Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

44. JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. amuse my mind and occupy my attention. As| “Wait a moment!” vociferated Mr. Harcourt. the autumn was verging towards winter —for “I'll bet any one twenty guineas that his Christian it was now the middle of October, I knew that | name is either John, James, or Thomas. No one many persons would be journeying to the south of | ever knew a man-servant with any other than one France or into Italy; and I hoped to be enabled | of those three names.” to travel likewise in the same direction and at “Done!” exclaimed the guest who had not as their expense. I learnt that by feeing the porters | yet spoken. ‘I'll take you, Harcourt :”—and the at the principal hotels, I might hear of any| bet was laid accordingly. situations that happened to be vacant: I adopted| “Now, young man,” said Captain Raymond, this course—and in a few days was informed that | “ What is your name ?” there was something which might suit me if I re- “Stop!” again ejaculated Mr. Harcourt, “ Only paired to a particular hotel that was principally | tell us your Christian name first of all—because I frequented by the English. Thither I bent my | have something to say about your surname.” way one forenoon at about eleven o'clock; and; “My Christian mame is Joseph,” I an. spoke to the porter from whom I had received the | swered. | message. He told me that there was an English} ‘Mowbray has won, by jingo!” cried Captain gentleman—a Captain Raymond—stopping at the | Raymond. hotel,—that he was going to winter in Italy, and “So you see, friend Villiers,” said Harcourt to that he required a body-servant. I was fmoreover | the guest who had spoken about the drum-major, informed that he was a very dashing gentleman— | “I do lose sometimes:”—and he paid the bet he spent his money freely—appeared to know every- | had just lost, with a most careless indifference in body—and was no doubt both wealthy and well | respect tc the coin itself. “ Well, I was wrong connected. He was at that moment entertaining | for once—and his Christian name is Joseph. Joe! two or three friends at breakfast: but he had | —it’s a nice short name to call one’s servant by. given instructions that any applicant for the place | But about his surname,—what the deuce could was to be shown up. [I at once agreed to apply: | Joseph be coupled with unless Brown, Thompson, the porter summoned a waiter: and the latter | Robinson, Noakes, Smith, or Jenkins. I'll take conducted me up-stairs to a little ante-room, | five to two that it’s one of those six.” where he bade me wait a few moments. The} “Done!” ejaculated Mowbray: “I’m your sounds of loud laughter and of somewhat uproarious | man.” merriment came from an inner apartment; and| ‘“ Well, what is your surname?” inquired Cap- into this apartment the waiter proceeded. | tain Raymond. Almost immediately returning to me, he said | “ Wilmot,” was my response. . that I might walk in. I obeyed; and entering, “ Lost again, Harcourt!” ejaculated all the the room, beheld four gentlemen seated at a table | others: and this new wager was at once paid. covered with succulent viands as well as with! The gentlemen then refreshed themselves with bottles of champagne: for the wine seemed to be/ glasses of champagne round; and Captain Ray- more in request than the tea and coffee. I had no} mond at length said to me, “ In whose service did difficulty in recognising which was Captain Ray- | you live last ?” mond, inasmuch as there was but one of the gen-| A cloud came over my countenance; and Mr, tlemen who was loosely clad in dressing-gown and | Harcourt perceiving it, ejaculated, “Tl take five slippers,—the others being in full out-door cos-|to one that his last master never paid him his tume. The Captain was a tall handsome man, of | wages.” about five-and-thirty, with dark hair and a glossy “T can assure you, sir,” I said, “it is no sub- moustache. His three companions were still | ject to deal thus lightly with.” younger men—elegantly apparelled—but all having| ‘Then I'll take five to two his last master was a certain rakish dissipated look. I should add that | hanged!” cried Mr. Harcourt. | these guests were English as well as their enter-| “Done!” vociferated Mr. Villiers: and the . tainer. pocket-books were again had recourse to. F “ What was that you were saying, Harcourt?”| “Stop! I bar!” ejaculated Harcourt. “Hoe ' inquired Captain Raymond, as I entered the room: | may have been guillotined, if it was on the Conti- “that you would wager fifty guineas we don’t | nent.” complete the dozen of champagne ?” “Well; have it so,” responded Villiers. “ Put “Yes—fifty guineas!” replied the gentleman | to death, we'll call it.” thus addressed: and he tossed his pocket-book on| “Gentlemen,” I said, beginning to be much the table. | disgusted with this scene, “you will pardon me * Don’t bet with Harcourt—for you are sure to|if I withdraw for the present: and I can wait lose, Raymond,” ejaculated another of the guests, | upon Captain Raymond at a more suitable oppor- with a laugh. “He always wins. It was but/| tunity 2 : : yesterday he won a cool hundred of me about the| ‘Nonsense, my good fellow!” cried the Cap- height of the drum-major of that regiment that | tain: “no time like the present! Your appear- » we saw marching past just now. I do believe} ance and manner suit me well enough—and I haye he went and measured him before he made the| no doubt we shall soon come to terms. Just bet.” humour these friends of mine—and then we'll get “ Nonsense, Villiers!” cried Mr. Harcourt. | to business.” | * But here’s the young man, Raymond.” “T will at once state, sir,’ I answered, “ that | “Oh, ah!” said the Captain: and having| I was last in the service of the Duke de Paulin in quaffed a glass of champagne, he slowly and| Paris.” patronizingly turned his eyes upon me. “What| ‘The Duke de Paulin!” echoed Harcourt. “ By is your name ?” jingo, what a nuisance to be so near winning and COmicoaoolks