The Mysterious Wanderer Volume Iii Part 6

"As I told you, Madam," said Talton, "neither proofs--nor witnesses, substantial ones too, are wanting. To oblige Sir Henry, who does not forget you are his mother, though you have proved unmindful of that tie, I should have waited on you, that you might not be unprepared for the charge: for there are many circ.u.mstances, too tedious to be now discussed, which must be explained in a court of justice! The real will of the late Sir Henry is found, and now in my possession: from whence it will pa.s.s to that of the Lord Chancellor; together with a packet, likewise of your husband's writing, containing an account of your proceedings and conversations with your favourite, Mallet; which he overheard, by means of a closet in the private room adjoining your apartment; and by which means, the present Sir Henry is likewise well informed of every artifice you have used to make him appear insane, and your intentions to have destroyed the will, could you have discovered it!"

He was prevented from proceeding, by the horror which appeared in the countenance of Lady Corbet. An universal trembling seized her frame, and, had not the Captain supported her, she would have sunk on the floor: he replaced her on the settee, and when she had in some degree recovered from this agitation of guilt and fear, he said:--"A candid confession on your part, Lady Corbet, with the restoration of the property bequeathed Sir Henry, by his father, are the only means to avoid the ruin which threatens you. It is not my wish, nor Mr. Talton's, far less Sir Henry's, to bring his mother to a public trial; but justice, either by your hand or ours, shall be rendered him! If you refuse to afford it him--all shall be discovered!"

"All is discovered!" cried Lady Corbet, distractedly. "But never shall Henry triumph over me, in a court of justice! No--sooner shall my own hand plunge me into eternity!"

"Little are you prepared for so serious a change," said Talton. "You may fly from the accusations of a son, but would meet those of a husband, injured in every respect, before a Being from whom there is no escape: and whose justice, though blended with mercy, is equal to his power!

Rather, Lady Corbet, endeavour to atone for your past actions, and by a life of repentance, seek that mercy, you at present so little deserve!"

This address, delivered in a manner, equally solemn and affecting, appeared to increase the horror of Lady Corbet.

"Louise, too;" she faintly articulated;--"would I had not seen her! But no matter, there is still a resource!"--She burst into tears; then, after a moment's pause, hastily continued--"I presume, Sir, you have nothing farther to communicate, and I am now at liberty to depart?"

Mr. Talton bowed, and ringing the bell, Lady Corbet, in a state approaching nearly to derangement, followed the servant to her carriage, and returned to the Hall.

CHAPTER V.

Mr. Talton silently paced the room, some minutes after her departure; he had gained the triumph over his feelings in this interview, but, he felt, too dearly, and would cheerfully have resigned half of his fortune, had Lady Corbet proved herself as amiable as he formerly thought her. He was soon joined by all the party, except Louise, who was too ill to leave her apartment; and Sir Henry being anxious to know the particulars of the interview, requested him to recount what had pa.s.sed.

Mr. Talton instantly complied.

"Forbid it, Heaven," Sir Henry e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, as he concluded, "that she should meditate suicide! Never more should I experience a moment's happiness! Sooner would I embrace the most abject poverty, than enjoy a state of affluence by driving a mother to self-destruction!"

"I do not apprehend her Ladys.h.i.+p will commit any act of desperation on herself," said Mr. Talton: "but rather, as I intended by alarming her, endeavour to escape from justice, by resigning your possessions."

He was right in his conjecture: Lady Corbet, justly alarmed at the discovery of her guilt, and dreading the power of that justice she pretended to despise, immediately on her return to the Hall, summoned Mallet, and, informing him of what had happened, ordered him to repair to London, and withdraw her property, amounting to nearly fourscore thousand pounds, exclusive of Louise's fortune, from the funds, and follow her to France.

Mallet by no means approved of her precipitation:--"I wish your safety, Lady Corbet," he answered, after a pause; "yet reflect before you determine on flight. Did Talton produce the will?--No! Then may not this accusation be a plan to entice you to confess what, I grant, they may suspect, but cannot prove! Where--or how should Talton have obtained the will? Sir Henry possessed it not when he quitted the Hall, or this claim would have been made sooner. But even supposing this account of their having it to be true, (which I can scarcely credit), may there not be means to get it from their possession?--Reflect a little, Caroline, and if you can keep--there is no occasion to throw away so much property."

