The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — CompleteLever, Charles
General
The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — Complete
Lever, Charles
Fiction
“Last evening, among the persons who presented themselves at the table
of this fashionable resort, were certain individuals, who, by their
names and dress bespoke any thing rather than the rank and condition of
those who usually resort there, and whose admission is still
unexplained, notwithstanding the efforts of the police to unravel the
mystery. The proprietors of the bank did not fail to remark these
persons; but scrupled, from fear of disturbing the propriety of the
salon, to take the necessary steps for their exclusion—reserving their
attention to the adoption of precautions against such intrusion in
future—unfortunately, as it turned out eventually, for, towards eleven
o’clock, one of these individuals, having lost a considerable sum at
play, proceeded in a very violent and outrageous manner to denounce the
bank, and went so far as to accuse the croupier of cheating. This
language having failed to excite the disturbance it was evidently
intended to promote, was soon followed up by a most dreadful personal
attack upon the banquier, in which he was thrown from his seat, and the
cassette, containing several thousand francs in gold and notes,
immediately laid hold of. The confusion now became considerable, and it
was apparent, that the whole had been a pre-concerted scheme. Several
persons, leaping upon the table, attempted to extinguish the great
lustre of the salon, in which bold attempt, they were most spiritedly
resisted by some of the other players and the gens-d’arme, who had by
this time arrived in force. The riot was quelled after a prolonged and
desperate resistance, and the rioters, with the exception of two, were
captured, and conveyed to prison, where they await the result of a
judicial investigation—of which we shall not fail to lay the
particulars before our readers.
“Since our going to press, we have learned that one of the ringleaders
in this vile scheme is a noted English escroc—a swindler, who was
already arrest at C—— for travelling with a false passport; but who
contrives, by some collusion with another of the gang, to evade the
local authorities. If this be the case, we trust he will speedily be
detected and brought to punishment.”
Whatever amusement I had found in reading the commencing portion of
this ridiculous misstatement, the allusion in the latter part by no
means afforded me equal pleasure; and I saw, in one rapid glance, how
much annoyance, and how many delays and impediments—a charge even of
this ridiculous nature, might give rise to in my present circumstances.
My passport, however, will settle all—thought I—as I thrust my hand
towards my pocket, in which I had placed it along with some letters.
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