Page:The Castle of Wolfenbach - Parsons - 1854.djvu/53

 seph.) "I say, Sir, money would not tempt me to do a wrong thing, but as you say it will be for the young lady's advantage to do her service I will obey you."

The gentleman appeared satisfied, and writing his address, whilst he desired Joseph to get a little wine and water for him, he whispered Bertha, "Get every thing you can out of your husband, and I will make your fortune; my man shall call again to-morrow."

Having drank his wine, he took a civil leave, and giving Bertha two crowns, rode off.

"Lord! (cried she when he was gone) what luck attends us! what a kind gentleman; how sorry I am he didn't come before the poor lady went away." "So am not I (answered Joseph;) I don't like him at all; he has a smooth speech to be sure, but if he was good neither madam nor Albert would have run away I dare say: however I shan't ride the horse any more 'till I know to whom he does belong." Bertha tried every way to find if he knew where the lady was gone, but he evaded all her questions, and though he loved his old woman dearly, yet he knew she could not be entrusted with a secret; not that she would discover from ill-nature, but from a garrulity natural to old age, and a desire of obliging any one who wanted information from her.

Joseph, in the early part of his life, had obtained a tolerable education, and had better expectations, but the wars had caried off his friends and little possessions; he was glad therefore, in an humble state, to earn his bread, and be contented with the situation Providence had ordained for him; but his sentiments were above his condition, and he prized his word, and kept it when pledged with much more exactness than a fine gentleman does his honour, when given to a favourite lady, or an humble tradesman: Joseph therefore persevered in his integrity, but thought there would be no harm in writing what had passed that day to the young lady, and take her directions how to conduct himself; for he had a perfect reliance