The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

ed 160 THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON “ Potheen—rale potheen!” ejaculated the captain, viewing with supreme satisfaction the present pro- spect of affairs. “ Well—whiskey, if you prefer it,” said the oblig- ing Mr. Scales. “ At all events we'll have a jolly afternoon of it, and drink to our better acquaintance.” “ Betther acquaintance!” cried the Irishman, who, in spite of his adventurous kind of existence, pos- sessed many of the truly generous qualities of his much maligned and deeply injured fellow-country- men; “betther acquainted we can’t become, my frind: fur when a man has done all he could for another, and that other a tothal stranger to him, I mane to say it makes them inthimate at once. And, be Jasus! Misther Scales, if ye’ve an inimy in the whole wor-r-ld, tell me his name and give me his address, and it’s Capthain O’Bluntherbuss that’! be afther paying him a morning visit, sinding up his car-r-d, and then skinning him alive!” Mr. Scales expressed his gratitude for these de- monstrations of friendship, but assured the gallant gentleman that he had no enemy whom he wished to undergo the process of flaying at that particular time. The captain now entered the little bed-room, and hastily equipped himself in his own clothing—the breeches, which the good-natured Brother had paid for at the tailor’s, being neatly mended: so that the Irishman speedily re-appeared in the semi-military garb which became hiin rather more suitably than the habiliments of Mrs, Rudd. a CHAPTER CXLVITI. THE CHARTER HOUSE. CaPrarn O’BLunprERwuss, having made himself thus far comfortable, wrote a note to Curtis, which Mr.Scales despatched by a messenger to Mr. Bubbleton Styles’s office in the City ;—for the Irishman calculated that if Curtis should return to the lodgings in Charterhouse Square before the said note reached him, he would, on hearing the adventures of the morning, retrace his way to Crosby Hall Chambers—there to await either the presence of the captain, or at least some communication from him. ‘This arrangement appeared to be far more prudent than to trust Mrs. Rudd with either letter or message announcing the place where the captain was concealed. The note being written, and the messenger de- spatched with it, Mr. Scales proposed a luncheon of bread and cheese and porter, as it was only eleven o’clock in the forenoon, and he intended to order din- ner for half-past two. A “nurse,” as the charwoman was called, making her appearance about this time, the refreshments aboye mentioned were duly procured ; and Mr. Scales intimated to his attendant that he should not dine in the common hall that day, but would entertain his friend with steaks and potatoes in his own apartment. When the captain and the worthy Brother were again alone together, they fell into a conversation upon the establishment to which the latter belonged and in which the former had found so hospitable a refuge. “ Ye seem to have a comfortable berth of it, my frind,” observed the martial gentleman, after burying luis countenance for nearly a minute in a pewter-pot. “ Well. the fact is,” returned Mr. Scales, “ I manage to make myself happy, because I am naturally of a gay and lively disposition, and I have a great many friends who come to see me. Moreover, ] have a few pounds coming in from a snug little annuity—and therefore I can afford those }uxuries which the others have no chance of obtaining. But if it weren’t for these circumstances, captain,” added Mr. Seules, sink- ing his voice fo a mysterious whisper, “ I should never be able to endure the place.” “Not endure the place!” repeated the captain, who manifested unfeigned surprise at the observation. “Be the holy poker-r-r! and it samesa_ broth of a place, it does! ” “Ah! it’s all very well for people out of doors to be told of the existence of the charity,” resumed the Brother; “and how it gives an asylum to eighty poor men, who are widowers and past fifty years of age: but it’s the discipline, my dear sir—the interior dis- cipline,—and then the manner in which we are treated by the authorities of the establishment!” “Then there’s abuses in the Charter-r-r House as well as elsewhere?” said the captain, interrogatively. “Blood and thunther! where the divil aren’t there the matter.” returned Mr. Scales. ‘But I will ex- plain myself more fully. This institution, you must know, was founded for the purpose of affording an asylum to poor and deserving men, chiefly of the literary or learned professions. But will you believe it? There’s scarcely a literary man in the place; and the only one of any repute at allis Mr. Valcrieff, the celebrated dramatic author. The patrons put in their old and worn-out butlers or lacqueys ;—but this would not matter, so long as worthy, deserving, and respect- able characters were nominated—which is not the case-———” “Then you have some quare characters among ye, I’ll be afther guessing? ” exclaimed the captain. “We have indeed, my friend,” responded Mr. Scales; “and that is what I chiefly complain of. For instance, we've lately had a certain Colonel Tickner thrust upon us—but who is no more a Colonej than lam. A short time ago he called himself Major Tickner—and a little while before that, he was Captain Tickner, So, you perceive, he rises rapidly—and I have no doubt he will be a General next week.” “« A Ginral, be Jasus!” cried Captain O'Blunderbuss. “Tt’s thrue I might have been one myself by this time, if 1’d only stuck to the service: but 1’ll swear by the holy poker-r, that your Colonel Tickner is nothing more nor less than an imposthor—a vile imposthor,—and it’s meself that ‘]] unmask him.” The gallant gentleman deemed it necessary to fly into a passion relative to the pretences of the self- styled Colonel Tickner to a high military rank; inas- much as such a display of indignation on his part at the assumption of another, seemed to justify his own right to the honourable grade of Captain. “ Well, it is shameful for men to pretend to be what they are not,” observed Mr. Scales. “ This Colonel Tickner sometimes bores me with his company; and it is not at all improbable that he may look in after dinner. Ifso, we will have some rare fun with him.” “Tf he dar-r-rs to have any of his impudence to me,” cried the captain, looking particularly ferocicus at the moment, “ J’! trate him as I trated a French dhragoon at Water-r-r-loo. § Come hither, ye spalpeen, and let me cut ye down to the middle!’ says I.—* Out, Sonsreur, says he; and on he comes with a rush.—‘ Blood and I abuses, if this same is the case?” “No where, when the Church has any influence in RS EE NI A, 8 SP EConnicloooks (SO)