Paul Clifford — CompleteLytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
General
Paul Clifford — Complete
Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
Brigands and robbers -- Fiction
the other side of the wall, where it made of course a similar hitch, our
two adventurers were enabled successively to slide down, and consummate
their escape from the House of Correction.
“Follow me now!” said Augustus, as he took to his heels; and Paul
pursued him through a labyrinth of alleys and lanes, through which he
shot and dodged with a variable and shifting celerity that, had not
Paul kept close upon him, would very soon, combined with the fog, have
snatched him from the eyes of his young ally. Happily the immaturity of
the morning, the obscurity of the streets passed through, and above all,
the extreme darkness of the atmosphere, prevented that detection and
arrest which their prisoner's garb would otherwise have insured them. At
length they found themselves in the fields; and skulking along hedges,
and diligently avoiding the highroad, they continued to fly onward,
until they had advanced several miles into “the bowels of the land.”
At that time “the bowels” of Augustus Tomlinson began to remind him of
their demands; and he accordingly suggested the desirability of their
seizing the first peasant they encountered, and causing him to exchange
clothes with one of the fugitives, who would thus be enabled to enter
a public-house and provide for their mutual necessities. Paul agreed
to this proposition, and accordingly they watched their opportunity and
caught a ploughman. Augustus stripped him of his frock, hat, and worsted
stockings; and Paul, hardened by necessity and companionship, helped to
tie the poor ploughman to a tree. They then continued their progress
for about an hour, and, as the shades of evening fell around them,
they discovered a public-house. Augustus entered, and returned in a few
minutes laden with bread and cheese, and a bottle of beer. Prison fare
cures a man of daintiness, and the two fugitives dined on these homely
viands with considerable complacency. They then resumed their journey,
and at length, wearied with exertion, they arrived at a lonely haystack,
where they resolved to repose for an hour or two.
CHAPTER X.
Unlike the ribald, whose licentious jest
Pollutes his banquet, and insults his guest,
From wealth and grandeur easy to descend,
Thou joy'st to lose the master in the friend.
We round thy board the cheerful menials see, Gay--
with the smile of bland equality;
No social care the gracious lord disdains;
Love prompts to love, and reverence reverence gains.
Translation of LUCAN to Paso,
Prefixed to the Twelfth Paper of “The Rambler.”
Coyly shone down the bashful stars upon our adventurers, as, after a
short nap behind the haystack, they stretched themselves, and looking
at each other, burst into an involuntary and hilarious laugh at the
prosperous termination of their exploit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account