The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 393: what you’re looking at

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

306 THE STEAM PACKET. the servants of the inn entered the room, one after another, at short in- tervals, and upon different pretences ;—and that every now and then a grinning face would peer over the blinds which came half-way up the windows. The tailor could not, moreover, refrain from observing that the waiter’s cheeks were frequently puffed out to a most unnatural ex- tent, just for all the world as if he were endeavouring to keep down a violent inclination to explode in laughter, These little circumstances, which convinced the tailor that his secret was already known im the establishment, rendered him somewhat: fidgetty and uncomfortable; and the protracted absence of the commissioner did not tend to con- sole him. At length that functionary entered the room, sige the portmanteau upon his shoulders. ** What a devil of a time you have been?” said Mr. Buckram, sulkily. ““* You shall not hurry one other man’s cattle, cos you may be donkey yourself one of dese days,’”’ returned the commissioner, very coolly, as he deposited the portmanteau upon a chair. “ Who did you see at the hotel ?”’ demanded Buckram. ‘*De landlord, he first receive de letter, cos he shall stand in de gateway a smoking his cigar,’ answered the commissioner. “‘ Den he take de letter to the captain which was be your lordship’s friend at -Gravelines ; and when de captain he shall say who de letter come from, de landlord burst out in de loud laugh, and cry out, ‘Ah! ah! ah! that note come from his lordship—eh ? vare good, vare good! his lordship—eh?’ So I tink of myself as de provarbe shall say dat ‘de more fools, de more laughter ;’ and I shall laugh vith dem till de tears was run down my face, and I nearly burst through my sides. Den de landlord he vare pleased; but de captain he vare serious in- deed. So I shall be doubt which way my conduct was be, and I find, as de provarbe shall say, dat ‘de ground comes to you between de two stool,’” ‘* So the captain did n’t laugh—eh ?”’ said Mr. Buckram. ‘* No—and he tell me dat I shall be d—d impudent fellow for pre- suming to laugh in his presence; and den de landlord he shall turn round too vare short upon me, and say ‘ Yes—you feller, what for you laugh in our presence ?’ So I not know what excuse I shall be make ; and den I see all de servants ‘grinning at me, and talking in de whis- pers about his lordship, which I shall know-was be yourself. Den I see with de provarbe ‘dat I got the wrong pig in my ear.” ‘* And how came you, you rascal, to go and inform the people in this house, just now, all about me?’ cried Buckram. ‘‘ Did n’t [ tell you, —d——n you!—that I’d flea you alive if you dared to say a syllable about the matter? There, take your money, and be off!” . : : te a) Re Sy Gomichooks.com