the lumley autograph-第8章

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formed　vow　of　Lady　Holberton　to　the　contrary；　but　then　His　Royal
Highness　Prince　…　…　had　particularly　requested　to　see　the　letter
of　the　poor　poet；　having　heard　it　mentioned　at　dinner。　The　evening
passed　off　brilliantly；　their　royal　highnesses；　came；　saw；　and
departed。　The　crowd　followed　them　to　another　house；　while　a　favored
few；　chiefly　collectors；　remained　lingering　about　the　table　on　which
lay　the　Album。　I　should　have　said　earlier；　that　Lady　Holberton　had
appointed　a　new　office　in　her　household　the　very　day　after　the　loss
of　the　Lumley　Autograph；　this　was　no　other　than　a　pretty　little　page；
dressed　in　the　old　costume　of　a　student　of　Padua；　whose　sole　duty　it
was　to　watch　over　the　Album　whenever　it　was　removed　from　the　rich
and　heavy　case　in　which　it　usually　lay　enshrined。　He　was　the　guard
of　the　Album；　and　was　strictly　enjoined　never；　for　one　instant；　to
remove　his　eyes　from　the　precious　volume　from　the　moment　he　was
placed　on　duty；　until　relieved。

Well；　there　we　were；　some　dozen　of　us；　collected　about　the　table；
Lady　Holberton　looking　triumphant；　Mr。　T…　very　proud；　and　there
stood　the　page　of　the　Album；　dressed　in　his　Paduasoy　gown；　with
eyes　fastened　on　the　book；　according　to　orders；　while　he　supported
its　gorgeous　case　in　his　arms。　Some　remark　was　made　as　to　the
extraordinary　manner　in　which　the　precious　Autograph　had　been　lost；
and　then　found　again。　My　blood　actually　boiled；　as　one　of　the
company　turned　to　me　and　asked　in　a　suspicious　tone；　if　I　did　not
know　more　of　its　history　than　I　chose　to　confess？　My　indignation　was
boundless；　fortunately　I　could　produce　the　friend　walking　with　me　in
Piccadilly；　and　the　artisan's　family　at　Clapham；　as　witnesses　in　my
favor。　Miss　Rowley　was　standing　near　me　at　the　moment。

｛Paduasoy　=　a　strong　corded　or　gros…grain　silk　fabric；　traditionally
associated　with　Padua；　Italy｝

〃Still；　Mr。　Howard；〃　observed　that　lady；　〃I　really　cannot　see　why　you
should　resent　the　insinuation　so　warmly。　Now；　do　you　know；　I　am　not
at　all　sorry　to　have　it　in　my　power　to　declare　that　I　have　some
knowledge　of　the　fate　of　that　paper　during　its　eclipse。〃

All　eyes　were　instantly　fixed　on　the　speaker。　The　lady　smiled　and
continued：

〃Lady　Holberton　thinks　the　Lumley　Autograph　was　stolenI
understand　she　even　thought　it　was　stolen　by　myself〃

She　here　turned　deliberately　toward　our　hostess；　who　looked　uneasy。

〃If　such　were　your　suspicions；　Lady　Holberton；〃　continued　Miss
Rowley；　speaking　with　great　deliberation〃I　am　happy　to　say　they
were　quite　correctyou　only　did　me　justiceI　am　proud　to　declare
the　deed　was　mine〃

We　were　all　speechless　at　hearing　this　sudden　and　bold　avowal。

〃It　was　I；　Theodosia　Rowley；　who　carried　offthe　word　is　of　little
consequencewho　stole；　I　repeat；　that　precious　paper。　So　long　as
the　treasure　was　mine；　the　consciousness　of　possessing　it　was
sufficient　in　itselfbut　having　afterward　lost　it　from　my　pocket　by
unpardonable　carelessness；　I　shall　at　least　now　glory　in　the　daring
deed　which　made　it　once　my　own。〃

