Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 1 (of 3)Speight, T. W. (Thomas Wilkinson)
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Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 1 (of 3)
Speight, T. W. (Thomas Wilkinson)
Detective and mystery stories; English fiction -- 19th century
On the third day after Janet's arrival in London they all went down to
Tydsbury together--the major, and she, and George. But in the course
of those three days the major took Janet about a good deal, and
introduced her to nearly all the orthodox sights of the Great
City--and a strange kaleidoscopic jumble they seemed at the time, only
to be afterwards rearranged by Memory as portions of a bright and
sunny picture the like of which she scarcely dared hope ever to see
again.
Captain Strickland parted from the major and Janet at Tydsbury
station. The two latter were bound for Dupley Walls, for the major
felt that his task would have been ill performed had he failed to
deliver Janet into Lady Pollexfen's own hands. As they rumbled along
the quiet country roads, which brought vividly back to Janet's mind
the evening when she saw Dupley Walls for the first time, said the
major: "Do you remember, poppetina, how, seven years ago, I spoke to
you of a certain remarkable likeness which you then bore to some one
whom I knew when I was quite a young man? or has the circumstance
escaped your memory?"
"I remember quite well your speaking of the likeness, and I have often
wondered since who the original was of whom I was such a striking
copy. I remember, too, how positively Lady Pollexfen denied the
resemblance which you so strongly insisted upon."
"Will her ladyship dare to deny it to-day?" said the major, sternly.
"I tell you, child, that now you are grown up, the likeness seen by me
seven years ago is still more clearly visible. When I look into your
eyes I seem to see my own youth reflected there. When you are near me
I can fancy that my lost treasure has not been really lost to me--that
she has merely been asleep, like the Princess in the story-book, and
that while time has moved on for me, she has come back out of her
enchanted slumber as fresh and beautiful as when I saw her last. Ah,
poverina! you cannot imagine what a host of recollections the sight of
your sweet face conjures up whenever I choose to let my day-dreams
have way for a little while."
"I remember your telling me that my parents were unknown to you,"
answered Janet. "Perhaps the lady to whom I bear so strong a
resemblance was my mother."
"No, not your mother, Janet. The lady to whom I refer died unmarried.
She and I had been engaged to each other for three years; but Death
came and claimed her a fortnight before the day fixed for our wedding;
and here I am, a lonely old bachelor still."
"Not quite lonely, dear Major Strickland," murmured Janet, as she
lifted his hand and pressed it to her lips.
"True, girl, not quite lonely. I have George, whom I love as though he
were a son of my own. And there is Aunt Felicity, as the children used
to call her, who is certainly very fond of me, as I also am of her."
"Not forgetting poor me," said Janet.
"Not forgetting you, dear, whom I love like a daughter."
"And who loves you very sincerely in return."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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