De L'Orme.: The Works of G. P. R. James, Esq., Vol. XVI.James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
General
De L'Orme.: The Works of G. P. R. James, Esq., Vol. XVI.
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Fiction
Money, I had hardly more than would bear me to Paris; resources, I had
none before me, and I shrank from the idea of either writing to, or
hearing from, the once loved home that I had left, with a degree of
horror it is difficult to describe. What could I write, without
forcing my mind to dwell upon details that were agony to think of?
What could I hear, but reproaches, which I knew not well whether I
deserved or not; or tenderness, which would have been more painful
still? My only resource was, like the ostrich in the fable, to shut my
eyes against the evils that pursued me, and to hurry forward as fast
as I could, filling up the vacuity of each moment with any
circumstances less painful than my own thoughts, and leaving to time
and chance--the two great patrons of the unfortunate--to remove my
difficulties, and provide for my wants.
At the inn at Marseilles, as soon as my little attendant, Achilles,
had recovered what he called his powers of ambulation, the rolling of
the sea having left him, even on land, certain sensations of
unsteadiness which made him walk in various zigzag meanders during the
whole day, he unfolded to my astonished eyes the clothes which he had
bought for me at Barcelona. First, appeared a splendid Spanish riding
dress of philomot cloth, laced with silver, and perfectly new; with a
black beaver and white plumes, which, together with the untanned
riding-boots, sword, and dagger, all handsomely mounted, might cost,
upon a very moderate calculation, at least one hundred and fifty
louis-d'ors. I concluded myself ruined, of course; but what was my
surprise and horror when he dragged forth a long leathern case,
containing a rich dress suit of white silk, laced with gold; a white
sword and gold hilt, a bonnet and plume, that might have served a
prince, with collars of Flemish lace, gold-embroidered gloves of
Brussels, and shoes of Cordova.
If it had been a box of serpents I could not have gazed into it with
more horror, my purse feeling lighter by a pistole for every fold he
unplied in the rich white silk. "There! there! there!" cried he,
contemplating them with as much delight as I experienced
consternation. "What an exquisite Alexander the Great I should make in
that white silk! Never was such an opportunity lost, for fitting up
the wardrobe of a theatre--never! never! but I could not bear to part
with the little shining yellow things, that kept my pocket so warm,
and therefore I only bought what was necessary for you, _signeurie_."
"And where do you think that my _seigneurie_ is to get money to pay
for them?" demanded I, somewhat sharply. "Pray how much have you spent
more than I gave you?"
The poor little man looked up with an air of consternation that
increased my own. "Spent!" cried he; "spent more than you gave
me!--Why, none at all. I got them all for seven louis."
"Then they must have been stolen," cried I.
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