Lady Corbet hesitated--"If I can keep--Charles: but impossible! Talton too surely has the will: he is not a man either to trifle or be trifled with. Yet how--where--or when he could obtain it--"

"Is at present," interrupted Mallet, "of very little consequence. Had the measures I advised been pursued, this would never have occurred: but as it is--all I can say is, if he really have it, means must be found to get it from him."

"Impossible--impossible, Charles!"

"Why so, Lady Corbet? Consent to give me your hand if I succeed, and trust to my management for the obtaining of it--if in his possession."

"I do consent!--I will consent to any thing," answered the agitated Lady Corbet, "on the condition you have named!"

"But one question, then," said her crafty lover: "Where does Talton keep his papers of consequence?"

"In a cabinet, which stands in his chamber. But wherefore do you ask?--What means do you propose to pursue?"

"Forcible ones," replied Mallet, "if I find them requisite."

"Let them be prudent, cautious, and expeditious," said Lady Corbet, emphatically: "and if danger await me, be quick as fear itself to give me intelligence!"

They separated; and Mallet, his head teeming with various projects, proceeded toward Mr. Talton's. On approaching the house, he perceived the servants were a.s.sembled in their own apartment; he, therefore, confidently entered by one of the lower windows, and, being well acquainted with every room, hastened to that Lady Corbet had mentioned.

His heart beat with malicious pleasure on beholding the cabinet; and, securing the door, to prevent discovery, he lightly advanced, and with trembling impatience attempted to open the drawers. All, however, were secured; he then tried various keys, but without effect; and being certain no time was to be lost, resolutely applied a chissel he had brought, and forced the lock of the princ.i.p.al drawer. He looked not far for the will; the hand-writing of the deceased Sir Henry soon met his view, and, hastily securing his prize, he, with an exulting heart, was retreating from the chamber, when Sir Henry, who with Harland, had left the drawing-room to visit Louise, returned from her apartment. The figure of Mallet caught his eye, and the appearance of the cabinet forced open as instantly disclosed the reason of his being there. Sir Henry sprung to oppose his escape, and seizing him by the collar, demanded the rest.i.tution of the writings he had so feloniously obtained.

Rendered desperate by this unexpected discovery, Mallet, after vainly struggling for liberation, drew the chissel from his pocket, and aimed a stroke at the bosom of Sir Henry.

It was too well directed to have failed in its effect, and Sir Henry must inevitably have fallen a victim, had not Harland, surprised by his exclamation, hastened from his wife's apartment, and, perceiving his danger, torn the destructive weapon from the hand of the a.s.sa.s.sin!

Mallet was still endeavouring to force his way from Sir Henry, when Mr.

Talton and the Captain, surprised at the scuffle, hastened to the spot, followed by Frederick, Edward, and several of the servants, who had likewise been alarmed. The cause was soon explained, and Mallet effectually secured; he was then searched, and the will, with the packet written by the deceased Sir Henry, produced.

"Lady Corbet, I find," said Mr. Talton, "is resolved to tear her image from my heart! By heavens! this last action exceeds all I could ever have supposed a woman, and a mother, could have been guilty of!--For you, Mallet, your life shall answer for this outrage!"

This last sentence, p.r.o.nounced with uncommon energy, reached the ear of Louise, who rushed into the pa.s.sage.--"He is--he is my father," she cried in a voice of anguish. "Oh, for my sake, have mercy!" She threw herself at the feet of Mr. Talton, who, with Sir Henry and Harland, endeavoured to raise her from the floor, as the former said--"He has attempted the life of your brother, Mrs. Harland. But retire to your chamber, this scene is not fit for you."

Harland would have borne her away; but, with the wildest screams, she broke from him, and threw her arms round the neck of Mallet, who appeared as much confounded at her claim, as at the discovery of his preceding action.

"I am your Louise," sobbed his agitated daughter; "her whom you left at the gates of St. Ursule.--Will you not speak to me, and say you are my father?"

"The name of father," answered Mallet sullenly, "affords no pleasure to me, but has given a stab to my heart, I never thought to have experienced. Neither, I think, can it be gratifying to your ears, if you recollect the treatment you have received at my hands. If you wish, however, to show yourself my daughter, remind Sir Henry it is not in my power or your mother's now to injure him. I am at his mercy; but I do not expect to find it."

Louise turned a tearful eye to Sir Henry.--"My brother!" plaintively escaped her lips, and falling on his bosom, she wept in silence.

