The Road to Paris: A Story of AdventureStephens, Robert Neilson
History
The Road to Paris: A Story of Adventure
Stephens, Robert Neilson
Adventure stories; Historical fiction; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
It was late in the afternoon, when they drove into Bath. The chaise
rattled through the fine streets of splendid stone houses, its own noise
mingling with that of grand coaches and other conveyances. On every
side were finely dressed people, strutting with an air of consequence,
while Dick got a glimpse of a fair face, more or less genuine in color,
in many a carriage and chair. The chaise let out its passengers at the
Three Tuns, where Lord George engaged rooms for the night, and where
Dick carefully repaired all damage to his person and attire, donned
fresh linen, had his hair powdered by a man whom Lord George had caused
to be summoned, dined with his gay companion, and sauntered forth afoot
with him at evening, glowing with the newly stimulated love of pleasure.
At the door of the Pelican Inn, Lord George introduced Dick to a pompous
but good-natured little gentleman named Boswell, who greeted my lord
obsequiously but tarried only so long as to mention that he was on his
way to meet Doctor Johnson at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Thrale.
"Does he mean the great Doctor Johnson, the author?" asked Dick, looking
back after him with curiosity.
"Yes," said Lord George; "he is a harmless, conceited Scotchman that
comes to town a few weeks every year and follows at the heels of
Johnson, who treats him as if he were the spaniel he is. 'Tis amusing to
consort now and then with those writing fellows, if you can endure their
vanity. As for Johnson, he says a good thing sometimes, and might be
good company but for his sweating and grunting, his dirty linen and his
beastly way of eating, and his desire of doing all the talking himself."
They went to the Assembly Rooms, where his lordship introduced Dick to
numerous people of both sexes and then sat down to cards; while Dick
looked on, or walked about among the promenaders, the gay talkers, and
the chatting tea-drinkers, and thought he was in a kind of paradise.
The next day Lord George moved with his guest to a floor in a fine house
on the South Parade, where there was comparative quiet from the noise of
wheels. There established, Dick, as he listened to the bells of the
Abbey church,--which sound carried to him a mental vision of the
venerable Cathedral itself, with its fine western front and its
countless windows,--resolved that he would ever after wear the clothes
of a gentleman, as his birth and mind entitled him to do; that his
future way should lie amidst fine surroundings; that he should
thereafter contrive to sip only of the honey of this world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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