Arrah Neil; or, Times of OldJames, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
History
Arrah Neil; or, Times of Old
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Fiction; Historical fiction
The other was a younger man, very different in appearance; a good deal
taller than his companion, and apparently more vigorous; his face
decorated with an immense pair of moustaches, and a somewhat pointed
beard, both of that indistinct hue which may be called whey-colour.
His hair floated upon his shoulders in the style of the Cavaliers;
but, to say the truth, it seemed somewhat unconscious of the comb; and
his dress, too, displayed that sort of dirty finery which by no means
prepossesses the wary usurer or experienced tradesman with the idea of
great funds at command on the part of the wearer. His doublet of
soiled leather displayed a great number of ornamented buttons, and
shreds of gold lace; his collar and hand-ruffles were of lace which
had once been of high price, but had seen service probably with more
masters than one, and had borne away in the conflict with the world
many a hole and tear, more honourable in flag or standard than in
human apparel. Ranging by his side, and ready for action, was an
egregious rapier, with a small dagger placed beside it, as if to set
off its length to greater advantage. On his legs were a large pair of
jack-boots, which he seldom laid aside, and there is even reason to
suppose that they covered several deficiencies; and hanging on a peg
behind was a broad beaver, very unlike the hats usually worn in
England at the time, ornamented with a long red feather.
As to his countenance and its expression, both were very peculiar. The
features in themselves were not bad--the eyes large, and somewhat
prominent. The nose, which was so pre-eminent as to form the chief
object in the expanse of his countenance, whichever way his face was
turned, was not altogether ill-shaped, and might have passed muster
amongst the ordinary noses of the world, had it not been that it was
set in the midst of a patch of red, which seemed to have transferred
itself from the cheeks to unite in the centre of the face. The
expression was bold, swaggering, and impudent; but a touch of shrewd
cunning was there, diversified every now and then by a quick, furtive
look around, which seemed to show that the worthy gentleman himself,
like a careful sentinel, was always upon the watch.
Certainly, seldom were there ever seen companions more opposite than
were there seated at supper on the present occasion; and yet it not
unfrequently happens, in this strange life of ours, that
circumstances, inclination, or wayward fortune, makes our comrade of
the way the man, of all others, least like one's self; and of all the
great general principles which are subject to exceptions, that which
has the most is the fact of birds of a feather flocking together.
"I have done," said the elder of the two, laying down his knife.
"Pooh, nonsense!" cried the other; "you haven't eaten half-a-pound. I
shan't have done this half-hour. I am like a camel, Master Randal.
Whenever I have an opportunity, I lay in a store in my own stomach for
the journey."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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