The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 392: what you’re looking at

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

| : THE STEAM PACKET, | 305 only arrived at his establishment the day before; but he knew Bou- logne well, and was as trustworthy as he was intelligent. Charmed by this enumeration of good qualities, Mr. Buckram desired the com- missioner might be sent to him; and in a few moments that important functionary made his appearance. To the astonishment and annoyance - of the tailor, the commissioner was the same who had lately occupied a similar high post at Gravelines, and who, it will be remembered, waged an interesting warfare both of words and fists with Mr. Thomas Gibbins, The tailor pulled his hat over his eyes, and retreated towards the darkest corner of the room, in order to avoid a recognition, while he delivered, in a feigned tone, his instructions relative to his baggage. ‘I am glad for do your lordship’s wish,’’ answered the commis- sioner; ‘but dis: vary strange, for before you shall call me I was speak of your lordship; so dis make me tink of de provarbe which say, dat ‘ talk of de devil and he sure to appear.’”’ ‘“*Get along with you!” cried the tailor, desperately annoyed at the fact of having been recognised by the garrulous commissioner. ‘ But, stay one moment. Now if you let out the secret—if you say in this house who I am, I’ll skin you alive, and not even give you a franc to buy plaster with.” ““Do your lordship tink I not know de valley of de provarbe dat shall say, ‘a wise head make a still tongue’ ?’’ demanded the com- missioner. ‘* Your lordship was know dat ‘one oddis as good as one nink from a blind horse.’ ”’ “Certainly, certainly,” cried Buckram. ‘‘ Here is a five-franc piece; so hold your tongue, and go and fetch my things according to the directions I have given you.” ‘¢ But when I shall get to de hotel, de landlord will be ask me for de proof of de fact dat your lordship was be de person dat send me; and if I shall tell him dat ‘de proof of de eating was in de pudding, he shall apply his one foot to my honourable seat.” “Oh! I know what you want,” exclaimed the tailor, after the expir- ation of some moments, during which he had endeavoured to ascer- tain the precise meaning of the garmlous Frenchman. ‘Give me pen, ink, and paper, and I’ll knock you off a note as genteelly as I would knock you up a new waistcoat out of an old coat.” The tailor addressed a concise note to Captain Pentonville, request- ing him to forward his “traps ;” and, to his inexpressible relief, the commissioner departed upon his errand the moment he received the missive. Mr. Buckram then sat down to supper; and his spirits cheered up in proportion as the wine sank lower in the bottle. But, presently he became aware of the somewhat unpleasant fact, that all x Gomichbooks (E()