The Courtship of Morrice Buckler: A RomanceMason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley)
History
The Courtship of Morrice Buckler: A Romance
Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley)
Great Britain -- History -- James II, 1685-1688 -- Fiction; Historical fiction
"That will suffice," said Elmscott, and he turned away.
"One moment," I cried. "I need a service of you."
He burst out into a laugh.
"A thousand pounds to a guinea I know the service. 'Tis the address of
my tailor you need. I saw you looking down at your clothes as though
the wearing of them sullied you. Very well, one of my servants shall
be with you in the morning with a complete list of my tradesmen." And
he swung off in the direction of Piccadilly, laughing as he went,
while I, filled with all sorts of romantical notions, walked back to
my lodging. Though, indeed, to say that I walked, falls somewhat short
of the truth; to speak by the book, I fairly scampered, and arrived
breathless at my doorstep.
My servants had unpacked my baggage, and with a momentary pang of
misgiving, I observed, lying on the table, my ill-omened copy of
Horace.
"How comes this here?" I inquired sharply of Udal, taking the book in
my hands.
It opened at once at the diagram, and the date upon the leaf opposite.
So often had this outline been scanned and examined that the merest
fingering of the cover served to make the book fall open at this
particular page. I doubt, indeed, whether it had been possible to lift
or move the volume at all without noticing the diagram.
Udal told me that Jack himself had placed the book in my trunk. He
intended it as a hint for my conduct, I made certain, and, newly come
as I was from the presence of Countess Lukstein, I felt no gratitude
for his interference. I tossed the book on to a side-table by the
chimney, where it lay henceforward forgotten, and proceeded to light
my pipe.
'Twas late when I mounted to my bedroom. The moon was in its last
quarter, and the park which my window overlooked lay very fair and
quiet in the soft light. What nonsense does a man con over and ponder
at such times! Yet 'tis very pleasant nonsense, and though it keeps
him out of bed o' nights, he may yet draw good from it--ay, and more
good than from quartos of philosophy.
CHAPTER IX.
I RENEW AN ACQUAINTANCESHIP.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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