Fortune's My Foe: A RomanceBloundelle-Burton, John
General
Fortune's My Foe: A Romance
Bloundelle-Burton, John
English fiction -- 19th century
Beau Bufton did take care to be there in time, while, to make
assurance double sure, he arrived with his bride, she and Mrs. Pottle
having been fetched by him from the corner of a street hard by the end
of Cowley Street. The girl was very nervous, as he could see plainly,
as well as recognise by the manner in which her hand trembled on his
arm; also, she was white and with no bloom of natural colour on her
cheeks, although Mrs. Pottle had, in its place, carefully applied the
contents of the rouge-pot to them that morning. Otherwise, she was all
that became a bride who did not wish to proclaim her position too
distinctly. For the flowered brocade (which the Beau's eyes, astute in
everything pertaining to clothes and gauds, noticed was not quite new
and fresh, but had indeed been a little worn) was suitable enough to a
young lady going out for a day's jaunt; the great Rembrandt-like hat
matched it well enough, and the fringed gloves, which were brand-new,
gave a pleasing set-off to the remainder of her apparel.
Behind the happy pair, as now they descended from the hackney coach
and entered the chapel, came Lewis Granger, he having on his arm Mrs.
Pottle, while testifying by his countenance that he scarcely
appreciated the honour of being that lady's escort. Yet he had
arranged everything as became the jackal of the lion; he had sworn
deeply, and with many vows, to assist in bringing this marriage to a
successful issue; even the indignity of Mrs. Pottle's company could
not daunt him nor turn him from his resolution. The companionship of
this stern and determined-looking woman at his side must be borne with
for the next quarter of an hour. Though still he cast a glance of
dismay, almost of shame, at two or three of the Beau's overnight
guests who were already assembled and looked brave enough in their
scarlet coats, as they all passed up with Mrs. Pottle to the spot
where Keith's deputy was ready to perform the ceremony.
This deputy, Peter Symson by name, licensed by the Bishop of Salisbury
as priest, seemed by his appearance to verify that which Bufton had
said the evening before with regard to his habits. His face was
extremely red, and the critical might have opined that it had neither
been washed nor shaved this morning; his voice was hoarse and
indistinct as he mumbled hastily the words of the irrevocable
ceremony, as though anxious to get all concluded as soon as possible.
In actual truth, he never performed the marriage ceremony without
great fear that, at some moment of it, the myrmidons of Henry
Fielding's successor at Bow Street might rush in on him and serve him
with a warrant charging him with illegal practices.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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