"To go on," replied the boy,--which the courage of that boy was something
wonderful!--"in the morning, and be married to-morrow."
"Just so, sir," says Cobbs. "Would it meet your views, sir, if I was to
accompany you?"
When Cobbs said this, they both jumped for joy again, and cried out, "Oh,
yes, yes, Cobbs! Yes!"
"Well, sir," says Cobbs. "If you will excuse my having the freedom to
give an opinion, what I should recommend would be this. I'm acquainted
with a pony, sir, which, put in a pheayton that I could borrow, would
take you and Mrs. Harry Walmers, Junior, (myself driving, if you
approved,) to the end of your journey in a very short space of time. I
am not altogether sure, sir, that this pony will be at liberty to-morrow,
but even if you had to wait over to-morrow for him, it might be worth
your while. As to the small account here, sir, in case you was to find
yourself running at all short, that don't signify; because I'm a part
proprietor of this inn, and it could stand over."
Boots assures me that when they clapped their hands, and jumped for joy
again, and called him "Good Cobbs!" and "Dear Cobbs!" and bent across him
to kiss one another in the delight of their confiding hearts, he felt
himself the meanest rascal for deceiving 'em that ever was born.
"Is there anything you want just at present, sir?" says Cobbs, mortally
ashamed of himself.
"We should like some cakes after dinner," answered Master Harry, folding
his arms, putting out one leg, and looking straight at him, "and two
apples,--and jam. With dinner we should like to have toast-and-water.
But Norah has always been accustomed to half a glass of currant wine at
dessert. And so have I."
"It shall be ordered at the bar, sir," says Cobbs; and away he went.
Boots has the feeling as fresh upon him at this minute of speaking as he
had then, that he would far rather have had it out in half-a-dozen rounds
with the Governor than have combined with him; and that he wished with
all his heart there was any impossible place where those two babies could
make an impossible marriage, and live impossibly happy ever afterwards.
However, as it couldn't be, he went into the Governor's plans, and the
Governor set off for York in half an hour.
The way in which the women of that house--without exception--every one of
'em--married _and_ single--took to that boy when they heard the story,
Boots considers surprising. It was as much as he could do to keep 'em
from dashing into the room and kissing him. They climbed up all sorts of
places, at the risk of their lives, to look at him through a pane of
glass. They was seven deep at the keyhole. They was out of their minds
about him and his bold spirit.
In the evening, Boots went into the room to see how the runaway couple
was getting on. The gentleman was on the window-seat, supporting the
lady in his arms. She had tears upon her face, and was lying, very tired
and half asleep, with her head upon his shoulder.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account