The Adventures of Harry Rochester: A Tale of the Days of Marlborough and Eugene — John Shaqi
The Adventures of Harry Rochester: A Tale of the Days of Marlborough and EugeneStrang, Herbert
General
The Adventures of Harry Rochester: A Tale of the Days of Marlborough and Eugene
Strang, Herbert
Blenheim, Battle of, Blindheim, Bavaria, Germany, 1704 -- Juvenile fiction
From that moment Sherebiah was a marked man. Whatever reasons the father
had for fearing Mr. Berkeley were strengthened when it became evident
that the squire had marked and would resent the son’s action. Sherebiah
had been doing no good in the village since he suddenly returned to it,
from no one knew where, a few years before. His father was anxious that
he should go away for a time, at least until the squire’s anger had
cooled. He welcomed the opportunity afforded by the approaching
departure of Harry.
"Let un goo wi’ ’ee," he said. "’Tis a knowen boy, handy, with a head
full o’ wise things he’s larned in the world. He’d be proud to sarve
’ee, ay, that he would."
"But, gaffer, I can’t afford a servant. Twenty guineas are all I have,
and I know not what may happen. If Lord Godolphin fails me, my money
will soon be gone, and then there’ll be two poor fellows instead of
one."
"Never fear. I bean’t afeard for ’ee. And what does the Book say?
Why, ’twas the holy King David as said it hisself: ’Once I were young,’
says he, ’and now I be old; but never ha’ I knowed the righteous
forsaken, nor his seed a-beggen bread neither.’ That’s what he said,
and he knowed a thing or two, so he did."
"Perhaps he didn’t know everything, gaffer. Well, you’re set on it, I
see. Sherry would certainly be better out of the squire’s way; so he
can come with me, and as soon as I find something to do he had better
look for employment, and London ought to be a good place for that."
Thus it happened that, on this November morning, the two passengers who
had booked places in the Salisbury coach for London were Harry Rochester
and Sherebiah Minshull.
The story took a long time in the telling in the parlour of the inn, and
Giles Appleyard was somewhat perturbed when he saw by the big clock in
the corner that his departure was overdue. He drained his tankard,
wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and went out, calling loudly
to the passengers to take their places. Harry shook hands all round;
every man had something to say to him that was intended to be pleasant
and encouraging, but was in many cases the reverse. His heart was full
as he thought of leaving the good folk among whom he had lived and whose
kindly feeling for him was so evident. When, last of all, Mistress
Joplady flung her arms round his neck and hugged him to her ample bosom,
and then wiped her eyes with the corner of her apron, he felt a lump in
his throat, and was glad to escape and mount to his place on the roof of
the coach.
"All right, Bill?" shouted the coachman over his shoulder.
"Ay."
"Let goo, ostler."
And gathering up the reins he cracked his whip, and with a clatter and
rumble the heavy vehicle, amid a volley of cheers, lurched forward on
the way to London.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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