The miserable De Sylva lingered nearly a week, racked with guilty fears, and scarcely daring to hope for mercy: yet for mercy his pious comforters bade him hope, since he repented deeply, and sought it in that holy name, which, though once he had denied, he now most humbly acknowledged.
On the sixth evening he expired.
"Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all."
As soon as De Sylva"s confession had been received, St. Aubyn sent an express messenger to the proper persons in London, requesting permission to dispatch Jean Batiste de la Tour, a French priest, into Oxfordshire, where he understood Lord de Montfort then was at one of his seats, with papers of the utmost importance to that n.o.bleman and to himself, De la Tour having witnessed the confession of a prisoner since dead, which involved concerns of the most material interest. He also requested permission for De la Tour to remain attached to Lord de Montfort"s suite, or to be at liberty on his parole at Castle St. Aubyn, till he could obtain the consent of government to his returning to his native country; for St. Aubyn could not bear that this helpless and venerable old man should remain as a prisoner of war, and end his days in a strange country.
The answer was favourable to his Lordship"s wishes, and Charles Ross undertook to escort De la Tour into Oxfordshire: in the meantime a detachment arrived to guard the other prisoners to the depot in Shropshire.
Ross and De la Tour departed together, taking with them the deposition of De Sylva, the cross of the unfortunate Rosolia, which had been found in his possession, and every other doc.u.ment which could carry conviction to the mind of De Montfort.
Tranquillity seemed now restored to the village of Llanwyllan, but in spite of the satisfaction St. Aubyn felt in being thus completely able to exonerate himself from whatever suspicion might yet lurk in the bosom of Edmund, his own mind was by no means tranquil.
Painful was the retrospect the confession of De Sylva had forced upon him: every misery he had so many years before experienced seemed renewed, and his imagination dwelt upon the horrid scenes of the Hermitage. The bleeding body of Rosolia lay again in fancy before him, and his pity for her wretched fate "cut off even in the blossom of her sins," made him forget all the crimes she had been guilty of towards him.
For many days he continued exceedingly dejected, and it required all Ellen"s tender attentions, and the cheering smiles of his lovely boy, to chase from his mind those painful impressions which the late discovery had planted there.
In as short a time as was possible, a messenger returned from Lord de Montfort. He acknowledged his full conviction of St. Aubyn"s innocence, and implored his pardon for those years of uneasiness his suspicions had made him suffer: he expressed the greatest grat.i.tude for the forbearing kindness of St. Aubyn"s whole conduct towards his unhappy sister, of which he now had such convincing proofs, and a horror of her guilt, which was too overwhelming to be dwelt upon. De la Tour he requested to retain in his suite till arrangements could be made for his returning to France, should the old man ultimately wish to do so.
In a short time after this letter arrived, Ellen received one from Lady Juliana, in which she expressed some dissatisfaction at their long stay in Wales, and bade them consider that at her time of life she could not hope to enjoy much more of their society, and the smiles of her darling Constantine, whose growth and improvement she longed to witness.
This letter determined Lord and Lady St. Aubyn to quit Wales as soon as possible: indeed, the autumn was now advancing, and they feared for their young traveller the miserable roads, and of course wished to be at the Castle before the summer was ended.
Lady St. Aubyn had however set her heart on being witness to Joanna"s marriage, and seeing every thing arranged for the removal of the Rosses to the Farm: it was also necessary for Charles Ross to go to London on his own concerns; Joanna therefore was induced to give her hand to Griffiths sooner than she had intended, and early in August the ceremony was performed by the venerable Ross. Lord St. Aubyn gave away the bride, and when the ceremony was ended, said--
"May you, my dear Joanna, and your worthy husband, but experience as much happiness as I and my dear Ellen have since this altar witnessed our mutual vows, and you will indeed be as happy as humanity can hope to be."
Ellen tenderly embraced her early friend, and with tears of affection joined in the kind wishes of her beloved Lord.
The whole of the bride"s wardrobe had been the present of Lady St.
Aubyn, who shewed her judgment, by ordering every thing excellent in its kind, but nothing fine or shewy.
Lord St. Aubyn presented the newly-married couple with several useful and handsome articles of plate and furniture; and when they left Llanwyllan, they had the happiness of knowing that the worthy Powis would be rendered truly comfortable by his new inmates, and that all Ellen"s first connections were blessed to the extent of their wishes.
Charles Ross travelled part of the way with Lord and Lady St. Aubyn, full of grateful thanks for all their kindness to him and his family; and having conquered every aspiring wish, he was delighted to witness the happiness of his once-loved Ellen, without envying that of her excellent Lord.
They had soon after the pleasure of hearing that all matters relative to his late disastrous voyage had been happily and honourably adjusted, his prize had safely reached the destined port, and through Lord St. Aubyn"s interest, Charles Ross was soon promoted to the rank of Captain and the command of a fine frigate.
The St. Aubyns found Lady Juliana waiting their arrival at St. Aubyn Castle: and her intended chidings for their long stay were turned into tears of joy at the sight of her darling Constantine, now able to walk alone, and with expressive looks of love endeavouring to articulate, though yet but imperfectly, the sweet names of papa and mamma, and soon learning to distinguish Lady Juliana with smiles of affection, and little arms twined round her neck, whenever she approached him.
Just before Christmas, Sir Edward and Lady Leicester arrived at Rose-hill, where they spent some weeks. De Montfort pa.s.sed that evening at the Castle, with several other visitors. The once gloomy and eccentric Edmund was become another creature; and his manners, now animated and cheerful, were very elegant, and the trifling degree of singularity which still at times shewed itself in his expressions, only seemed to give an air of originality to his character.
We have now brought our narrative to a close; for scenes of continued peace and happiness, however desirable to the possessors, are but insipid in delineation.
St. Aubyn and his charming wife long enjoyed that serene happiness their virtues merited; and diversifying the scene, by occasional excursions into Wales, they had there the comfort of finding their friends surrounded by blessings, for which they were to them indebted. At the Castle, or in London, surrounded by their lovely young family, they still acknowledged that in domestic life they found their dearest felicity; and with no more sorrow than is inseparable from humanity, their years glided on amidst the joys of friendship, and the delights of connubial and parental love.
THE END.