The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 252: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

246 Old Flint groaned and. twisted: himself on. the floor like an eel, rei a Warner locked, the, door; ard went,forth, towards the railroad station... in “This is.afunny, sort of house,’’ thought Matty ; ‘these ‘three brothers,’ as they. calls themselves, are always quarrelling and. snarling; why, they came near, having .a fight among themselves three or four times during the past hour; I don’t much like the looks of things, here. They .can’t, be gen- tlemen or else they’d have plenty to eat and drink, instead of which there ain’t even a mouldy crust.in the kitchen,,and the very cat staggers about with weakness, I, shan’t stop here very long. If it hadn’t been.for that gentleman as just went) out (Warner), I shouldn?t have. hada sixpence to, buy coals, with. A queer lot.of. people,.andno mistake, They, are not brothers,’”’; said. Matty. to herself ; “they can’t be; they don’t look like it no ,way.; it’s all gammon, they can’t fog me; but I'll stay, if only for | a;week, for they’ll be sure to. give me a ood. character-if I don’t, ask for.anything; Yes, that’s what I’ll do; I'll buy all I want for myself, and then: claim: my character, and. go. somewhere elSe.,? , 4 While,she thus thought, the groans.of old Flint attracted, her» attention, and» she, stopped inthe passage and listened, s | But let us.for a moment leaye -old. Flint..and Matty, while we follow, Jonathan.to.the Grosyenor Hotel, arg si ton For some.timejold Jonathan could scarcely screw up his courage-sufficiently,,to.eall ;.s0, therefore, he walked, to and fro, up,one; street. and down, another, looking in all directions for any suspicious person. ; Ele. approached, the,hotel, and the, odours. from the kitchen, wereso pleasant’ to,.his empty, stomach that they gave him,a, ravenous ,appetite,.on the instant. eit a, aiakaias _“ Ah!” thought Jonathan, ‘if I could. only make sure that he, was at/dinner,now, what a lucky thing it would be. I’ve not had what I call a good-din- ner, for more than,a;week:”,.. , fy +] ose, went.up-the steps-boldly,,and.made inquiries for Captain Tom #otd.i4 vis! Fo toms wos bas - He was, there. 5 sfejoin «f Cp eee “And disengaged ?” mea SA, yeryogood 5, then.say72 os 0) - so Would jou please send. up, youy;.card.”’.., a Oh, certainly, of course,” said Jonathan, fum- bling, as,.if for his. card.case,.. but. not, finding anything in the shape of a card save a pawn-ticket for his watch—he-still wore the chain, however, for show—he.stammereg, out, ‘‘ How proyoking, T left my card-case behind me.at the hotel; but simply say jit isan,old friend, that will be quite sufficient ; ri he will be sure to know mé,” hc Lhe name; sir, if, you, please 2” “ Oh,nyes, of course the name, Jones—My, Walter Jones: ) 1 4 5 , In a short’ time: Mr, Walter.Jones was ghown.up to Captain. Ford’s apartments, and was.toldsto wait, as the captain was-dressing, for dinner... ...°) + ‘How lucky,” thonght, Jonathan, as he, saw. the plates and dishes on the table, “I’m. justin time for a good feed.” rab saad Yo ann eee No one being present Jonathan, filled out, ir himself; a.glass of Puen ay ee ey fs pet OD As he swallowe Lit he £ Well, ah); Mr, elt like.a new man.., ; ' In case. I am. mistaken,” said, he,“ I'll help may self to samething. od avit vad diloinrat ec So. thinking, he, took up the lee of a fowl and new French roll, wiappe ) thrust them hastily into his coat pocket, ° a a ne STD them in a napkin, ae NN rr a SR eg EE THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. Then, with a sanctimonious dir, he commenced humming a hymn tune, and played with his fingers, In a moment afterwards “Captain Tom Ford entered the apartment, , | oo He was a bold, handsome-looking youth, and did not look at all like the same young man Jonathan had caught at Bromley Hall. eat The old schoolmaster, however, was so disguised that Tom did not know him, : “Mr. Jones, Captain Ford,” said the footman, as he introduced Jonathan, and retired, ‘Mr. Jones!” said Tom, surprised. “I don’t know any one of that name.” 3 ‘Perhaps not,”, said Jonathan, hastily advancing, and clutching hold of Tom’s hands, and shaking them violently; ‘‘perhaps not, my dear young friend; but in the Mr. Jones, Mr, Walter Jones, recognise your old master at Bromley Hall.” _ ' “ What, Jonathan !”’ said Tom, looking astonished at the long, hungry-jawed person before him, « What, Jonathan !°is it possible ?”” i Yes, my dear young friend, it is possible, eh ?” said he, with a hypocritical sigh. “The world is full of changes and ups and downs,” pant ‘So it is,” said Tom, scarcely’ refraining from laughing, ee ee “Ab, my dear young friend; honesty and virtue have not been rewarded in me. Look at me, look at me,” said Jonathan, exhibiting his attenuated figure which, under. severe fasting of late, looked more like a lamp-post. ‘ ‘Look at me! my young friend ; look at me, and ask yourself if it is the _ same person you once well knew.’’ “You see, I have not been more than three daysin England, and have not heard of any of these changes at Bromley,’ said Tom, biting his; lip so! as to: dis- guise his true feelings. ‘‘And show has all this come to pass 2?” 9-5) d ow) “My wife, sit, my: wife,” said Jonathan, pretend- ing “to wipe away a stray tear out of the corner of his ‘eye with the half :ofia «dirty pocket handker- chief. 7 atasqaa TAs O52 Dit Tom’ cast) a ‘quick, glance» of/iscorn at hig ol master, but Jonathan did not perceive it. : P ‘“What_has happened to your wife, then ?”’ Run: off} absconded, absquatulated with Caspar,” said Jonathan, wiping his:eyes, and trying to make them red with rubbing,» “ Ah! the wickedness! of: this 'world)’sm 5° ' 9! ginoy ofT -All-this time Tom had been eating his dinnér, and did not ask Jonathan to have any, It 103 04 » The oldeschoolmaster was:ravenously hungry, and as his largé staring; eyes wandered up and down the table, he devoured the whole table in imagina- tion. , oS He would not ask for any thing, aid’ ag He gat looking on at Tom, who wag thoroughly’ ewidying his meal, he felt as if he were, sitting on thorns, “D—n him’! I wish he'd ask me to Haye! some- thing, to, eat,” thought , Jonathan, yawning, and Va apiece of beef railings of hisden, _, . “That roast beef sniéls' excellent,” gid Jona- than, with a forced, smile, . “It, is, beautifully cooked } the odour is very apetizing.” “So it is,” said Tom, carelessly,, helping’ himself to more,‘ You never were any great hand at Yoast beef; I think” you always said’ it was bad for BRA, of a studious turn. Now,’ I~ prefer mutton. F . 0 i Sn 4 f ) ning at. showing his teeth, much like an hyena gi placed on the wrong side “Yes, with caper:Nauée, and canlifidwer,” said “T perceive you have that dish on the Jonathan, table. Iam vey, na fond of that dish, cook : EXTREMELY, PASSIONATELY ed as yours is,” Eomichboo OLE SSE LLCO GO S)