第93章

He this evening, for the first time, spoke to his lordship of the years he had spent in the Austrian service; told him anecdotes of the emperor; spoke of many distinguished public characters whom he had known abroad; of those officers who had been his friends and companions.Among others he mentioned, with particular regard, a young English officer who had been at the same time with him in the Austrian service, a gentleman of the name of Reynolds.The name struck Lord Colambre; it was the name of the officer who had been the cause of the disgrace of Miss St.Omar --of Miss Nugent's mother.'But there are so many Reynoldses.'

He eagerly asked the age--the character of this officer.

'He was a gallant youth,' said the count, 'but too adventurous --too rash.He fell, after distinguishing himself in a glorious manner, in his twentieth year--died in my arms.' 'Married or unmarried?' cried Lord Colambre.

'Married--he had been privately married, less than a year before his death, to a very young English lady, who had been educated at a convent in Vienna.He was heir to a considerable property, Ibelieve, and the young lady had little fortune; and the affair was kept secret from the fear of offending his friends, or for some other reason--I do not recollect the particulars.'

'Did he acknowledge his marriage?' said Lord Colambre.

'Never till he was dying--then he confided his secret to me.'

'Do you recollect the name of the young lady he married?' 'Yes --Miss St.Omar.'

'St.Omar!' repeated Lord Colambre, with an expression of lively joy in his countenance.'But are you certain, my dear count, that she was really married, legally married, to Mr.Reynolds?

Her marriage has been denied by all his friends and relations--hers have never been able to establish it--her daughter is--My dear count, were you present at the marriage?'

'No,' said the count, 'I was not present at the marriage; I never saw the lady, nor do I know anything of the affair, except that Mr.Reynolds, when he was dying, assured me that he was privately married to a Miss St.Omar, who was then boarding at a convent in Vienna.The young man expressed great regret at leaving her totally unprovided for; but said that he trusted his father would acknowledge her, and that her friends would be reconciled to her.

He was not of age, he said, to make a will; but I think he told me that his child, who at that time was not born, would, even if it should be a girl, inherit a considerable property.With this, I cannot, however, charge my memory positively; but he put a packet into my hands which, he told me, contained a certificate of his marriage, and, I think he said, a letter to his father;this he requested that I would transmit to England by some safe hand.Immediately after his death, I went to the English ambassador, who was then leaving Vienna, and delivered the packet into his hands; he promised to have it safely delivered.I was obliged to go the next day, with the troops, to a distant part of the country.When I returned, I inquired at the convent what had become of Miss St.Omar--I should say Mrs.Reynolds; and I was told that she had removed from the convent to private lodgings in the town, some time previous to the birth of her child.The abbess seemed much scandalised by the whole transaction; and Iremember I relieved her mind by assuring her that there had been a regular marriage.For poor young Reynolds's sake, I made farther inquiries about the widow, intending, of course, to act as a friend, if she was in any difficulty or distress.But Ifound, on inquiry at her lodgings, that her brother had come from England for her, and had carried her and her infant away.The active scenes,' continued the count, 'in which I was immediately afterwards engaged, drove the whole affair from my mind.Now that your questions have recalled them, I feel certain of the facts I have mentioned; and I am ready to establish them by my testimony.'