He seemed to value himself
above his company, to give himself the airs of a man of the world
among that rustic herd; which was often no more than his due;
being, as I afterwards discovered, an attorney's clerk. I took
upon myself the more ungrateful part of arriving last; and by the
time I entered on the scene the Major was already served at a side
table. Some general conversation must have passed, and I smelled
danger in the air. The Major looked flustered, the attorney's
clerk triumphant, and three or four peasants in smock-frocks (who
sat about the fire to play chorus) had let their pipes go out.
'Give you good evening, sir!' said the attorney's clerk to me.
'The same to you, sir,' said I.
'I think this one will do,' quoth the clerk to the yokels with a
wink; and then, as soon as I had given my order, 'Pray, sir,
whither are you bound?' he added.
'Sir,' said I, 'I am not one of those who speak either of their
business or their destination in houses of public entertainment.'
'A good answer,' said he, 'and an excellent principle. Sir, do you
speak French?'
'Why, no, sir,' said I. 'A little Spanish at your service.'
'But you know the French accent, perhaps?' said the clerk.
'Well do I do that!' said I. 'The French accent? Why, I believe I
can tell a Frenchman in ten words.
Pages:
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194