FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162  
163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   >>   >|  
Did say, You dogs, your lives or purses. With his foodle doo," etc. I question if the honest men, whose misfortune is commemorated in this pathetic ditty, were more startled at the appearance of the bold thief than the songster was at mine; for, tired of waiting for some one to announce me, and finding my situation as a listener rather awkward, I presented myself to the company just as my friend Mr. Morris, for such, it seems, was his name, was uplifting the fifth stave of his doleful ballad. The high tone with which the tune started died away in a quaver of consternation on finding himself so near one whose character he supposed to be little less suspicious than that of the hero of his madrigal, and he remained silent, with a mouth gaping as if I had brought the Gorgon's head in my hand. The Justice, whose eyes had closed under the influence of the somniferous lullaby of the song, started up in his chair as it suddenly ceased, and stared with wonder at the unexpected addition which the company had received while his organs of sight were in abeyance. The clerk, as I conjectured him to be from his appearance, was also commoved; for, sitting opposite to Mr. Morris, that honest gentleman's terror communicated itself to him, though he wotted not why. [Illustration: Frank at Judge Inglewood's--104] I broke the silence of surprise occasioned by my abrupt entrance.--"My name, Mr. Inglewood, is Francis Osbaldistone; I understand that some scoundrel has brought a complaint before you, charging me with being concerned in a loss which he says he has sustained." "Sir," said the Justice, somewhat peevishly, "these are matters I never enter upon after dinner;--there is a time for everything, and a justice of peace must eat as well as other folks." The goodly person of Mr. Inglewood, by the way, seemed by no means to have suffered by any fasts, whether in the service of the law or of religion. "I beg pardon for an ill-timed visit, sir; but as my reputation is concerned, and as the dinner appears to be concluded"-- "It is not concluded, sir," replied the magistrate; "man requires digestion as well as food, and I protest I cannot have benefit from my victuals unless I am allowed two hours of quiet leisure, intermixed with harmless mirth, and a moderate circulation of the bottle." "If your honour will forgive me," said Mr. Jobson, who had produced and arranged his writing implemen
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162  
163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Inglewood
 

Morris

 

concluded

 
company
 
concerned
 
finding
 

Justice

 

brought

 

started

 

dinner


honest
 
appearance
 

justice

 

abrupt

 

entrance

 

goodly

 

silence

 

surprise

 

implemen

 

writing


occasioned
 

sustained

 

person

 
complaint
 

charging

 
peevishly
 
Francis
 

matters

 

Osbaldistone

 

scoundrel


understand

 

benefit

 
victuals
 
honour
 

forgive

 
digestion
 

protest

 

Jobson

 

harmless

 

intermixed


circulation

 

moderate

 
leisure
 

allowed

 
bottle
 
requires
 

service

 

religion

 
suffered
 

arranged