Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
REVOLUTIONARY AND EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD LITERATURE
bruised. She has kept her bed ever since, and a fever was likely to ensue, which has
only left her out of danger to-day.
As the adventure before related, in which I had so much concern, occurred
at the time mentioned by Ludloe, and as all other circumstances were alike, I
could not doubt that the person whom the exertion of my mysterious powers had
relieved was Mrs. Benington: but what an ill-omened interference was mine! The
robbers would probably have been satised with the few guineas in her purse,
and, on receiving these, would have left her to prosecute her journey in peace and
security, but, by absurdly oering a succour, which could only operate upon the
fears of her assailants, I endangered her life, rst by the desperate discharge of
a pistol, and next by the fright of the horses . . . . . . . . My anxiety, which would
have been less if I had not been, in some degree, myself the author of the evil, was
nearly removed by Ludloe’s proceeding to assure me that all danger was at an end,
and that he left the lady in the road to perfect health. He had seized the earliest
opportunity of acquainting her with the purpose of his visit, and had brought back
with him her cheerful acceptance of my services. The next week was appointed for
my introduction.
With such an object in view, I had little leisure to attend to any indierent
object. My thoughts were continually bent upon the expected introduction, and
my impatience and curiosity drew strength, not merely from the character of
Mrs. Benington, but from the nature of my new employment. Ludloe had truly
observed, that I was infected with somewhat of this antiquarian mania myself,
and I now remembered that Benington had frequently alluded to this collection in
possession of his wife. My curiosity had then been more than once excited by his
representations, and I had formed a vague resolution of making myself acquainted
with this lady and her learned treasure, should I ever return to Ireland . . . . . Other
incidents had driven this matter from my mind.
Meanwhile, aairs between Ludloe and myself remained stationary. Our
conferences, which were regular and daily, related to general topics, and though
his instructions were adapted to promote my improvement in the most useful
branches of knowledge, they never aorded a glimpse towards that quarter where
my curiosity was most active.
The next week now arrived, but Ludloe informed me that the state of Mrs.
Benington’s health required a short excursion into the country, and that he himself
proposed to bear her company. The journey was to last about a fortnight, after
which I might prepare myself for an introduction to her.
This was a very unexpected and disagreeable trial to my patience. The interval
of solitude that now succeeded would have passed rapidly and pleasantly enough,
if an event of so much moment were not in suspense. Books, of which I was
passionately fond, would have aorded me delightful and incessant occupation,
and Ludloe, by way of reconciling me to unavoidable delays, had given me access
to a little closet, in which his rarer and more valuable books were kept.
Page | 707