As for the Widow Wycherly, tradition tells us that she was a
great beauty in her day; but, for a long while past, she had lived
in deep seclusion, on account of certain scandalous stories which
had prejudiced the gentry of the town against her. It is a
circumstance worth mentioning that each of these three old
gentlemen, Mr. Medbourne, Colonel Killigrew, and Mr. Gascoigne, were
early lovers of the Widow Wycherly, and had once been on the point
of cutting each other's throats for her sake. And, before proceeding
further, I will merely hint that Dr. Heidegger and all his four guests
were sometimes thought to be a little beside themselves- as is not
unfrequently the case with old people, when worried either by
present troubles or woful recollections.
"My dear old friends," said Dr. Heidegger, motioning them to be
seated, I am desirous of your assistance in one of those little
experiments with which I amuse myself here in my study."
If all stories were true, Dr. Heidegger's study must have been a
very curious place. It was a dim, old-fashioned chamber, festooned
with cobwebs, and besprinkled with antique dust.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20