_Anna Wenbourne St. Ives to Mrs. Wenbourne_
_Grosvenor-Street_
I return you my sincere thanks, dear madam, for your kind
congratulations; and think myself honoured by the great joy you
express, at my safety and the deliverance of Mr. Henley. I will not
attempt to describe my own feelings; they are inexpressible; but will
endeavour to obey your commands, and give you the best account I am
able of all that has befallen us.
For this purpose, I inclose the narrative written by Mr. Henley during
his confinement; and three letters addressed to my friend, Louisa, but
never sent; with a copy of a letter dictated by Mr. Clifton to his
friend, Mr. Fairfax. To these be pleased to add the following
particulars of what passed after Mr. Henley's narrative breaks off, and
the sudden interruption of my third letter by terror. Mr. Henley heard
but had no time to write their last consultation. It was the eagerness
of the keeper which overcame the reluctance of Mac Fane to the murder,
till he should have procured the bond of Mr. Clifton. The keeper was
violent: he had bargained with his two men to assist in the murder, for
fifty pounds each; and he told Mac Fane, if he would not consent, they
would proceed without him, and he should have no share of the eight
thousand pounds.
This argument had its effect: Mac Fane had some doubts relative to the
money won of Mr. Clifton; and four thousand pounds was a temptation not
to be resisted.
Mr. Henley omitted mentioning a circumstance that occurred of some
moment, because he did not know the meaning of it. Probably they had
planned it out of his hearing. The day before the attack, the keeper
returned him his watch and purse, with the same sum, but not, as Mr.
Henley thinks, the same pieces, it contained when delivered. The
purpose of this, it appears, was to make him believe the keeper a man
of his word.
On the morning of the intended murder, previous to the assault, the
keeper came up to Mr. Henley; but not into the room. He talked to him
with the usual security of his chains, and proposed that Mr. Henley
should deliver up the bank-bills, which the keeper now told him he knew
to be in his possession; with a promise that they should be returned,
as the watch and purse had been. An artifice so shallow was not likely
to impose on Mr. Henley. He had determined how to act, relative to the
bank bills, and answered it was true they were in his possession; but
that he would not deliver them to the keeping of any other. Immediately
after this repulse, the keeper, Mac Fane, and the two attendants
ascended.
The keeper (I speak after Mr. Henley) was much the most confident, and
seemed chiefly fearful that Mr. Henley should slip by them. He
therefore stationed one of his men at the outside of the door, which he
ordered him to lock and guard. Himself, Mac Fane, and the other entered
the room; the keeper and the man each with a bludgeon, and Mac Fane
with a pair of pistols and his cutlass hanging by his side.
Mr. Henley had purposely kept up a good fire, and had the bank bills in
his hand. He bade them keep off a moment, as if he wished to parley;
and they, desirous of having the bills quietly, remained where they
were. Mr. Henley then took the bills one by one, repeating the amount
of each to convince them that the whole sum was there, and then
suddenly thrust them into the fire. They all rushed forward to save
them, and this was the lucky moment on which Mr. Henley seized the two
arms of Mac Fane, who, on account of his weapons, was the principal
object, and who, intending to fire at him, in the struggle shot the
keeper. The other pistol Mr. Henley wrested from him, during which
contest it went off, but without doing mischief.
Mac Fane then drew his hanger, and made several cuts at Mr. Henley, who
was attacked on the other side by the keeper's man.
In the heat of this conflict Mr. Clifton arrived; and what then
followed, his letter will inform you.
It is necessary I should now say a word of myself, and of the small
part which I had in this very dreadful affair. And here I must remind
you of the boy, so often mentioned in Mr. Henley's narrative; for to
him, perhaps, we all owe our safety. At least, had it not been for him,
Mr. Clifton could not certainly have gained admission.
The poor fellow heard and saw enough to let him understand some strange
crime was in agitation. He has great acuteness and sensibility: he
looked at me when I first came, in a very significant manner; and would
have spoken had he dared.
The door of the room in which I was shut was both locked and bolted;
but the man that was set to guard it was wanted, for a more
blood-thirsty purpose.
I need not inform you how much my fears were alarmed, the moment I
found myself in the custody of the man by whom I had at first been
seized. But how infinitely was my terror increased when I heard the
voice of Frank, which I did very distinctly, and presently afterward of
the horror about to be committed! My shrieks were incessant! The poor
boy heard them, and though shrieking with terror almost as violent as
my own, yet had the presence of mind to come and set me free.
