The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

156 THE STEAM PACKET, Ah! Holy Virgin! masses shall be said for you in all the parishes round about, bad at all prices! Oh! that I should see a gentleman of such promise—of such respectability, dying before my face! Only: thinking of such a thing is enough to kill me with grief! ”’- The invalid turned and signed the will which Captain Pentonville ; witnessed. ‘‘ What recompense can I give you for all this trouble 2” said the dying Pole to the captain, when the business was completed. ‘‘ Nothing—absolutely nothing,” answered the gallant officer thus appealed to. ‘‘But stay,” he added, as a sudden idea flashed across his brain; ‘‘ I am a singular person in my whims—very sin- gular. Since you are so kind as to offer me a recompense, I will accept it: have the kindness to will ane bequeath me your coat, and let it become my property this minute.’ The visage of the dying man grew very blank at this demand ; but the landlord exclaimed officiously,—‘“‘ Oh, certainly—the worthy gentleman cannot have the slightest objection, since he feels so sure of never wearing it again. Take it, sir,—take it.” ‘Qh, yes—take it, sir,” said the notary. ‘As sole executor, I freely give it to you; and I know my client will pardon me,” he added with a bewitching smile directed towards the unfortunate Pole, ‘‘ when I declare that I already look upon him as a being of a happier sphere.’’ The captain squeezed the Pole’s hand with well-simulated distress at his presumed approaching dissolution ; and then, throwing the coat triumphantly over his left arm, he hurried from the chamber. Having desired the landlady not to forget the supper which he had ordered, he left the hotel, and returned to Buckram, to. whom he related all that had occurred. ‘“‘T should very much like to see the issue of the adventure,” said the tailor, as he put on the coat which his friend had brought him, and carefully rolled up his flannel gown in a large sheet of brown paper that he happened to have about him. ‘The supper and beds are ordered,’ mused the captain, dloddl — ‘“‘ and paid for too; and the village seems retired and quiet. Wemust sleep somewhere tea so here goes for the Great Duck once more. But you are not going to carry that huge parcel with you?” - ‘‘ Certainly I am,” answered the tailor: ‘it looks like a little © bundle of necessaries, and will prevent people from thinking that we are a couple of fugitive scamps.” 3 ‘‘T shouldn’t like any one to think so either,” said the captain, clenching his fist, and striking the air right before him in a most. Gomicbooks (E(0)