Conceive　the　amazement　which　these　remarksdelivered　with　calm
enthusiasmproduced　among　the　listening　circle。　We　all　know　that
high　crimes　and　misdemeanors　enough　are　committed　by　men；　and
women　too；　but　somehow　or　other　the　delinquents　are　not　often
given　to　talking　of　them；　they　would　just　as　lief　in　general　that　the
act　should　not　be　known。　The　effect　of　Miss　Rowley's　words　was
different　on　different　individuals。　As　for　myself；　I　involuntarily　felt　for
the　handkerchief　in　my　pocket。　The　page　of　the　album　drew　nearer。
Lady　Holberton　looked　aghast；　as　though　she　had　seen　a　cannibal。
Some　bit　their　lips；　others　opened　their　eyes。　Mr。　T…；　however；
who　held　the　album　at　the　moment；　and　was　bending　over　it　when
Miss　Rowley　began　her　extraordinary　disclosure；　raised　his　eyes；
fixed　his　glasses　on　the　fair　speaker；　and　sent　through　them　such　a
glance　as　no　words　can　fully　describe。　It　was　a　glance　of　intense
admiration。

〃What　exalted　views！　What　sublime　sentiments！〃　he　exclaimed　in　an
ecstasy。

But　Mr。　T…'s　blaze　of　admiration　was　not　the　only　flame　at　work；
while　he　was　gazing　at　the　heroine　of　the　moment。　In　the　sudden
burst　of　enthusiasm　roused　by　the　fair　purloiner；　he　forgot　all　else；
the　precious　volume　in　his　hand　drooped；　touched　the　flame　of　a
wax…light　on　the　table；　and　in　another　instant　the　great　Holberton
Album；　that　Album　of　European　reputationwas　burning　before　our
eyesits　invaluable　leaves　were　curling；　and　blackening；　and
smoking　under　the　devouring　flame！

A　shriek　from　Lady　Holbertonan　unearthly　cry　from　the　page　of　the
Albumboth　echoed　by　the　spectators；　came　too　late。　The　volume
was　half　consumed。　Of　the　Lumley　Autograph　not　a　line　remained！

Such　was　the　ill…fated　end　of　the　letter　of　the　poor　starving　poet。　It
was　written　amid　gloom　and　distress；　its　career　closed　in　a　stormy
hour。　The　loss　of　the　Album　of　course　broke　off　the　engagement
between　Lady　Holberton　and　Mr。　T…。　This　however　could　scarcely
have　been　regretted　under　the　circumstances；　for　their　union；　after
the　catastrophe　must　have　been　one　long　series　of　miserable
reproaches。　The　sudden　change　in　Mr。　T…'s　feelings　toward　Miss
Rowley　was　not　a　momentary　one；　the　admiration　first　kindled　by
that　lady's　bold　declaration；　grew　to　be　the　strongest　sentiment　of
his　heart；　and　only　a　few　weeks　later　he　was　made　the　happiest　of
men　by　receiving　as　his　own　the　fair　hand　which　accomplished　the
deed。　Miss　Rowley　and　Mr。　T…　were　united　in　the　bands　of
matrimony　and　collectorship。　Lady　Holberton　was　still　inconsolable
when　I　left　London；　she　was　thinking　of　traveling　among　the
Hottentots；　or　in　any　other　clime　where　albums　are　unknown　and　her
loss　could　be　forgotten。　The　journey　to　Kaffirland　was　however
postponed　until　the　next　change　of　ministry；　and　I　have　learned
recently　that　the　lady　has　so　far　recovered　her　spirits　as　to　be
thinking　of　an　'Omnibus。'　The　very　last　packet；　indeed；　brought　a
flattering　application　to　myself；　Lady　Holberton　graciously　declaring
that　the　name　of　Jonathan　Howard　is　not　only　valued　by　herself；　as
that　of　a　friend；　but　interesting　to　collectors　generally；　as　having
been　once　connected　with　that　much　lamented　document；　now　lost
to　the　world；　the　letter　of　the　poor　starving　poet；　known　as　the
Lumley　Autograph。

｛〃Omnibus〃　=　in　this　context；　an　〃omnibus　bill〃　（i。e。；　one　dealing
with　a　variety　of　subject）　in　Parliament｝







End