“My hat and sword. Quick—my sword!”
Both were instantly brought to him, and he commenced hastily descending the stairs with his sword in his hand, and a flush of excitement on his brow, that made him look widely different to the pale trembling man he was but a few short minutes before.
“Pray Heaven,” thought Albert, “his wits be not deranged. It would be sad indeed if my only friend were to turn out a madman.”
They were soon in the street, and Learmont taking Albert by the arm, said,—
“Remember your promise, and make no sort of demonstration of your presence, until I shall permit you. All now depends upon your discretion. Lead me now as quickly as you can to this man’s abode.”
“I owe you too much, sir,” said Albert, “to quarrel with your commands, whatever restraint they may put upon my own inclination. I shall control my impatience until the time you mention.”
“Do so. Then as a reward, I will contrive some means of providing for you, so that you shall never know again what care and trouble are. You shall have a happy destiny.”
These words were uttered in a tone so strange, that Albert, looked in Learmont’s face, to see what expressions accompanied them, and there he saw a lurking smile which brought a disagreeable feeling of suspicion to his heart for a moment, but no longer, for he chased it away again by reflecting what possible motive could Learmont have for first raising his hopes and then crushing them; if, indeed, he had not already gone too far to be of any detriment, if he was of no assistance, by enabling him, Albert, to discover the abode of Jacob Gray, and as he fondly imagined that likewise of his beloved and deeply regretted Ada.
“No,” he thought, “I am wrong in my suspicions. He who has done so much for me already is entitled to my confidence, beyond the casual feeling of suspicion that may arise from a smile or a particular tone of voice, I will obey him.”
“Is there,” said Learmont, “any dark and secret place in the vicinity of this man’s dwelling from which we may view it securely without being seen ourselves?”