? tad to, Mi
Bandages were placed on their eyes, not to be removed for a couple of days; we returned in a cab a? far as the garden gate, and there we got out, as they wished no one but their maid to hear of their adventure. With much laughter I led them through the garden, and handed them over to her care. I was not to see them, they said, till the time arrived for removing the bandages, as they intended to keep to their own room. The time passed quickly. When I returned the second day I found them in great excitement, eagerly anticipating their cure. I was to remove the bandages ; I untied the knots with trembling fingers, and looked I at their eyes, but, alas, saw no change. My look of dismay showed them that the operation was unsuccessful ; they looked at each other, and then ran to the mirror, when each uttered a piercing shriek. Aimee rushed into my arms, Greraldine fell fainting on the sofa. I was at a loss to understand why our Aimee had so honored me, but soon all was explained, for she whispered in my ear, ' What shall we do, Bob dearest ? our squints have changed places.' It was indeed too true ; Aimee squinted in, Greraldine squinted out." I started from my pretended slumber when I. heard the strange denoument ; and, burning with mingled shame at my disgraceful conduct, and joy to find that Aimee loved me still, I threw myself at Bob's knees and implored his pardon, and humbly apologised for my ungentlemanlike behaviour. " Shake hands, old fellow," he replied, kink heart that he was ; " shake hands, all is forgiven and forgotten. I dare say I should have acted just as you did, for appearances were terribly against us, though I hardly think I could have believed that either you or Greraldine was false. You have spoiled my beauty for a week, that is all. Now go to bed, and get a good night's rest: you must go early to Rosebank and make your peace with Geraldine, who does not like to see her lover with a swelled face and black eyes. But I will guarantee that you are soon forgiven ; there will be no time for Greraldine to waste in anger ; we have all of us to consult how we are to acquaint old Crump of what has befallen his daughters. • Q-o to bed, there's a good fellow, I am going to turn in early. Good night." I was so worn out that I slept like a top, and believe that I should have been sleeping now had not Ramsay insisted on my jumping out of bed, and, after a hurried breakfast, accompanying him to Rosebank. Without his protection I could not have faced the sisters, so utterly ashamed was I of my conduct. Bob almost dragged me into their presence. Aimee flew into my arms, and asked me how I could have doubted her ; but Greraldine received me very coldly, and looked at Bob inquiringly. He pleaded for my forgiveness, and assured her that I had suffered far more than he had done. This she did not quite seem to believe, but at length she was pacified, and once more a united party we sat down to consult about the common weal. We agreed that their father must not be kept in the dark, but all were unanimous in wishing to keep the story from the ears of Liverpool gossips. Bob and I were therefore obliged to give up all ideas of vengeance on the quack, who would not have had a whole bone in his body if we had our way. It only remains to add that about three months afterwards Bob and I led our re: spective brides to the altar, and that although we are some years older now, we do not regret our choice.
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Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 222, 28 February 1866, Page 3
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1,763THE CLERKS AND TWINS. Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 222, 28 February 1866, Page 3
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