Passages from the diary of a late physician / by Samuel Warren, author of 'Ten thousand a-year'.

  • Samuel Warren
Date:
[1890]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Passages from the diary of a late physician / by Samuel Warren, author of 'Ten thousand a-year'. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    pected in each day's paper to hear of lier having committed suicide; and never omitted to cast my eye over a paragraph headed witli ' Coronei-'s In- quest,' or ' Distressing Suicide.' Not so, however; slie was reserved for a more signal ininislnnent; a more la- nientalple end! Captain Alverley made iiis apponrance in London six weelis af- ter the elopement ;and in passingalong St. James's Viu k lie chanced to come on his royal hijihness the commander- in-chief, who was returning on horse- back from the Horse-Guards. He drew up, and motioning Captain Alverley, his aide df-cainp, to approach, rebuked him indignantly for the cruel outrage he had committed, commanding him never again to enter his presence. The dnke rode off with a haughty scowl, leaving Captain Alverley thunder- struck. This incident found its way into the next day's papers ; and Captain Alverley, perceiving himself in bad odour, threw up his commission, and withdrew, it was supposed, to the Cou- tinent. The Duke of York, evinced from the first the greatest sympathy with Col. St. Helen ; and as soon as he thought he might safely do so, sent him a letter, by a distinguished general officer, a friend of the colmiel's, full of the kindest expressions, and intimating his wish to see liimat the Horse-Guards at the earliest opportunity. He added that he was authorised to state that his majesty had expressed a sincere sym- jiathy for his sufferings, and the high- est approbation of his gallant conduct abroad. ' Tell his royal highness,' said he, ' that I am very grateful for his conde- scension ; and the moment I am able I will attend him personally to say as much.' 'I was not exactly authorised,' said Lord , 'to mention it to you, but you are to have the —tli ; I he-ard his royal higliness say as luuch.' ' Pray tell his royal highness,' replied the Colonel, with a melancholy air, 'that I cannot accejit it, for 1 return to India by the next ship !' ' Good God ! Colonel St. Helen—re- turn to India V echoed Lord , with an air of infinite astonislmient. ' Can I reiiiiiin in England f sud- denly inquired the Colonel, with a look that silenced Lord , at the same time liastily rising and standing for a few momeiitK witli his back turneil to- wanls him, evidently overjiowered with his feelings. Neither spoke for a few uionient.1. ' I cannot tell this to his royal high- ness,' said Lord ; ' I know lie will (tMk me alKjut everything that has pass- ed at our interview.' 'Then tell him, ray lord, ray last words to you were, that my heart is broken, but my will is not. I shall {lo to India, if I live, and that as soon as possible !' Lord saw that he was inflexible, and abstained fiora further importuni- ties. Three months had now elapsed from the day on which Colonel St. Helen ar- rived in England to encounter so fell a blight of his fondest hopes, his bright- est prospects ; and he had made his final and gloomy jireparations for re- turning to India. Notwithstanding the sympathizing and allectionate attach- ment of General and Mrs. Ogilvie, had it not been for the daily sight of his children —those innocent, helpless, de- serted beings, whom he was himself about to desert—he woidd have lost all sympathy with mankind. His heart yearned towards his little sons—but Ids resolution had been taken, and was unchangeable, to return to India, and, amidst the scenes of carnage he had there quilted, to seek, in an honour- able death, release from the agonies he sullered. He arranged all his afl'airson the basis of his being about to take leave of England for ever. His pur- poses with reference to his children nught have been varied but for the zealous guardians f(n- them he found in General and Mrs. Ogilvie. It was not till within a short period of his depar- ture, that he could liear to ask from the former a detailed acc(nint of all that hail lia]p|>ened. He heard the name of Alverley mentioned in silence. He inquired where he wjis supposed to be, ami never again alluded to him. The niime of Mi s. tjt. Helen never es- caped his lips. When he presented himself before the commander-in-chief, he met with a gracious reception. His royal highness shook him by the hand, and with a quivering lip assured him of his sym- pathy and personal regard. ' Is your resolution to return to In- dia, Colonel St. Helen, unalterable ?' inquired the duke. The colonel bowed ; his UKinner satisfied the duke of the iiselessuess of expostulation. His pas- sage was engaged in a ship quitting the Thiimes in a few days. His servant had jiacki-d uji all that was to be taken abi'ard. The dreaded morning arrived ; he emliracc(l his sisterand his children befiue setting off for town —as he had determined, but only for a few hours as they supjiosed, understanding that lie would return in the afternoon to bid them adieu for ever. While he ami General O^dlvie were waiting in a back room at Meosrs. —,