y down his back, closely cased in numerous windings
of leather, or the skin of some fish. His drab coat was in shape between a
frock and a close-body--close-body, indeed, it was; for the buttons, which
were in size about equal to an old-fashioned China saucer, were buttoned
to the very throat, thereby setting off his shape to peculiar advantage;
his breeches were buckskin, and much soiled; his stockings blue yarn,
although it was midsummer; and his shoes were provided with buckles of
dimensions proportionate to the aforesaid buttons; his age might have been
seventy, but his walk was quick, and the movements of his whole system
showed great activity both of mind and body. He was ushered into the room
where the gentlemen were sitting, and having made a low and extremely
modest bow, he deliberately put on his spectacles, thrust his hand into an
outside pocket of his coat, and produced from under its huge flaps a black
leathern pocket-book about as large as a good-sized octavo volume; after
examining the multitude of papers it contained carefully, he selected a
letter, and having returned the pocket-book to its ample apartment, read
aloud,

"For Sir Edward Moseley, bart. of Moseley Hall, B----,
Northamptonshire--with care and speed, by the hands of Mr. Peter Johnson,
steward of Benfield Lodge, Norfolk;" and dropping his sharp voice, he
stalked up to the baronet, and presented the epistle, with another
reverence.

"Ah, my good friend, Johnson," said Sir Edward as soon as he delivered his
errand (for until he saw the contents of the letter, he had thought some
accident had occurred to his uncle), "this is the first visit you have
ever honored me with; come, take a glass of wine before you go to your
dinner; let us drink, that it may not be the last."

"Sir Edward Moseley, and you, honorable gentlemen, will pardon me,"
replied the steward, in his own solemn key, "this is the first time I was
ever out of his majesty's county of Norfolk, and I devoutly wish it may
prove the last--Gentlemen, I drink your honorable healths."

This was the only real speech the old man made during his visit, unless an
occasional monosyllabic reply to a question could be thought so. He
remained, by Sir Edward' positive order, until the following day; for
having delivered his message, and receiving its answer, he was about to
take his departure that evening, thinking he might get a good piece on his
road homewards, as it wanted half an hour to suns