University of Virginia Library

22. CHAPTER XXII.

On returning to his residence, after the trial of
the robbers, Lord Templeton informed his daughter
of the disclosure of Clifton's supposed parentage.
His lordship frankly expressed his admiration of the
candour and integrity which evidently stimulated
the avowal, and did not fail to deplore the necessity
which it imposed on him of severing the intimate
relations that he had intended should exist between
his deliverer and his family. On retiring to rest,
Miss Jerningham pondered deeply on the subject of
Clifton's disgrace, but neither her judgment nor her
feelings coincided in the supposed necessity of avoiding
intercourse with one to whom they were so
deeply indebted. A few days subsequently Mr.
Courtenay visited the mansion of Lord Templeton,
when the generous girl introduced the subject of
Clifton's apparent disgrace, and espoused his cause

with so much zeal, that both her father and his
guest became converts to her opinion, and avowed
the intention of renewing their former intercourse.

As Clifton sauntered slowly through the streets
on the morning following the interview with the
veiled lady, he was accosted by the Hon. Mr. Courtenay,
who drew up his stanhope to the side walk,
and informed our hero that he had a particular request
from Lord Templeton and his daughters that
he should convey him to their residence whenever
he could spare a few hours.

“Fortunately,” said Mr. C., “I am now on my
way thither, and if you are not particularly engaged,
I hope you will bear me company.”

Clifton, who had determined to take an early opportunity
of divulging the secret of his birth, and soliciting
the advice of the noble lord as to the proper
course for him to pursue in order to silence the malicious
reports that were in circulation in reference
to his character and parentage, embraced the offer
of his countryman, and they were soon on the road
to Lord Templeton's seat.

“I feel no little embarrassment,” said Clifton, as
they approached the mansion, “in introducing a
subject to the notice of Lord Templeton and yourself,
which, being solely connected with my own obscure
history, can hardly be attended with interest
to others whose rank in life is so far above my own.
Indeed, were it not necessary to the proper appreciation
of one whom you both have distinguished by

your notice, I should not venture to bring the topic
before you. But here comes Lord Templeton and
his daughters down the avenue to meet us, and with
your permission we will wait another opportunity to
disclose my secret.”

As they alighted from the carriage the greeting of
Lord Templeton and his lovely daughters was most
cordial and ardent, and Clifton felt a certain pride in
the thought that he could so effectually remove the
stigma that alone cast a shade over the brightness
of his character and name.

As they all passed up the avenue the ladies made
affectionate inquiries into the state of his health, the
younger chiding him in her own arch way for his
lack of courtesy in not sooner paying them a visit.
After reaching the drawing-room, Clifton said:

“I must entreat the pardon of my kind friends
for relieving my breast of a burthen, with the history
of which nothing but your unlooked-for goodness
could induce me to trouble you. I need not
say that I left the court-room on the day of trial
with feelings nearly akin to despair. To be compelled
by my regard for truth to avow a connexion
which covered me with unmerited ignominy, was,
as you may imagine, gall and wormwood to my
soul. But as has been my practice, I at once preferred
the dictates of truth to motives of expediency,
and unhesitatingly stated my honest convictions of
my birth and parentage. But, my friends, I know
you will rejoice to hear that I laboured under an

error. Fortunately I am not the child of Glenthorne,
the murderer and suicide.”

Here he related all the circumstances which had
so recently come to his knowledge, and which so
completely exonerated him from all the imputations
that had rested on his name. The recital drew tears
from the eyes of the gentle-hearted ladies, and the
gentlemen themselves did not listen unmoved.

“But,” said Lord Templeton, “there is one fact
connected with this narration which has not yet
fully been confirmed, but which will, I suspect, create
a still deeper interest in those whom you have
laid so deeply under obligation. The patronymic
of my maternal ancestors is Borrowdale, and my
mother's father was named Elbert Borrowdale, the
same as that of the unhappy man whose crimes
brought him to a premature end. My mother's
brother emigrated to America before the revolution,
and as he bore the name of James, which is the
same as Clifton's father's, I see little cause to doubt
the fact of our near relationship. From information
obtained years since, I was induced to believe all the
descendants of the family in America dead, but the
circumstances detailed by Maddox furnish a clew to
their disappearance.”

Clifton then produced from his pocket the bracelets
that were on his arms when stolen from his parents,
and they were decorated with the ancestral
insignia of the Borrowdale family. This settled the
question to the satisfaction of all.

“Papa,” said the younger Miss Jerningham,
“what shall we call Mr. Clifton now? I mean to
call him Cousin Sydney, as that is a much prettier
name than either Clifton or Borrowdale.”

