The Project Gutenberg EBook of Vellenaux, by Edmund William ForrestThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: Vellenaux A NovelAuthor: Edmund William ForrestRelease Date: May 31, 2005 [EBook #15956]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VELLENAUX ***Produced by Early Canadiana Online, Robert Cicconetti, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.VELLENAUXA NOVEL BY E.W. FORRESTAUTHOR OF THE "BLUE JACKET," "CRONOTONTOLLIENS," "NED FORTESQUE," ETC.1874.PREFACEThe consideration and favor accorded to the writer's former works by a generous reading public, has induced him to tryhis hand as a novelist, and the present effort "Vellenaux" is the result.The Book, although essentially one of fiction, contains many episodes of an historical character. In fact, truth andimagination are so blended together, that the reader will scarcely discover where the one begins or the other ends.Scenes and occurrences are portrayed which took place during the Sheik Wars, the siege of Mooltan, the battle ofChillianwalla, and the never to be forgotten Sepoy Mutiny, with the simple alteration of names, dates and localities. Onthe shoulders of the hero has been grafted many of the adventures, exploits and escapes which in reality occurred ...
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Vellenaux, by Edmund William Forrest
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,
give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
www.gutenberg.net
Title: Vellenaux A Novel
Author: Edmund William Forrest
Release Date: May 31, 2005 [EBook #15956]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VELLENAUX ***
Produced by Early Canadiana Online, Robert Cicconetti, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
VELLENAUX
A NOVEL BY E.W. FORREST
AUTHOR OF THE "BLUE JACKET," "CRONOTONTOLLIENS," "NED FORTESQUE," ETC.
1874.PREFACE
The consideration and favor accorded to the writer's former works by a generous reading public, has induced him to try
his hand as a novelist, and the present effort "Vellenaux" is the result.
The Book, although essentially one of fiction, contains many episodes of an historical character. In fact, truth and
imagination are so blended together, that the reader will scarcely discover where the one begins or the other ends.
Scenes and occurrences are portrayed which took place during the Sheik Wars, the siege of Mooltan, the battle of
Chillianwalla, and the never to be forgotten Sepoy Mutiny, with the simple alteration of names, dates and localities. On
the shoulders of the hero has been grafted many of the adventures, exploits and escapes which in reality occurred either
to the Author himself or some of his many military acquaintances, in doing which the reader may rest assured that no
character or incident has been in any way overdrawn.
THE AUTHOR.VELLENAUX.CHAPTER I.
The bright rays of an Autumn sun fell upon the richly stained glass, sending a flood of soft, mellow rainbow tinted light
through the quaintly curved and deeply mullioned windows which adorned a portion of the eastern wing of that grand old
Baronial residence, Vellenaux, on a fine September morning, at the period during which our story opens. This handsome
pile, now the property of Sir Jasper Coleman, had been erected by one of his ancestors, Reginald De Coleman, during
the reign of the fifth Henry.
This gallant Knight had rendered that Monarch great service during his wars in France, especially at Agincourt, where his
skill and bravery was so conspicuous, and used to so great advantage, that King Henry, on his return to England,
rewarded his faithful follower with a grant of land in Devonshire, on which he was enabled, with the spoils he had
acquired and the ransoms received from his French prisoners of note, to erect a magnificent chateaux, which he called
Vellenaux, after Francois, Count De Vellenaux, a French noble, whose ransom contributed largely to its construction.
Here he continued to reside until his death, which occurred several years after.
It was now an irregular edifice, having been partially destroyed and otherwise defaced during the contests which ensued
between the cavaliers and roundheads at the time of the Commonwealth. Since then alterations and additions had been
made by his successors, and, although of different styles of architecture, was now one of the handsomest and most
picturesque structures that could be met with throughout the length and breadth of the shire.
A broad avenue of noble elms led from the lodge at the entrance of the domain and opened upon a beautiful carriage
drive that wound round the velvet lawn, which formed a magnificent and spacious oval in front of the grand entrance.
Beneath the outspreading branches of the venerable oaks, with which the home park was studded, browsed the red and
fallow deer, who, on the approach of any equestrian parties, or at the advance of some aristocratic vehicle bearing its
freight of gay, laughing guests towards the hospitable mansion, would toss their antlered heads, or, startled, seek the
cover of those green shady alleys leading to the beech woods which adjoined the park and stretched away towards the
coast of Devon.
Sir Jasper, who was still a bachelor, and on the shady side of sixty, retained much of the fire and energy of his earlier
years, although at times subject to an infirmity which the medical faculty describe as emanating from disease of the heart.
