Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

88 All the windows were dark: my summons con- tinued for several minutes unanswered: I knocked louder still—a head was thrust from an upper case- ment—and a man spoke to me grufily in Italian. Not being able to understand him, I answered in French: he was equally at a loss to comprehend me: but I could judge from his tones that he re- fused to give me admittance—though whether through fear, or whether because he had really no accommodation for myself and my horse, I could not conjecture. He closed the window; and I was bewildered how to act. Both myself and my animal were much jaded and stood in need of re- freshment and rest. If I continued my wander- ings in the darkness, I might encounter some accident—or I might penetrate into those wildest parts of the Apennines where no human beings dwelt: I could not therefore willingly abandon the chance of obtaining accommodation in this hamlet. Selecting the best-looking cottage, as well as I could judge through the obscurity, I knocked at the door. A female presently answered me from the window; and, to be brief, I found there was no chance of obtaining hospitality there. Disheartened by my failure, I rode slowly away from the hamlet—and at a walking pace continued my journey for the next two hours. At the ex- iration of this interval I entered a village; and fooking about for the inn—if there were one— I found the suspicion creeping into my mind that the place was not altogether unfamiliar to me: but when I discovered the house of entertainment that I sought, this suspicion was all in a moment confirmed. A circuitous route had brought me to the very village which I had intended to avoid ! The reader will comprehend that this in fact was the place where I had halted when on my way the robbers’ tower, and in the neighbourhood of which I had assumed my disguise by the aid of the friendly mountebank, I was too much ex- hausted to think of proceeding further ; and more- over the continuation of my journey would have been a wanton cruelty towards the animal I bestrode. I accordingly knocked: and the door was presently opened by an elderly female domestic, whom I had not before seen. I addressed her in French: she could not comprehend me—but she made signs to intimate that I must act as my own ostler. With a light in her hand, she guided me to the stable; and when I had duly cared for the steed, I gave her to understand that I wanted re- freshments for myself. She took me to the kitchen, where I speedily dispatched a very hearty meal; and then she conducted me to a chamber. Quickly disapparelling myself, I got to bed; and scarcely did 1 lay my head upon the bolster, when I sank into a profound sleep. * SS CHAPTER XCVI, a % CAPTAIN RAYMOND. } ' I was awakened by a strange noise; and starting up in bed, found that it was broad daylight: but the little chamber was invaded by all the male domestics of the inn—consisting of the waiter, a couple of ostlers, and a gardener. The landlord rE ee eS Pe er ae JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MFMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. —_—, ee et ee ew RE OE —_ -e— appeared behind them; and he was accompanied by an elderly man and an armed _police-official. For the first few moments my thoughts were too much confused to enable me to form a conjecture as to what was the meaning of this intrusion: but the truth presently flashed in unto my mind, I burst out into the merriest peal of laughter I had indulged in for a long time past. The posse gave vent to ejaculations of indignant surprise; as they naturally believed I was treating with a reck- less bravado the crime cf which they fancied me to be guilty. The police-official rushed in to seize upon me: but I called out in French for the landlord to stand forward. “What does all this mean?” I asked, but still scarcely able to keep my countenance. “That voice!—I ought to know it!’ said the landlord, surveying me with an air of the most ludicrous bewilderment. “What am I accused of?” I inquired: for f was in one of those kind of mischievous humours which made me enjoy the perplexity my disguise was occasioning. “Of stealing the horse belonging to another traveller—and perhaps murdering that traveller :” —but still the landlord, as he spoke, continued to regard me in a bewildered way. * In plain terms, then,” I said, “I am accused of stealing my own horse and of murdering myself !” _ * Well, it must be you, sir, after all!” cried the landlord, in amazement. ‘‘ But—but P ** These whiskers—and this moustache,” I said, laughing heartily ; “and this tinted complexion, naturally puzzle you. The truth is, my good friend, my false hair will not come off without peeling away the skin, unless I use hot water; and I can assure you that on arriving here just now, I was too much fatigued even to think of it.” “The Mayor, sir,” replied the landlord, indi- cating the elderly individual as he spoke, “ will require some explanation—as the circumstance is suspicious.” “The explanation simply is that I chose to penetrate into the banditti’s stronghold, to effect the liberation of some friends of mine; and in this I fully succeeded. As for my disguise,—if the mountebanks who performed here yesterday, still happen to be in the neighbourhood, there is one of them who can give you a satisfactory account.” * Well, sir, Iam sure that it is all right,” an- swered the landlord; “and I will be your guarantee to the Mayor. But you must confess that when your horse was recognized, and the female-servant assured me that it was quite a dif- ferent person whom the animal bore hither, from the one who was here yesterday, it was natural I should acquaint the authorities with the circum- stance.” * He then spoke to the Mayor; and the posse immediately withdrew. I was still exceedingly tired—and remained in bed for some hours longer. When I arose I removed the false whiskers and moustache by means of hot water: but my tinted complexion defied the influence of soap. How- ever, I knew perfectly well, from the assurances the friendly mountebank had given me, that in a few days my skin would be of its natural colour again; and as the secret was now known at the On eC EEEIIIREEEEIE gg o_o eee ee | ElNOOLK<S com