Amelia -- Volume 3

g an accident as is per

Atkinson, behind the curtain, communicated to his wife. The conclusion which she drew from it need scarce be hinted to the reader. She made,

e colonel standing by the bedside of Amelia, with a naked sword in his hand, and threatening to stab her instantly unless she complied with his desires. Upon this the serjeant start

no sooner perceived the position of her husband, and felt his hand graspin

from his bed, and ran up with the lighted candle in his hand. The serjeant had no sooner taken the candle than he ran with it to the bed-side. Here he beheld a sight which almost deprived him of his senses. The bed appeared to be all over blood, and his wife weltering in the midst of it. Upon this the serjeant, almost in a frenzy, cried out, "O Heavens!

g on the bed and Booth standing like a motionless statue by the bed-side. Amelia had some difficulty to conquer the effects

had prevented him from making; for now it appeared that the red liquor with which the bed was stained, though it may, perhaps, sometimes run through the veins of a fine lady, was not what is properly called blood, but was, indeed, no other than cherry- brandy, a bottle of which Mrs. Atkinson always kept in her room to be ready for immediate use, and to which she u

red in his frenzy made some slight impression on Booth; so much, at least, as to awaken his curiosity; so that in the morning

haps, encreased Booth's curiosity, and he said, "Nay, I am resolved to hear it. Why, you sim

ur; for, when you courted my young lady, I dreamt you was married to her; and yet it was at a time when neither I myself, nor any of the country, tho

fering to ravish her, and with a drawn sword in his hand, threatening to stab her that moment unless she would comply with his desires. How I came to be by I know not; but I dreamt I rushed upon him, caught him by the throat, and swore I would put him to death unless he instantly left the room. He

at you had formerly of my marriage; for, as Shakespear says, dreams denote a foregone c

eaving my lady to the care of the colonel; if you must go from her, certainly there are other places where she may be with great safe

th once or twice dropt some disrespectful words of t

not deserve, and for which, if he had not been my superior officer, I would have cut b

th, very gravely, "that you are ta

eant, "I do not think so. If I did, I

o good an opinion of you, Atkinson, to think you would drop su

inson. "I am sure I did not intend it; and

th, "you have made me very un

your word of honour, or I will be cut into ten thou

I promise?

nything I shall lay to the

give you my hon

m the scene which formerly past between the colonel and himself, as far as con

e many obligations to you; but you have done wrong in censuring the colonel for what he

inson, "to say such things to me who am

ld forgive on this occasion; and I forgive you only on condition you never

, never to mention a word of what I have said to my lady; for I know she never would forgive me; I know she never would, by wha

ed him to close his lips on this occasion, and repaire

and immediately partook of it himself. "Sure, my dear," said he, staring wildly, "there is more in this than

name Amelia fell on her knees, and be

r love," cried Booth,

ne I saw last night, that a dream, which at another time I should have laughed at, hat

ou anything. But make me easy too. I must know if you

u suspect it?"

Heavens! I will know the truth. Hath he ev

may easily resolve yourself. Do you think, because I refuse to stay behind you in his house, that I have any objection to him? No, my dear, had he done a th

ou cannot blame me. If the stupid miser hoards, with such care, his worthless treasure-if he watches it with such anxiety-if every apprehension of another's sharing the leas

ries Amelia. "I have my treasure too; and am so muc

Nay, you yourself are the occasion. Why will you ever attempt to keep a secret from

my dear love?

good a friend. Indeed, my dear, I have discovered the cause of that resentment to the colonel which you could not hide from me. I love you, I adore you for it; indeed, I could no

m, and fell severely on Colonel James for what he had said to the serjeant, which Booth endeavoured all he could to soften; and thus ended this affair, which had broug