The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Volume 4 (of 7)Richardson, Samuel
General
The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Volume 4 (of 7)
Richardson, Samuel
England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Epistolary fiction
But to other subjects. I could write a vast deal of stuff about my lord
and self, and Lord and Lady L----, who assume parts which I know not how
to allow them: and sometimes they threaten me with my brother's
resentments, sometimes with my Harriet's; so that I must really have
leading-strings fastened to my shoulders. O, my dear, a fond husband is
a surfeiting thing; and yet I believe most women love to be made monkeys
of.
***
But all other subjects must now give way. We have heard of, though not
from, my brother. A particular friend of Mr. Lowther was here with a
letter from that gentleman, acquainting us, that Sir Charles and he were
arrived at Paris.
Mr. Beauchamp was with us when Mr. Lowther's friend came. He borrowed
the letter on account of the extraordinary adventure mentioned in it.
Make your heart easy, in the first place, about Sir Hargrave. He is
indeed in town; but very ill. He was frightened into England, and
intends not ever again to quit it. In all probability, he owes it to my
brother that he exists.
Mr. Beauchamp went directly to Cavendish-square, and informed himself
there of other particulars relating to the affair, from the very servant
who was present, and acting in it; and from those particulars, and Mr.
Lowther's letter, wrote one for Dr. Bartlett. Mr. Beauchamp obliged me
with the perusal of what he wrote; whence I have extracted the following
account: for his letter is long and circumstantial; and I did not ask his
leave to take a copy, as he seemed desirous to hasten it to the doctor.
On Wednesday, the 19-30 of April, in the evening, as my brother was
pursuing his journey to Paris, and was within two miles of that capital,
a servant-man rode up, in visible terror, to his post-chaise, in which
were Mr. Lowther and himself, and besought them to hear his dreadful
tale. The gentlemen stopt, and he told them, that his master, who was an
Englishman, and his friend of the same nation, had been but a little
while before attacked, and forced out of the road in their post-chaise,
as he doubted not, to be murdered, by no less than seven armed horsemen;
and he pointed to a hill, at distance, called Mont Matre, behind which
they were, at that moment, perpetrating their bloody purpose. He had
just before, he said, addressed himself to two other gentlemen, and their
retinue, who drove on the faster for it.
The servant's great coat was open; and Sir Charles observing his livery,
asked him, If he were not a servant of Sir Hargrave Pollexfen? and was
answered in the affirmative.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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