New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-03-09
DOMBEY AND son.
FART XVII.
cnArrER Llv....1l.. Faarlr.i.

- tAIlf NAlN Nhil Nt tA'iHtlf. litiNH fNNl
drawing room. n bed chamber and a. inner
drawing room. or bouioir snsller aud more retired
than the rest All these shut In by one isrge pair
Of doors on the main staircase. but each room PRO
vided with two or three pairs OF doors Of Us own.
/ establishing several means Of communication with
/ the remaining portion Of tie apartment, or with
certain small passages within the wall leading, a.
/ ID not unusual in such houses 10 some back stairs
/ with en- obscure outlet below. The whole situated
on the first door ~ - arge Hotel that il did not
absorb one entire row of windows upon one side OF
the square court ard in the centre. upon which the
whole four sides OF the mansion looked.
An air Of spendor Sufficiently faded e. be me an.
choy and sufficiently dazzling to clog snd embsr.
rass the details Of life with show Of state, reigned
/ u these rooms The walls and ceilings were
gilded and painted the ioors were waxed an
/ polished crimson drspefy hung in estoons from
window door and mirror and candeabra, gnared
and intertwis ike the branches Of trees, or
horns 0f animals stuck out from the panels Of the
wall But in the day time. when the lattice blinds
| nov closely shut were opened and the light let
| H. traces were dilcernible among this tnery Of
wear and tear and dust Of sun and damp and smoke,
and heightened intervals Of wsnt OF use and hsbi-
tation when such SHOWS and toys OF life seem sen.
sitiye like life. and waste as shut up in prison
do. Even night, and clusters Of burning candles,
could not wholly eiace them though the general
I filter threw them in the shade.
The glitter Of bright tapers. and their reflection
IN looking glasses scraps OF gliding, and gay colors,
were confined on this night 20 one rOOm-thst
smaller room within the rest, Just now enumerated.
Seen from the hall where lamp was ieebly burn
ing through the dark perspective Of open doors it
looked as shining and precious as gem. In the
heart Of It's radiance sat beautiful woman
Edith.
She was alone The same defiant, scornful wo.
man still The cheek little worn. the eye little
larger in appearance, and more lustrous. but the
1 s.~Nrur
her brow no ate repentance bending her disdaln-
fol neck Imperious and stately yet, and yet re-
gardless OF herself and OF all else she sat with her
dark eyes cast down waiting for some one.
No book, no work no occupation Of any kind but
her own thoughts, beguiled the tardy time. Some
purpose, strong enough to GIL up any pause, pos
sessed her With her lips pressed together, and
quivering If for a moment she released them from
her control with her nostril inflated her hands
clssped in one another and her purpose swelling
In her breast she sat, and waited.
At the sound Of key in the outer door, and
footstep il the hall she started up, and cried
WHO s that" The answer was in French, and
two men came in with jingling trays to make prep
aratiOn for supper.
WHO had babe them do sol" she asked.
Monsieur had commanded it, when il YVES his
pleasure 70 take the apartment Monsieur had
said when he stayed there, for an hour, en- route
AID lett the letter for Madame-Madame had re-
ceived It. surely
yes"
"A thousand pardons The sudden apprehen'
sion that i, might have been forgotten had struck
him: bald man. with a large beard from a
neighboring restaurant with despair Monsieur
had said that supper was TO be ready at that hour
also that he had forewarned Madame OF tue COM
mands he had given, in his letter. Monsieur had
done the Golden Head the honor to request that the
supper should be choice and delicate. Monsieur
uond find that his corfdeucp in the Golden Head
vas not misplaced
Edith said no more bot looked on thOughtfully
while they prepared the table for two persons ana
set the wine upon it. She arose before they hsd
finished. and taking lamp passed into the bed
chamber and into the drawing room, where she hur-
riedly but narrowly examined all the doors par
ticuary one in the former room that opened on the
massage in the wall From this she took the key.
and put il on the outer side She then came back.
The men-the second OF whom was dark, bill
ious subject, in Jacket, close shaved, and with
black head Of hair close cropped-hsd completed
their preparation Of the table, and were standing
looking at it. He who had spoken before, inquired
whether Madame thought 1t would be long before
Monsieur arrived
"She couldn't say. Ii was all one"
Pardon There was the supper! IL should be
eaten on the instant Monsieur (who spoke French
like an Angel-Or Frenchman-it was all the
same had spoken with great emphasis OF his pune
tuality. But the English nation had so grand
genius for punctuaty. All what noise Great
Heaven, here was Monsieur. Behold him !!
In effect Monsieur admitted by the other OF the
two came with his cleaning teeth through the
dark rooms like q mouth and arriving in that
sanctuary Of light and color figure at full length,
embraced Madame. and addressed her IA the
French tongue az his charming wife.
My God Madame is going to faint Madame
is overcome with 10Y :" The bald man with the
beard observed II. and cried ont
Ill boI only shruuE aut sllVTrpl. Before
the words were spoken, she vas standing with her
hand upon the velvet back Of grea, chair her
figure drawn up to its foil height, and her face I'M
movable
Francois has flown over to the Golden Head
for supper He flies on these occasions like an an
gel or bird The baggage Of Monsieur ia IN ms
room. All is arranged. The supper will be here
this moment" These facts the bald man notified
with bows and smiles aud presently the supper
came
The hot dishes were on chafDg dish the cold
already set forth, with the change OF service on
sid board. Monsieur was satisfied with tins ar
rangement. The supper table being small, u
pleased him very well Let them set the chsiins
dish upon the floor and 60 he would remove the
dishes with his own hands.
Pardon :" said the bald man, politely. twas
impossible -
Monsieur was Of another opinion He required
no farther attendance that night.
Bot Madame the bald man limited
Madame replied Monsieur, had her own
maid. twas enough"
"A million pardons No Madame had no maid
came here alone said Edith. 1t was my
choice to 10 So | am well used 10 travelling;
want no attendance. They need send nobody to
me"
Monster accordingly. perseyering in his first pro
posed impossibility, proceeded to follow the two
ATTENDANTS 10 the outer door, and secure It after
them for the night. The bald man turning round
10 bow as he went out. observed that Madame
still stood with her hand upon the velvet back oi
the great chair and that her face was quite regard
less OF hin. though she was looking straight be
fore her.
As the solnd Of Carkers fastening the door 70
sounded Though the intermediate rooms, and
seemed to cone hushed and sthed into the last
distant one the sound OF the Cathedral clock strik
ing twelve Mingled with il, in Edth's ears She
heard him pause ne ii he heard II too and listened
and then come back toward her laying long train
Of footsteps through the silence and shutting all tho
doors behind him as he came along. Her hand for
a moment. left the velvet chair 10 bring knife
within her reach upon tho table then she stood ne
she had stood before.
How strange to come here by yourself my love
he said rs he entered