Lord Templeton and Mr. Courtenay were not a
little amused at the claims to Clifton's relationship
presented by Miss Euphemia, who, finding them all
smiling, blushed and said,

“Well, I don't care if you do laugh. He is my
cousin, and I don't see any reason why I should'nt
call him Cousin Sydney.”

“My sweet child,” said Lord Templeton, “you
certainly have the right to address our young relative
by the name you propose, if he has no objection
to the familiarity.”

“I am too much honoured already by the kindness
of your lordship's family,” answered Clifton:
“if our newly ascertained relationship is recognized,
it will add to the gratification on my part, to be addressed
by the title of cousin by my charming
young friend.”

“But, Mr. Clifton, as I still inadvertently call
him,” rejoined Lord Templeton, “is not aware of
the enviable rank that Euphemia assigns him in
the literary world. She declares her unalterable
conviction that he is none other than the unknown
author of `Fatality,' and the `Conscience Stricken;'
and so impressed is her imagination with the
truth of this conjecture, that she has laid violent
hands on the magazines containing the two popular

tales, and I have been compelled to promise a splendid
binding for them. I learn that her views on this
delicate subject are formed from some peculiar expressions
in the tales which were used by our relative
while temporarily residing with us. That there
is something in the coincidence is, I think, certain,
for even our clear headed Adeline joins Euphemia in
this opinion.”

“While at the confessional,” replied our hero, “I
may as well make a clean breast of it, and admit
my literary offences, that my absolution may be complete.
My cousin Euphemia must be awarded the
medal for her discrimination, as she has undoubtedly
detected the visage of the man in the mask. Her
opinion is authority on this matter, and if she had
been a native of America, her guessing powers
could not have been improved.”

Lord Templeton urged Clifton to remain at least
for a time at his house, but he excused himself on
the plea that he had an engagement in town which
he must fulfil.

In communicating his history to Lord Templeton
and his daughters, he had entirely avoided any
reference to his engagement with the unknown lady,
or his affection for Julia Borrowdale. The circumstance
of his being a relative of Lord Templeton
will not surprise the reader, if he reverts to the sketch
of Mr. Borrowdale's history in the earlier pages of
this work. Their noble host, finding that Mr.
Courtenay and Sydney were soon to depart, proposed

a stroll through the highly cultivated grounds, Miss
Jerningham accepting the proferred arm of Mr.
Courtenay, while Euphemia hung delighted on that
of her new found cousin.

As they strolled down the gravelled walks whose
sides were decorated with the most beautiful and
rare flowers and luxuriant foliage, our hero saw with
gratification that his eldest cousin and Mr. Courtenay
were inclined to wander from their companions;
and from certain indications which could scarcely
be mistaken, he rightly judged that all-powerful love
had entered into the bosoms of both. For Mr.
Courtenay he entertained the most exalted respect,
and rejoiced that he had found so congenial a spirit
to minister to his wishes, and cheer him with her
affection. As they passed onward, Lord Templeton,
who was by the side of Sydney, stopped to give the
gardener some necessary directions, when Euphemia
remarked in a low tone of voice:

“Cousin Sydney, I just now heard papa telling
Mr. Courtenay that you would become heir to his
title and estates if you proved your descent. I know
they mean to keep it a secret till you bring the proofs,
but I thought I must tell you in confidence. So,
my good cousin, keep the secret close, nor let me get
into disgrace by my wish to make you happy.”

“You are the sweetest, dearest cousin that ever
man possessed,” he replied, “and I would sooner
fight the robbers over again than divulge a word.

Do you remember how you used to take my crutch,
and limp like me down the garden walks?”

“Yes, yes, I think I do, and what's more, I have
your crutch locked up in my closet safe and sound.
I told papa the other day that I prized it more than
the lady-love of Richard the lion-hearted did his
great sword.”

“I see,” said our hero, “that I shall have to write
you a new song commemorative of my crutch and
your constancy.”

After an hour spent in delightful converse, which
for the time went far to relieve the sorrowful feelings
of Sydney, Mr. Courtenay ordered his stanhope, and
they departed. To Lord Templeton's earnest request
for an early visit, his relative acceded, promising
in a very few days to make his re-appearance.
As the vehicle was about moving, Euphemia called
to the postilion to stop a moment, when she peeped
roguishly into the vehicle, and in an authoritative
tone bade her cousin Sydney not forget the promised
song. Away dashed the spirited steeds and in a
short space of time our newly-named hero was sitting
in his own apartments, awaiting with no little
anxiety the issue of the interview with his fair unknown.