The undulations of the popular excitement in town, were not long in
reaching the calm retreat of Mr. Titmouse in Yorkshire. To say nothing
of his having on several occasions observed artists busily engaged in
sketching different views of the Hall and its surrounding scenery, and,
on inquiry, discovered that they had been sent from London for the
express purpose of presenting to the excited public sketches of the
"residence of Mr. Titmouse," a copy of the inimitable performance of Mr.
Bladdery Pip--viz. "TIPPETIWINK," (tenth edition) was sent down to Mr.
Titmouse by Gammon; who also forwarded to him, from time to time,
newspapers containing those paragraphs which identified Titmouse with
the hero of the novel, and also testified the profound impression which
it was making upon the thinking classes of the community. Was Titmouse's
wish to witness the ferment he had so unconsciously produced in the
metropolis, unreasonable? Yatton was beginning to look duller daily,
even before the arrival of this stimulating intelligence from town;
Titmouse feeling quite out of his element. So--Gammon _non
contradicente_--up came Titmouse to town. If he had not been naturally a
fool, the notice he attracted in London must soon have made him one. He
had been for coming up in a post-chaise and four; but Gammon, in a
letter, succeeded in dissuading him from incurring so useless an
expense, assuring him that men of even as high consideration as himself,
constantly availed themselves of the safe and rapid transit afforded by
the royal mail. His valet, on being appealed to, corroborated Mr.
Gammon's representations; adding, that the late hour in the evening at
which that respectable vehicle arrived in town would effectually shroud
him from public observation. Giving strict and repeated orders to his
valet to deposit him at once "in a first-rate West-End hotel," the
haughty lord of Yatton, plentifully provided with cigars, stepped into
the mail, his valet perching himself upon the box-seat. That gifted
functionary was well acquainted with town, and resolved on his master's
taking up his quarters at the Harcourt Hotel, in the immediate vicinity
of Bond Street.
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