Was it from this motive that Peter came one morning into his
master's room with a meaning face of recital? His master indeed did
not at first observe it; for he was sitting with one shoe buckled,
delineating portraits in the fire. "I have brushed those clothes,
sir, as you ordered me."--Harley nodded his head but Peter observed
that his hat wanted brushing too: his master nodded again. At last
Peter bethought him that the fire needed stirring; and taking up the
poker, demolished the turban'd head of a Saracen, while his master
was seeking out a body for it. "The morning is main cold, sir,"
said Peter. "Is it?" said Harley. "Yes, sir; I have been as far as
Tom Dowson's to fetch some barberries he had picked for Mrs.
Margery. There was a rare junketting last night at Thomas's among
Sir Harry Benson's servants; he lay at Squire Walton's, but he would
not suffer his servants to trouble the family: so, to be sure, they
were all at Tom's, and had a fiddle, and a hot supper in the big
room where the justices meet about the destroying of hares and
partridges, and them things; and Tom's eyes looked so red and so
bleared when I called him to get the barberries:- And I hear as how
Sir Harry is going to be married to Miss Walton.
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