EPISODE FROM AN UNPUBLISHED NOVEL. 319 



increased by the power of money : the house was rouzed, the master 

 called, I affected to be sent on a secret and extraordinary mission, a 

 covered carriage was procured and paid for, post-horses were quickly 

 provided, and without openly disputing or pretending to doubt, they 

 obeyed my commands, and drove where I ordered. I however heard 

 the landlord say to his wife, " it was odd that an officer, on a secret 

 mission, should have a child with him, and a pretty country girl." I 

 therefore took the first opportunity to promise the postillions a dollar 

 each, and a glass of brandy, if they made haste ; and thus stimulated, 

 they drove with the utmost speed. 



The next morning we passed the Austrian frontiers, and the first 

 town we arrived at I changed my dress, shaved my face, and so dis- 

 guised myself as not to be recognized by description. We then 

 hastened forward two more stages, as if w r e had been going to Bel- 

 grade ; after which, striking across the country, of which I had 

 some knowledge, on foot, we gained the road to Venice ; again varied 

 our disguise, and once more procured a calash, and posted forward 

 with all speed for that city. We could not proceed thus without a 

 passport but by heavy bribes, and we expended more than a hundred 

 and thirty ducats on this journey ; but we effected our purpose, and 

 eluded pursuit. 



This, alas, was but one of those cruel strokes of fortune by which 

 my life has been signalized. We had escaped, and so far were 

 happy ; but after having suffered hardships innumerable, conquered 

 difficulties that seemed insurmountable, and won for ourselves a 

 country and a name, we were again cast on the world, friendless, 

 strangers, and, like criminals, again fearful of our very shadow. 

 What was to be done ? To us, the various kingdoms of the earth 

 were but one vast wilderness. From Europe we were excluded by 

 the dread of that detection which brought what was worse than death 

 and all other horrors it brought infamy; for the atrocious dis- 

 honour to which I had tamely submitted was nothing less. France, 

 Germany, Italy, Spain, nay, even Russia, all shut their gates upon 

 me, unless I remained wilfully devoted to wretchedness, to be for 

 ever unnoticed, and unknown. Mine was a singular case, for to me 

 the exercise of virtue, valour, and wisdom, was in a manner for- 

 bidden; it was destruction. Instead of elevating, it would over- 

 whelm, unless I could find that corner of the globe where I could be 

 certain of never being discovered. 



My thoughts were naturally turned to far distant lands : but Lady 

 Elizabeth, and our lovely child ? must they submit to all the hard- 

 ships, all the dangers, of such a plan ? I could not either resolve to 

 live in squalid poverty, to expose them to parching deserts, barbarous 

 tribes, and merciless slavery, or to tear myself from beings that I 

 loved more than life. My mind was so preyed upon by these inces- 

 sant and tormenting doubts, or rather despair, that my health began 

 to suffer ; of this I was conscious, and felt how necessary it was for 

 me to take some decisive part. The sympathy of our hearts was too 

 perfect for Lady Elizabeth to remain insensible to this alteration, or 

 not at last to induce me, by her kind intreaties, to reveal my thoughts. 

 She intimately felt the distressful alternative to which we were re- 



