I went upstairs, and found that all was ready, and I took leave of Mr
and Mrs Cophagus, both of whom expressed their hopes that I would not
leave them for ever. "Oh, no," replied I, "I should indeed be base, if I
did." I left them, and with Ephraim following with my portmanteau, I
quitted the house. I had gone about twenty yards, when I recollected that
I had left on the table the newspaper with the advertisement containing
the direction whom to apply to, and desiring Ephraim to proceed, I
returned. When I entered the parlour, Susannah Temple was resting her
face in her hands and weeping. The opening of the door made her start
up; she perceived that it was I, and she turned away. "I beg your pardon,
I left the newspaper," said I, stammering. I was about to throw myself
at her feet, declare my sincere affection, and give up all idea of
finding my father until we were married, when she, without saying a
word, passed quickly by me and hastened out of the room. "She loves me
then," thought I; "thank God:--I will not go yet, I will speak to her
first." I sat down, quite overpowered with contending feelings. The
paper was in my hand, the paragraph was again read, I thought but
of my father, and I left the house.
In half an hour I had shaken hands with Timothy and quitted the town of
Reading. How I arrived in London, that is to say, what passed, or what we
passed, I know not; my mind was in such a state of excitement. I hardly
know how to express the state that I was in. It was a sort of mental
whirling which blinded me--round and round--from my father and the
expected meeting, then to Susannah, my departure, and her tears--castle
building of every description. After the coach stopped, there I remained
fixed on the top of it, not aware that we were in London until the
coachman asked me whether the spirit did not move me to get down. I
recollected myself, and calling a hackney-coach, gave orders to be
driven to the Piazza, Covent Garden.
"Piazza, Common Garden," said the waterman, "why that ban't an 'otel
for the like o' you, master. They'll torment you to death, them young
chaps."
I had forgotten that I was dressed as a Quaker. "Tell the coachman to
stop at the first cloth warehouse where they have ready-made cloaks,"
said I. The man did so; I went out and purchased a roquelaure, which
enveloped my whole person. I then stopped at a hatter's, and purchased
a hat according to the mode. "Now drive to the Piazza," said I, entering
the coach. I know not why, but I was resolved to go to that hotel. It
was the one I had stayed at when I first arrived in London, and I wished
to see it again. When the hackney coach stopped, I asked the waiter who
came out whether he had apartments, and answering me in the affirmative, I
followed him, and was shown into the same rooms I had previously occupied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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