Sir Jasper Carew: His Life and ExperienceLever, Charles
General
Sir Jasper Carew: His Life and Experience
Lever, Charles
Fiction
Up to that time I had been in the habit of reading with her some part
of every day. My school-learning, such as it was, was yet fresh in my
memory, and I was delighted to have a pupil so gifted and intelligent;
but from this time forth she never resumed her studies, but pretended a
variety of occupations as excuses. I know not, I cannot even speculate,
on how this might have ended, when a sudden change of events gave a
decisive turn to my destinies.
The bâtonnier who had so kindly undertaken to look after the little
remnant of Monsieur Bernois' fortune was no less prompt than he had
promised. He made all the arrangements required by law, and corresponded
with me on each step of the proceedings. In one of these letters was
a postscript containing these words: “Is it true that you have had a
serious rencontre with a captain of the Chasseurs-à-Cheval who is still
in danger from the wound he received?” Before my reply to this question
could have reached him, came the following brief note:--
“My dear Monsieur Carew,--I learned late last night the whole
circumstances of the adventure of which I had asked an explanation from
you by my letter of Tuesday. The affair is a most unhappy one on every
account, but on none more than the fact that your antagonist was Captain
Carrier, the brother of the celebrated member of the Constituent of
that name. I need scarcely remind you that his friends, numerous and
influential as they are, are now your bitterest enemies. They are at
this moment busily employed in making searches into your previous
life and habits; and should all other sources of accusation fail, will
inevitably make your nationality the ground of attack, and perhaps
denounce you as a spy of the English Government. The source from which
I obtained this information leaves no doubt of its correctness, as you
will acknowledge when I add that it enables me to forward to you, by
this enclosure, a passport for England, under the name of Bernard. I
also transmit a bank order for one thousand francs, which I beg you will
use freely, as if your own, and part of a fund, the remainder of which
I will take an early opportunity of placing in your hands. The hurried
nature of my present communication prevents me adding more than that I
am, very faithfully, your friend.”
His initials alone were inscribed at the foot of this most extraordinary
epistle. I hastened to show it to the Marquis, who, on learning the name
of the writer, pronounced him one of the first men at the French bar.
“The warning of such a man,” said he, “must not be neglected; and
although Carrier's faction have fallen, who can answer what to-morrow
may bring forth? At all events, your position as an alien is highly
perilous, and you must see to your safety at once.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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