Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 85: what you’re looking at

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72 make some fresh arrangements, and stave off the evil day. He has gone by himself to Exeter this morning; and he was up at an early hour writing letters. Iam however afraid, Joseph, that things have gone much too far to be amended—that it is too late, and the crisis is at hand.” His lordship did not return from Exeter, which was only twenty miles distant, until a late hour in the evening; and when he descended from the carriage, he looked so haggard, care-worn, and fatigued, as to seem a dozen years older than he was a fortnight back. Her ladyship had kept her chamber all day, and a physician from the town had visited her : but she came down stairs to join her husband at the dinner-table ; and as it was a part of my duty to be in attendance, I had an opportunity of noticing that scarcely a word was spoken between them, and that the food which they took upon their plates, went away almost untasted. In the servants’ hall there was a gloomy feeling, dis- played by ominous looks and whispering in groups: while every one felt uneasy and unsettled. In- deed, it was but too evident that Charles Linton’s opinion was gencral through the household—that @ crisis was at hand! On the following morning, between nine and ten o’clock,—just as the carriage was in readiness to convey his lordship into the town,—a gig, in which three men were crowded, was seen driving up the avenue; and it stopped in front of the mansion. One of these men was dressed in a sort of half-sporting style, with tightly fitting drab trousers—a cut-away green coat and brass buttons —a blue neckerchief, with an enormous diamond pin—and a hat having very wide brims and bulging out very much in the crown. He wore a great quantity of jewellery about his person; but had a mean, vile, and flashy look, which altogether ren- dered his appearance as little prepossessing as possible. His two companions were very queer characters indeed, so far as their aspect went. One was dressed in an exceedingly rusty suit of black: the coat was patched at the elbows, the trousers at the knees ; and the new piecings formed a most disadvantageous contrast with the gencral seediness of the garments themselves. Several buttons were deficient on coat and waist- coat ; and the man’s linen looked as if it had been washed in coffee-dregs. The other individual was still more remarkably apparelled: for though it was the sultry month of August, yet he wore a thick great-coat of drab colour, which had evidently never been made for him, inasmuch as its skirts reached the ground. It was stained and soiled in many places, as if with beer; and of this liquor both the man himself and his companion in rusty- black were redolent. The former seemed to have just disposed of a biscuit, or a piece of bread and cheese, as the gig drove up to the Hall: for he was munching something and wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his drab coat. I was standing on the steps at the time that the gig containing these three curious specimens of humanity, drove up: and I was instantaneously seized with a suspicion of impending evil,—which was confirmed by an ominous ejaculation which involuntarily burst from the lips of the hall-porter. The individual who was bedizened with the jewel- lery, flung the reins upon the horse’s hack—leapt out of the gig—and motioned for his companions, JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE a. . —_- MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. in the rusty black and the drab coat respectively, — to remain seated in the vehicle for the present : then pulling out his card, he accosted me in a free- and-easy, half-familiar half-patronising way, ex- claiming, “I say, youngster, just take my card to his lordship ; and say it’s Mr. Ridley as wishes to have a few words with his lordship very particular indeed. He'll see it’s of the firm of Sharpfist and Ridley—and he’ll know who’s who in a jiffey.” I experienced a strange sort of feeling — half that of consternation, and half that of a cold shudder—the former as if smitten by some sudden calamity, the latter as if the head and protruding tongue of a reptile were thrust out at me,—when I took the dirty piece of pasteboard which Mr. Ridley presented. I did not hurry away as he seemed to expect I should: I was for the moment . nailed to the spot. I took the card mechanically : —mechanically too did I bend my eyes upon it; and there was no longer the possibility of doubt as to the meaning of this visit, when I read the words, “SHARPFIST and RIDLEY, Hxeter. Officers to the Sheriff of Devonshire.” “ Now, youngster,” exclaimed Mr. Ridley, as he lounged against the door-post, “why don’t you cut along and give that there cird? What are you standing gaping at?” *Yes—go, Joseph,’ said the hall-porter, who, from the depth of his huge leathern chair, was surveying Mr. Ridley with ee disgust : “oo and take this person’s card to his tordship.” “ Pusson indeed P” ejaculated the officer, turning round and fixing an insolent stare upon the hall- porter: “ who calls me a pusson, I should like to know? Come out of your ivy-bush, you great big red-faced owl, with your scarlet coat, and that powdered wig on your sconce.” Indescribable was the dignity and stateliness with which the hall-porter slowly rose from his leathern throne: and bending a sternly scornful look upon Mr. Ridley, he seemed as if about to take summary proceedings to eject that individual from the threshold. But it was evident that the old man was all in a moment smitten with the re- collection that the fellow came armed with the authority of the law; for his manner changed ina moment—he appeared to feel that “ his occupation was gone”—and sinking back into his huge leathern chair, he positively gave vent to a sob I heard it~and I likewise saw a big tear roll down each cheek. At this instant—just as I was turning away to hurry up to the drawing- room and deliver the card, I myself being much affected by that display of feeling on the old porter’s part—I beheld his lordship descending the great staircase. “Ts the carriage in readiness?” he demanded in his usual authoritative manner: and this man- ner, too, had become blended with a considerable petulance since his return from London. “ Ye-e-s, my lord,’ said one of the footmen standing in the hall, and who spoke with a certain degree of hesitation anda singularity of look: “the carriage ig in readiness, my lord but, I think there is some one, my lord, that wishes ¢ “ Here, give us the card, youngster!” ejaculated Mr. Ridley, snatching it out of my hand. “If you was my lad, I would lay this horsewhip about your back, to make you look a little sharper :”— NOOKS (CO) AA