The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — CompleteLever, Charles
General
The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — Complete
Lever, Charles
Fiction
directed elsewhere, for above all the din and “tapage” of the encounter
I could plainly hear the row-dow-dow of the drums, and the measured
tread of troops approaching, and at once guessed that a reinforcement
of the gen d’armerie were coming up. Behind me there was a large
window, with a heavy scarlet curtain before it; my resolution was at
once taken, I floored my antagonist, whom I had till now treated with
the most merciful forbearance, and immediately sprung behind the
curtain. A second’s consideration showed that in the search that must
ensue this would afford no refuge, so I at once opened the sash, and
endeavoured to ascertain at what height I was above the ground beneath
me; the night was so dark that I could see nothing, but judging from
the leaves and twigs that reached to the window, that it was a garden
beneath, and auguring from the perfumed smell of the shrubs, that they
could not be tall trees, I resolved to leap, a resolve I had little
time to come to, for the step of the soldiers was already heard upon
the stair. Fixing my hat then down upon my brows, and buttoning my coat
tightly, I let myself down from the window-stool by my hands, and fell
upon my legs in the soft earth of the garden, safe and unhurt. From the
increased clamour and din overhead, I could learn the affray was at its
height, and had little difficulty in detecting the sonorous accent and
wild threats of my friend Mr. O’Leary, high above all the other sounds
around him. I did not wait long, however, to enjoy them; but at once
set about securing my escape from my present bondage. In this I had
little difficulty, for I was directed by a light to a small door,
which, as I approached, found that it led into the den of the
Concierge, and also communicated by another door with the street. I
opened it, therefore, at once, and was in the act of opening the
second, when I felt myself seized by the collar by a strong hand; and
on turning round saw the sturdy figure of the Concierge himself, with a
drawn bayonet within a few inches of my throat, “Tenez, mon ami,” said
I quietly, and placing half a dozen louis, some of my recent spoils, in
his hand, at once satisfied him that, even if I were a robber, I was at
least one that understood and respected the conveniences of society. He
at once relinquished his hold and dropped his weapon, and pulling off
his cap with one hand, to draw the cord which opened the Porte Cochere
with the other, bowed me politely to the street. I had scarcely had
time to insinuate myself into the dense mass of people whom the noise
and confusion within had assembled around the house, when the double
door of the building opened, and a file of gens d’armerie came forth,
leading between them my friend Mr. O’Leary and some others of the
rioters—among whom I rejoiced to find my cousin did not figure. If I
were to judge from his disordered habiliments and scarred visage, Mr.
O’Leary’s resistance to the constituted authorities must have been a
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