The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 4 of 5)Burney, Fanny
History
The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 4 of 5)
Burney, Fanny
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Refugees -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Refugees -- Fiction; War stories
'At Brighton, he had discovered that you had journied up to town, in the
stage. And he came up after you, in the very same carriage, only
yesterday. And, by means of a boy at the inn, who had called your
hackney-coach, he had just found out coachy; who informed him, that he
had set down a pretty young damsel, that had arrived from Brighton about
a week ago, at a small shop in Frith-street, Soho. Upon that, I offered
to help him in his search; and we jogged on to these quarters together:
for I always liked you, Demoiselle, and always had a prodigious mind to
know who you were. But the deuce a bit would you ever tell me. So we
have been sauntering and maundering up and down the street, one on one
side, and t'other on t'other, in search of you; peeping and peering into
every shop, and lounging and squinting at every window. We have had the
devil of a job of it to find you, Demoiselle; we have, faith!--But my
best sport will be to make Monsieur Surly look you full in the face, as
I did myself, without knowing you! though he pretends that that's all
one. The French always say that to every thing that they don't like;
_c'est egal!_ cries Monsieur, whenever he's put out of his way. However,
old Surly stands to it, that he shall discover you in a twinkling; for
he's got your description.'
'My description?' Juliet repeated; in a tone of terrour.
'Ay; and there he is, faith! on t'other side the way! An old owl!' cried
Riley; striding to the door, and calling aloud, 'Surly! old Surly! Come
over, Mounseer Surly!'
Juliet was now precipitately gliding into the little room; but Sir
Jaspar, intercepting her flight, warmly entreated, whatever might be her
fears or her difficulties, to be accepted as her protector: and, while
she was struggling, with speechless impatience, to pass him, the pilot,
pulled into the shop by Riley, stood full before her; stared hardily in
her face; looked at a paper which he held in his hand, and, grinning
horribly a scoffing smile, walked away, without speaking.
Juliet, who seemed nearly fainting, was drawn tenderly into the
adjoining room by Gabriella; who was herself in almost equal
consternation.
'A pretty feat you have performed here, Sir! An admirable exploit!' said
Sir Jaspar, angrily, to Riley; who, laughing heartily at the savage
satisfaction of the pilot, had re-mounted the counter. 'And what sort of
man must you be to find it so dulcet and recreative, to give chace to a
timid, defenceless lamb?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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