Ernest Maltravers — Volume 08Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
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Ernest Maltravers — Volume 08
Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
English fiction -- 19th century
Maltravers, on quitting Florence at her own door, went home, summoned
his favourite servant, gave him Cesarini's address at Chelsea, bade him
find out where he was, if he had left his lodgings; and leave at his
present home, or (failing its discovery) at the "Travellers," a cover,
which he made his servant address, inclosing a bank-note of some amount.
If the reader wonder why Maltravers thus constituted himself the unknown
benefactor of the Italian, I must tell him that he does not understand
Maltravers. Cesarini was not the only man of letters whose faults he
pitied, whose wants he relieved. Though his name seldom shone in the
pompous list of public subscriptions--though he disdained to affect the
Maecenas and the patron, he felt the brotherhood of mankind, and a kind
of gratitude for those who aspired to rise or to delight their species.
An author himself, he could appreciate the vast debt which the world
owes to authors, and pays but by calumny in life and barren laurels
after death. He whose profession is the Beautiful succeeds only through
the Sympathies. Charity and compassion are virtues taught with
difficulty to ordinary men; to true genius they are but the instincts
which direct it to the destiny it is born to fulfil-viz., the discovery
and redemption of new tracts in our common nature. Genius--the Sublime
Missionary--goes forth from the serene Intellect of the Author to live
in the wants, the griefs, the infirmities of others, in order that it
may learn their language; and as its highest achievement is Pathos, so
its most absolute requisite is Pity!
CHAPTER VII.
"/Don John./ How canst thou cross this marriage?
"/Borachio./ Not honestly, my lord; but so covertly, that no
dishonesty shall appear in me, my lord."--/Much Ado about Nothing/.
FERRERS and Cesarini were both sitting over their wine, and both had
sunk into silence, for they had only one subject in common, when a note
was brought to Lumley from Lady Florence.--"This is lucky enough!" said
he, as he read it. "Lady Florence wishes to see you, and incloses me a
note for you, which she asks me to address and forward to you. There it
is."
Cesarini took the note with trembling hands: it was very short, and
merely expressed a desire to see him the next day at two o'clock.
"What can it be?" he exclaimed; "can she want to apologise, to explain?"
"No, no, no! Florence will not do that; but, from certain words she
dropped in talking with me, I guess that she has some offer to your
worldly advantage to propose to you. Ha! by the way, a thought strikes
me."
Lumley eagerly rang the bell. "Is Lady Florence's servant waiting for
an answer?"
"Yes, sir."
"Very well--detain him."
"Now, Cesarini, assurance is made doubly sure. Come into the next room.
There, sit down at my desk, and write, as I shall dictate, to
Maltravers."
"I!"
"Yes, now do put yourself in my hands--write, write. When you have
finished, I will explain."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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