Sir, Boots was at this identical Holly-Tree Inn (having left it several
times since to better himself, but always come back through one thing or
another), when, one summer afternoon, the coach drives up, and out of the
coach gets them two children. The Guard says to our Governor, "I don't
quite make out these little passengers, but the young gentleman's words
was, that they was to be brought here." The young gentleman gets out;
hands his lady out; gives the Guard something for himself; says to our
Governor, "We're to stop here to-night, please. Sitting-room and two
bedrooms will be required. Chops and cherry-pudding for two!" and tucks
her, in her sky-blue mantle, under his arm, and walks into the house much
bolder than Brass.
Boots leaves me to judge what the amazement of that establishment was,
when these two tiny creatures all alone by themselves was marched into
the Angel,--much more so, when he, who had seen them without their seeing
him, give the Governor his views of the expedition they was upon.
"Cobbs," says the Governor, "if this is so, I must set off myself to
York, and quiet their friends' minds. In which case you must keep your
eye upon 'em, and humour 'em, till I come back. But before I take these
measures, Cobbs, I should wish you to find from themselves whether your
opinion is correct." "Sir, to you," says Cobbs, "that shall be done
directly."
So Boots goes up-stairs to the Angel, and there he finds Master Harry on
a e-normous sofa,--immense at any time, but looking like the Great Bed of
Ware, compared with him,--a drying the eyes of Miss Norah with his pocket-
hankecher. Their little legs was entirely off the ground, of course, and
it really is not possible for Boots to express to me how small them
children looked.
"It's Cobbs! It's Cobbs!" cries Master Harry, and comes running to him,
and catching hold of his hand. Miss Norah comes running to him on
t'other side and catching hold of his t'other hand, and they both jump
for joy.
"I see you a getting out, sir," says Cobbs. "I thought it was you. I
thought I couldn't be mistaken in your height and figure. What's the
object of your journey, sir?--Matrimonial?"
"We are going to be married, Cobbs, at Gretna Green," returned the boy.
"We have run away on purpose. Norah has been in rather low spirits,
Cobbs; but she'll be happy, now we have found you to be our friend."
"Thank you, sir, and thank you, miss," says Cobbs, "for your good
opinion. _Did_ you bring any luggage with you, sir?"
If I will believe Boots when he gives me his word and honour upon it, the
lady had got a parasol, a smelling-bottle, a round and a half of cold
buttered toast, eight peppermint drops, and a hair-brush,--seemingly a
doll's. The gentleman had got about half a dozen yards of string, a
knife, three or four sheets of writing-paper folded up surprising small,
a orange, and a Chaney mug with his name upon it.
"What may be the exact natur of your plans, sir?" says Cobbs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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