He had served with great distinction during the Peninsular war, under the iron Duke, but, on succeeding to the Baronetcy,
left the service and retired to his present estate, where he spent most of his time at this his favorite residence, as hunting,
shooting and field sports generally had for him a charm that no allurements of city life could tempt him to forego; besides
he had, in the earlier part of his military career, visited many of the gay capitals of Europe and engaged in the exciting
pleasures always to be met with in such places, until he had become satiated and lost all taste for such scenes. His kind
heartedness and benevolence won for him the esteem of the neighboring gentry.
On the morning in question the Baronet, who had but the evening previous returned from London, entered his study, and
seating himself in an easy chair, drew towards him a small but elaborately carved antique escritoire, and for several
moments was deeply engaged in the perusal of certain papers and memoranda; finally he drew from his pocket a sealed
packet which, having opened carefully, he read over; then as if not quite satisfied with the contents, allowed the paper to
slip from his hand to the table before him and was soon lost in thought. An English gentleman, unquestionably in the
highest sense of the word, was Sir Jasper Coleman; a true type of that class who, from the time of the Norman conquest
to the present day, whether beneath the Torrid or Frigid Zone's; on the bloody battlefield, or launching their thunders on
the billows of the white-crested main, nobly upheld the honor of their country's flag, whose heroic deeds and honorable
names have been handed down unsullied and untarnished for many generations. Since leaving the service the worthy
Baronet had taken no part in the political events of the nation, but devoted himself entirely to the welfare of his numerous
tenantry, and those residing in the neighborhood of his large estate, to whom assistance and advice was at all times
needed, nor was it ever withheld or given grudgingly when any case of real distress came under his notice.
A fine subject fog poet's pen or artist's pencil was that aristocratic old warrior, as he sat there gazing upon the rich
woodlands warmed by the glorious autumn sun, thinking over by-gone days—days when he had loitered by some fair
one's side in many a brilliant assembly, or when his nerves were steady and his voice all powerful, leading the charge on
many a well-fought field. How long he might have remained ruminating on things of the past it is impossible to say; the
retrospect might have continued much longer had not his attention been arrested by a slight noise, when suddenly raising
his head a smile of pleasure lit up his finely cut features as the door opened and a lovely girl, just merging into
womanhood, stepped softly into the room. She was, indeed, very beautiful; hair of the darkest shade of brown hung in
long and glossy curls from her perfectly shaped head, and rested on the exquisite white neck and shoulders, the contrast
of which showed to a great degree the almost alabaster whiteness of her skin; grecian nose, and eyes of the deepest
blue, whose long lashes, when veiled, rested lovingly on her damask cheek, and when raised, revealed a depth and
brilliancy which does not often fall to the lot of mortals; a mouth not too small, whose beautifully shaped lips, when parted,
disclosed to the beholder teeth of ivory whiteness, small and most evenly set, dazzling indeed was the effect of those
pearly treasures; tall, slight, and elegantly formed, with a bearing aristocratic and queenly in the extreme; what wonder
that she was the sunshine of old Sir Jasper's declining days and his much and dearly loved niece.
Gliding up to her uncle she threw heir arms about his neck and imprinted a kiss on his noble brow, then sinking on a stool
at his feet began to take him to task after the following fashion: "You truant, you naughty uncle, to let me breakfast alone inmy own room thinking you hundreds of miles away, and not to let me know that you returned last night; and Mrs.
Fraudhurst is just as bad, and I will not forgive her or you, unless you tell me where you have been and all you have seen
and done. Now, Sir Wanderer, commence and give an account of yourself; you see I am prepared to listen," apparently
waiting with much attention for her uncle to enlighten her as to the why and wherefore he had journeyed to London. It was
evident that the Baronet had been in the habit of making a confidant of his pretty niece, but on this occasion, for one
reason or another he had failed to do so; she had taken out of one of her little embroidered pockets in her apron, some
crochet work, and applied herself diligently thereunto.
Edith was the orphan child of Sir Jasper's much loved and only sister, who did not long survive the death of her husband,
and on her decease the Baronet had adopted the child, and as she grew up, her affectionate disposition and natural
simplicity wound themselves round the old man's heart, and thus she soon became the apple of his eye, and he loved her
with all the tender solicitude of a father.
She was gentle and friendly to those beneath her, but dignified and firm with those of her own station of life, with a fund of
good practical common sense, and was not easily dissuaded from doing any thing when she had once made up her
mind that it was her duty so to do. She loved her uncle well and was ever ready to minister to his slightest wishes. She
used to delight him with the rich tone of her voice by singing selections from his favorite operas, being an accomplished
musician both vocal and instrumental. They would frequent