Mr. Clifton's ringing was heard at the same moment. The top bolt of the
gate was high, and I opened it with difficulty; but despair lent me
force. It certainly could not have been opened time enough by the boy.
Of this and the following scene, and of the agonizing sensations that
accompanied them, I will attempt no further description. I will now
only relate by what means, and whose aid, we left this house of horror.
You know, madam, with what activity my dear Louisa exerted herself, and
employed every expedient in her power. You are likewise acquainted with
the zeal of Mrs. Clarke, her niece Peggy, and the two men, her husband
and brother. Their ardour increased rather than abated.
Mr. Webb, whose watchings and efforts were incessant, saw Mac Fane step
out of a hackney-coach into the shop where Mr. Clifton lodges. This I
understand to have happened on the ninth evening of my confinement. It
was natural that this circumstance should immediately excite suspicion
and alarm. The coach was dismissed, Mac Fane remained, and Mr. Webb
continued hovering about the door, waiting in expectation of seeing him
come out, till two o'clock in the morning, but waiting in vain: after
which, concluding that he had missed him, he quitted his post.
On the morrow, by very diligent enquiry, he found out Mac Fane's
lodgings; but he had not been at home all night. The same ineffectual
search was continued during that and the next day; but, on the morning
of deliverance, Mr. Webb met a person with whom he had formerly been
acquainted, who told him of the house hired by the keeper, and
mentioned the names of his two assistants, with rumours and surmises
sufficiently dark and unintelligible, but enough to make Mr. Webb
suppose it was possible the persons he was in search of were there
confined.
The intelligence was immediately brought to Louisa and Sir Arthur, and
application as immediately made to the magistracy. Webb had obtained
very accurate information of the site of the house; and, what was more
effectual, had prevailed on his informer to lend his aid.
The relief he brought, though too late to prevent mischief, was not
wholly useless; Mr. Clifton was the first object of our care; for Mr.
Henley, though bruised, cut, and mangled has received no serious
injury. Laura was likewise sent for and relieved from her prison.
Proper conveyances were soon provided, and we all removed as fast as
possible from this scene of horror.
You may be sure, madam, we did not forget to bring the boy with us. Mr.
Henley has an affection for him, which the poor fellow very sincerely
returns; and finds himself relieved from the most miserable of
situations, and placed in the most happy.
That I may wholly acquit myself of the task I have undertaken, I must
just mention the Count de Beaunoir. He is a gentleman of the most
pleasant temper. Urbanity is his distinctive mark, for in this quality
most of his flights originate. He has thought himself my admirer, but
in reality he is the general admirer of whatever he supposes excellent.
When he was told of my being affianced to Mr. Henley, instead of
expressing chagrin, he broke into raptures at our mutual happiness, and
how much it was merited. He does not seem to understand the selfishness
of jealousy.
Perhaps, madam, you have not heard the last accounts of the physical
gentlemen, relative to Mr. Clifton. The surgeon who first gave hope is
now positive of a cure; and his opponents begin to own it is not
impossible, but they will not yet allow that Mr. Clifton is out of
danger.
The Count de Beaunoir has paid Mr. Clifton the utmost attention; he
visits him twice a day, and, according to the accounts my friend gives
me, infuses a spirit of benevolence and affection into his visits which
are highly honourable to his heart. Indeed I and Mr. Henley have
several times met him there: for you may well imagine, madam, we are
not the least attentive of Mr. Clifton's visitors. It is at present the
sole study of Mr. Henley, which way best to address himself to a heart
and understanding so capable of generous sensations, and noble
energies. There is an attachment to consistency in the human mind,
which will not admit of any sudden and absolute change; it must be
gradual: but thus much may with certainty be said, Mr. Clifton does not
at present, and I hope will never again, treat with complacency those
vindictive but erroneous notions which had so nearly proved destructive
to all. He makes no professions; but so much the better; he thinks them
the more strongly. His mind preserves its usual tone; is sometimes
disturbed even to excess, and bitterly angry, almost to phrensy, at its
own mistakes; but has lost none of those quick and powerful qualities,
by which it is so highly distinguished.
Sir Arthur, madam, has desired me to communicate a circumstance, which
I shall readily do, without the false delicacy of supposing that I am
not the proper person. It is agreed, between him and Mr. Abimelech
Henley, that the marriage between me and Mr. Frank Henley shall take
place in a month; to which I thought it my duty to assent. I am sorry,
madam, that Lord Fitz-Allen should continue to imagine his honour will
be sullied by this marriage: but I am in like manner sorry for a
thousand follies, which I daily see in the world, without having the
immediate power of correcting one of them.