What Will He Do with It? — Volume 03Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
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What Will He Do with It? — Volume 03
Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
English fiction -- 19th century
Was he going to take the train? Pshaw! he was at his journey's end.
He was going to mix with the throng that would soon stream through those
white gates into the town; he was going to purloin the respectable
appearance of a passenger by the train. And so well did he act the part
of a bewildered stranger just vomited forth into unfamiliar places by one
of those panting steam monsters,--so artfully, amidst the busy
competition of nudging elbows, over-bearing shoulders, and the
impedimenta of carpet-bags, portmanteaus, babies in arms, and shin-
assailing trucks, did he look round, consequentially, on the /qui vive/,
turning his one eye, now on Sophy, now on Sir Isaac, and griping his
bundle to his breast as if he suspected all his neighbours to be Thugs,
condottieri, and swellmob,--that in an instant fly-men, omnibus drivers,
cads, and porters marked him for their own. "Gatesboro' Arms," "Spread
Eagle," "Royal Hotel," "Saracen's Head; very comfortable, centre of High
Street, opposite the Town Hall,"--were shouted, bawled, whispered, or
whined into his ear.
"Is there an honest porter?" asked the Comedian, piteously. An Irishman
presented himself. "And is it meself can serve your honour?"--"Take this
bundle, and walk on before me to the High Street."--"Could not I take the
bundle, Grandfather? The man will charge so much," said the prudent
Sophy. "Hush! you indeed!" said the Pere Noble, as if addressing an
exiled Altesse royale,--"you take a bundle--Miss--Chapman!"
They soon gained the High Street. Waife examined the fronts of the
various inns which they passed by with an eye accustomed to decipher the
physiognomy of hostelries. The Saracen's Head pleased him, though its
imposing size daunted Sophy. He arrested the steps of the porter,
"Follow me close," and stepped across the open threshold into the bar.
The landlady herself was there, portly and imposing, with an auburn
toupet, a silk gown, a cameo brooch, and an ample bosom.
"You have a private sitting-room, ma'am?" said the Comedian, lifting his
hat. There are so many ways of lifting a hat,-for instance, the way for
which Louis XIV. was so renowned. But the Comedian's way on the present
occasion rather resembled that of the late Duke of B--------, not quite
royal, but as near to royalty as becomes a subject. He added, recovering
his head,--"And on the first floor?" The landlady did not courtesy, but
she bowed, emerged from the bar, and set foot on the broad stairs; then,
looking back graciously, her eyes rested on Sir Isaac, who had stalked
forth in advance and with expansive nostrils sniffed. She hesitated.
"Your dog, sir! shall Boots take it round to the stables?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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