Volume VI Part 31 (2/2)

How my temper changed in a moment!--Ring, ring, ring, ring, I my bell, with a violence enough to break the string, and as if the house were on fire.

Every devil frighted into active life: the whole house in an uproar. Up runs Will.--Sir--Sir--Sir!--Eyes goggling, mouth distended--Bid the d.a.m.n'd toad Dorcas come hither, (as I stood at the stair-head,) in a horrible rage, and out of breath, cried I.

In sight came the trembling devil--but standing aloof, from the report made her by Will. of the pa.s.sion I was in, as well as from what she had heard.

Flash came out my sword immediately; for I had it ready on--Cursed, confounded, villanous bribery and corruption----

Up runs she to her lady's door, screaming out for safety and protection.

Good your honour, interposed Will., for G.o.d's sake!--O Lord, O Lord!-- receiving a good cuff.--

Take that, varlet, for saving the ungrateful wretch from my vengeance.

Wretch! I intended to say; but if it were some other word of like ending, pa.s.sion must be my excuse.

Up ran two or three of the sisterhood, What's the matter! What's the matter!

The matter! (for still my beloved opened not the door; on the contrary, drew another bolt,) This abominable Dorcas!--(call her aunt up!--let her see what a traitress she has placed about me!--and let her bring the toad to answer for herself)--has taken a bribe, a provision for life, to betray her trust; by that means to perpetuate a quarrel between a man and his wife, and frustrate for ever all hopes of reconciliation between us!

Let me perish, Belford, if I have patience to proceed with the farce!

If I must resume, I must----

Up came the aunt, puffing and blowing--As she hoped for mercy, she was not privy to it! She never knew such a plotting, perverse lady in her life!--Well might servants be at the pa.s.s they were, when such ladies as Mrs. Lovelace made no conscience of corrupting them. For her part she desired no mercy for the wretch; no niece of her's, if she were not faithful to her trust!--But what was the proof?----

She was shown the paper----

But too evident!--Cursed, cursed toad, devil, jade, pa.s.sed from each mouth:--and the vileness of the corrupted, and the unworthiness of the corruptress, were inveighed against.

Up we all went, pa.s.sing the lady's door into the dining-room, to proceed to trial.----

Stamp, stamp, stamp up, each on her heels; rave, rave, rave, every tongue ----

Bring up the creature before us all this instant!----

And would she have got out of the house, say you?--

These the noises and the speeches as we clattered by the door of the fair bribress.

Up was brought Dorcas (whimpering) between two, both bawling out--You must go--You shall go--'Tis fit you should answer for yourself--You are a discredit to all worthy servants--as they pulled and pushed her up stairs.--She whining, I cannot see his honour--I cannot look so good and so generous a gentleman in the face--O how shall I bear my aunt's ravings?----

Come up, and be d--n'd--Bring her forward, her imperial judge--What a plague, it is the detection, not the crime, that confounds you. You could be quiet enough for days together, as I see by the date, under the villany. Tell me, ungrateful devil, tell me who made the first advances?

Ay, disgrace to my family and blood, cried the old one--tell his honour-- tell the truth!--Who made the first advances?----

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