The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, and Other TalesMore, Hannah
General
The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, and Other Tales
More, Hannah
Christian life -- Fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction; Short stories
As soon as he had breakfasted, the business of the night before
popped into his head. He set off once more to his landlord's in high
spirits, gayly singing by the way, scraps of all the tunes he had
picked up the night before from his new friends. The landlord opened
the door himself, and reproached him with no small surliness for not
having kept his word with him the evening before, adding, that he
supposed he was come now with some more of his shallow excuses.
Brown put on all that haughtiness which is common to people who,
being generally apt to be in the wrong, happen to catch themselves
doing a right action; he looked big, as some sort of people do when
they have money to pay. "You need not have been so anxious about
your money," said he, "I was not going to break or run away." The
landlord well knew this was the common language of those who are
ready to do both. Brown haughtily added, "You shall see I am a man
of my word; give me a receipt." The landlord had it ready and gave
it him.
Brown put his hand in his pocket for his black leathern case in
which the bills were; he felt, he searched, he examined, first one
pocket, then the other; then both waistcoat pockets, but no leather
case could he find. He looked terrified. It was indeed the face of
real terror, but the landlord conceived it to be that of guilt, and
abused him heartily for putting his old tricks upon him; he swore he
would not be imposed upon any longer; the money or a jail--there lay
his choice.
Brown protested for once with great truth that he had no intention
to deceive; declared that he had actually brought the money, and
knew not what was become of it; but the thing was far too unlikely
to gain credit. Brown now called to mind that he had fallen asleep
on the settle in the room where they had supped. This raised his
spirits; for he had no doubt but the case had fallen out of his
pocket; he said he would step to the public house and search for it,
and would be back directly. Not one word of this did the landlord
believe, so inconvenient is it to have a bad character. He swore
Brown should not stir out of his house without a constable, and made
him wait while he sent for one. Brown, guarded by the constable,
went back to the Blue Posts, the landlord charging the officer not
to lose sight of the culprit. The caution was needless; Brown had
not the least design of running away, so firmly persuaded was he
that he should find his leather case.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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