candidate--every member of it from first to last, having made up his
mind to encounter incivility, and even insult, however really anxious to
avoid the slightest occasion for it. The band was numerous, and played
admirably. There was a profusion of gay and handsome flags and banners.
Mr. Delamere walked next to the musicians, with a gallant bearing, a gay
and cheerful smile, yet oft darkened by anxiety as he perceived
indubitable symptoms of a disposition to rough treatment on the part of
the crowd. On his right-hand side walked Mr. St. Aubyn; on his left, Sir
Percival Pickering, the late member for the borough. Following them came
Mr. Gold, the banker, and Mr. Milnthorpe, an extensive and
highly-respectable flour factor--these being Mr. Delamere's mover and
seconder: and they were followed by at least three hundred others, two
and two, all of a substantial and respectable appearance, and most
resolute air, to boot. No amount of mob, that day, in Grilston, would
have ventured an attack, in passing, upon that stout-hearted body of
yeomen. A great many white handkerchiefs were waved from the windows, as
Delamere passed along--waved by the hands of hundreds of fair creatures,
whose hearts throbbed with fond fears lest an unoffending gentleman
should be maltreated by the reckless mob. When Mr. Delamere approached a
certain prominent window, opposite to the town hall, his heart began to
beat quickly. _There_ were four as beautiful and high-born young women
as England could have produced, all gazing down upon him with eager and
anxious looks. It was not they, however, who occasioned Mr. Delamere's
emotion. He knew that in that room was Lady De la Zouch--_his mother_;
and he grew silent and excited as he approached it. One of the loveliest
of the four, as he stopped and with respectful bow looked up for an
instant--Lady Alethea Lorymer--suddenly and quite unexpectedly
stepped aside; and there stood revealed the figure of Lady De la Zouch.
She would have waved her handkerchief, but that she required it to
conceal her emotion. The lips of neither mother nor son moved; but their
_hearts_ uttered reciprocal benedictions--and Delamere passed on. As he
neared the church, I regret to have it to put on record, but at the
bidding of the Reverend Gideon Fleshpot, the bells _tolled as for a
funeral_!!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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