"Compose yourself, my dear girl:" said Sir Henry: "the tears of Louise can never plead in vain!--Go, Sir," he continued, addressing Mallet, as he unfastened the cord which confined him.--"For Louise's sake, you are free: and that this evening's transactions may teach you a useful lesson, take with you the forgiveness of the man you would have deprived--even of life!"

"I will not oppose your generous sentence, Sir Henry," said Mr. Talton; "but if you, Mallet, be found in this part of the country to-morrow--the next morning, notwithstanding Sir Henry's clemency, you shall certainly be the inmate of a prison."

Louise wrung her hands, and again burst into tears; whilst Mallet's brow a.s.sumed a deeper gloom: but, as he pa.s.sed her, he said--"This is, most probably, then, Louise, our last interview. As the merit of my release rests with you, may a better blessing than mine be your reward!" He descended the stairs, followed by Mr. Talton and the servants; whilst Louise, satisfied by his liberation and benediction, yielded to Harland's entreaties, that she would retire to her own apartment.

In the mean time, Mallet retraced his steps to Corbet Hall; one moment furious from the loss of the prize he had obtained; the next, overwhelmed with shame at his detection. Unwillingly he approached Lady Corbet, who awaited his return with the utmost anxiety and impatience; eagerly her eyes glanced to catch intelligence from his; they sparkled not with exultation--"What hopes--what success--what fortune--await me?"

she hastily interrogated. "Your only hopes--are in flight!" answered Mallet, churlishly. "Sir Henry has, indeed, the will to produce, with the packet Talton mentioned." He then recounted what had pa.s.sed: but, when Lady Corbet learned, the will had actually been in his possession, and that he had neglected to destroy, the moment he obtained it, her rage exceeded the power of restraint.

Mallet listened impatiently to her reproaches; and at last said--"The best concerted schemes, Caroline, may sometimes be rendered abortive; nor can I in the least reproach myself for the failure of this. But, it is useless wasting time in words, which ought to be employed in making preparations for a safe retreat; and, as our affairs are situated, the sooner we depart the better."

"But for your foolish prevention, Sir," said Lady Corbet, "I should, ere this time, have been beyond the reach of Talton: but you, forsooth, must raise hopes--only, by a futile project, to dash them more forcibly to the ground, and make me more sensibly feel the loss of wealth and honour, by reflecting, you had it in your power--but neglected--to secure them to me!"

She left him with increasing anger, yet with every fear awake to apprehended danger. She, therefore, packed up jewels and money to a considerable amount; and, a little after midnight, set out for Pembroke; leaving Sir Henry to establish his rights as he thought proper.

In the mean time, Sir Henry experienced a state of anxiety and wretchedness, little inferior to Lady Corbet's. He had given the power of acting as they wished, into the hands of Mr. Talton and the Captain: his mother, they had promised, should not be exposed: but, he feared, this last disappointment of her plans, and discovery of her principles, might, indeed, instigate her to some act of desperation.

His apprehensions were relieved the next morning, when the following laconic letter was delivered to Mr. Talton:--

"Tell my unnatural son, he never shall triumph over the fall of his mother!--By the time this reaches your hands, I shall have bidden an eternal adieu to England; to seek a retreat where I may securely laugh at, and despise both him and the power of justice.

"As Louise's offence of appearing in my presence, I believe, was unintentional, tell her, I forgive her--and, some years hence, may, perhaps, be induced to remember I am her mother.

"CAROLINE CORBET."

The satisfaction of Sir Henry's friends at this event, so much more favourable than they had expected, could be equalled only by his own, at the disappointment of his fears, respecting his mother. Cheerfully he returned their gratulations; till Mr. Talton reminded him, it was requisite he should go to the Hall, and examine into the state of his affairs. A carriage was accordingly ordered, and Sir Henry, accompanied by Mr. Talton and the Captain, took possession of his paternal habitation. On inquiring after the retreat of Lady Corbet, the housekeeper informed them, she had left the Hall, unattended, and in a hired carriage; and that Mallet was likewise gone--they knew not whither.

The tenantry were then a.s.sembled; who with satisfaction admitted the justice of his claim, and openly rejoiced at their young landlord's succession to the fortunes of his father. On examining the accounts of Mallet, Sir Henry was induced to coincide with Mr. Talton's opinion, that his mother had not left England unprovided for; and knowing that his father, at his decease, had money to a considerable amount, in the Caermarthen and Pembroke banks, immediately agreed to his guardians proposal, of going to those places, that he might be certified what property he had still remaining. Accordingly, writing to his friends at Mr. Talton's, to acquaint them with their proceedings, they set out for Pembroke.