"Hor, I don’t know that though. Jim, the name of the party here ain’t
Waun after all. It be Walence. And three blessed days us has been all
over London!"
Jim, from the top of the van, suggests that, after all, Walence and Waun
be much of a muchness. For his part, he’ll be blessed if he’ll go any
further with it. Let him and Ben look at the young lady, and see if she
be like the card. Meanwhile, of course, I come forward and claim the
parcel, whatever it is. Mrs. Shelfer redoubles her assurances, and
calls the man a great oaf, which has more effect than anything.
"Why, Jim, this must be Charley’s missus; Charley Shelfer’s missus! Him
as beat you so at skittles last week, you know."
"Ah, he did so. And I’d like to back him again you, Ben, for a quart
all round."
This fact is decisive. Who can doubt any more? But for all that, the
book must be signed in the name of "Waun," with which of course I
comply. When the two strong men have, with much difficulty (of which
they made much more), lowered the enormous package from the van, Ben
stands wiping his forehead. "Lor, how hot it be to-night to be sure!
And the job us has had with this big lump sure*ly*! Both the handles
come off long ago. I wish my missus had got a featherbed half the
weight of that. Five-and-twenty year I’ve been along of this company,
man and boy, but I never see such a direction as that there in all my
born days. Did ever you, Jim?"
"Well," replies Jim, "I’ve seed a many queer ones, but none as could
come up to that. And who’d a thought after all their trouble--for I’m
blessed if they wrote that there under a week--who’d a’ thought they’d a
put ’Waun’ on it when they meant ’Walence.’ But the young lady is
awaiting for us to drink her health, Ben, and a merry Christmas to her."
"How much is the carriage?" I ask, trembling for my change of the
half-sovereign.
"Nothing, miss. Only eightpence for delivery. It be paid to
Paddington, and if ever our Company airned eightpence, I’m blessed if
they haven’t airned it now. Thank you, Miss, and werry handsome on you,
and us hopes the contents will prove to your liking, Miss, and make you
a merry Christmas."
Away they go with the smoking horses, after carrying into the little
kitchen the mighty maun, which Mrs. Shelfer, with my assistance, could
not stir.
"Bless me, Miss Valence, what a direction!" cries Mrs. Shelfer, when the
full light falls upon it.
The direction was written in round hand upon a strip of parchment, about
four inches wide and at least eight feet in length. It came from the
bottom all up over the cover and down upon the other side, so that no
one could open the basket without breaking it asunder. It was as
follows:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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