The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 236: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 233 in the house there was an Irish servant, who had so much feel- ing for him, that hearing he had come in late, she was willin he should have as long a sleep as he wanted, and without inter- ruption, too, if she could possibly ward off any for him. ith that delightful facility which her countrymen and women have in little subversions of the truth, she had told Cap- tain Morton, when he inquired for Rafferty, that he had got up early and gone out. Then came the events on that morning, which we have had the pleasure of recording. Aud Rafferty slept on as sound as a church, as he himself afterward remarked, while those events were ensuing that con- stituted a most admirable addendum to his capture of the men- dicant, who was the original author of all the evil that had be- fallen Mabel. Indeed, so long was Rafferty’s repose that Mabel had been brought home, and was fairly installed in the com- fortable drawing-room before Rafferty awoke; but then he had not slept many hours, for although so much of a highly import- ant nature had been transacted, the day was yet young. The captain was surprised at what, from the information he had had, he believed to be the continued absence of Rafferty, and he asked Henry what he thought of it. ‘‘T can hardly hazard an opinion,” said Henry, ‘he is so ex- traordinary and erratic a personage that I don’t really know what to say. He seemed to me yesterday to have something on his mind, which gave him peculiar satisfaction. I do hope sin- cerely he has not blundered into any scrape.” The footman came in at this moment to attend to the fire, and Captain Morton said to him: ‘‘Has my servant come in yet ?” ‘*Oh, dear, yes, sir, long ago.” ‘*Long ago? why a servant here told me he had gone out long ago.” ‘* Oh, that was Biddy, sir; you see, sir, she’s Irish, and so is your servant, sir, so she would not tell of him.” “Tell of him? Why, what has he been about?” ‘‘T don’t know, sir; but he came in about daylight, early this morning, and has been in bed and asleep ever since.” **Oh, indeed, very well. It’s no matter, don’t disturb him.” ‘No, sir.” In about another bour Rafferty awoke of his own accord, and he was a little alarmed when he found it was so late, and much wondered that he had not been aroused. However, he whisked himself up as well as he could, and with serious misgivings as to what his master would say to him, he crept down-stairs, and walked into the back drawing-room, which was only separated from the front by some folding doors, which were closed; he gave an intimation of his presence by whistling an old Irish air, and pretending to be wonderfully busy in putting the various articles of furniture to rights. , ‘‘They shall speak first,” thought Rafferty; ‘‘ 1’ know what sort of humor they are in before I condescend to say a word to comicbooks. com