Adventure stories; England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Irish -- England -- Fiction
As soon as the afternoon grew late I suggested a walk to that part of
London in which was situated the Earl's town house. I did not see why
we should not be moving at once on the campaign. The Doctor assented,
and we went forth to look for Paddy and Jem Bottles. We found them at
an ale-house which was the resort of the chairmen, footmen, and
coachmen of the grand people. The two rogues had evidently passed a
pleasant afternoon. Jem Bottles was still making love to a very pretty
girl, some part of whose easy affection or interest he had won; and
Paddy, it seems, had had a rip-roaring fight with two lackeys, worsted
them with despatch, and even pursued them some distance. To my stern
interrogation in regard to the pretty girl, Jem Bottles stoutly
rejoined that she was his second cousin whom he had not seen for many
years. To this I made no reply, for it does no good to disturb the
balance of a good liar. If at times he is led to tell the truth, he
becomes very puzzling. In all the years Jem Bottles has been in my
service I have never reprimanded him for lying. I would confuse
matters to no purpose, inasmuch as I understand him perfectly.
"And how," said I to Paddy, "did you come to engage in this
disgraceful brawl of a Sunday?"
"Your honour," answered Paddy, "there was two of these men with fat
legs came here, and says one, looking hard at me, 'Here's a furriner,'
he says. 'Furriner yourself, you fish-faced ditch-lurker,' says I, and
with that he takes up his fists and hits me a knock. There was a
little shindy, and afterward they ran away bawling, and I was pursuing
them, only I feared to lose my way in these strange parts."
The walk to Lord Westport's house was a long one. It seemed that he
had built a great new mansion at a place outside of the old city
gates, where other nobles and great brewers had built fine houses,
surrounding them all with splendid gardens.
One must not suppose that I had any idea of taking the mansion by
storm. My first idea was to dream a lover's dream as I gazed upon the
abode of my treasure. This, I believe, is a legitimate proceeding in
all careers. Every lover worthy of the name is certain to pilgrimage,
muffled in his cloak, to moon over the home of his adored one.
Otherwise there can be no real attachment.
In the second place I wished to develop certain plans for gaining
speech of Lady Mary. I will not deny that I purposed on a near day to
scale the garden wall and hold speech of my sweetheart as she walked
alone among the flowers. For my success I depended upon the absolute
conventionality of the idea. In all history no lover has even been
chased out of a garden by an under-gardener with a hoe.
When we arrived at the house I found that it was indeed a gorgeous
mansion. It was surrounded on all sides by high brick walls, but
through the elaborate tracery of one of the iron-work gates I saw Lady
Mary's home standing among sweeping green lawns.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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