Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 220: what you’re looking at

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

ee JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 207 —lighted another cigar—shook me warmly by the | leaping upon an inverted tub, quickly scaled the hand—and took his departure. I was more than} low wall which separated the tailor’s yard from ever pleased with my Greek friend; and I could | the one at the back of another house; and I as not help congratulating myself on the manner in| quickly followed. The back door of this second which I had succeeded in conducting my discourse | house was standing open: a woman immediately relative to the schooner without in the faintest de-| made her appearance—and by her significant gree trenching upon the sanctity of Cosmo’s secret, | looks I saw that she likewise, as well as the tailor, or betraying my knowledge of the mysterious cha- | was in Cosmo’s interest. She said a few words to racter of that vessel. _ | him; and turning to me, he observed, “ We are in “ Kanaris himself,’ Ithought, “is totally un- | plenty of time.” suspicious of the real nature of that vessel; and The woman then led us up a staircase, into a it is therefore evident that Signor Portici has {small back parlour on the first floor—where she breathed not into his ear a single syllable of | left us. whatsoever he himself may have heard from Cosmo “Look!” said Cosmo; “there is but a thin upon the subject. The judge is a shrewd man: | wainscot between this room and the next. Place for not even to the intended husband of his niece | your ear against it—I will go into the other room does he discourse on matters which prudence | and speak in a conversational tone. See if you recommends him to keep within his own breast.” | can catch what I say.” | He did as he intimated; and I could plainly —— hear every syllable he uttered. He returned to me; and I told him that such was the fact. “We may now sit down and converse,” he said, “until we hear footsteps ascending the stairs, But THE COFFEE-HOUSE. by the bye, we will take this precaution :”—and he locked the door. Tue following day was Monday—that Monday on| “Now, what does all this mean?” I anxiously which Mr. Lanover and Mr. Dorchester were to | inquired. “ Are we, as I surmise, in the coffee- meet together in Civita Vecchia. In pursuance of | house 4 Cosmo’s injunctions, I remained carefully secluded “Yes—where Lanover is residing, and where in my own apartments at the hotel. I rose early | Dorchester has also taken up _his temporary —for I was full of suspense in respect to what the | quarters.” day might bring forth: the breakfast passed away; “Ah! then Dorchester has arrived ?” I ejacu- almost untasted; and scarcely conscious of what I | lated. was doing, I presently found myself posted at the; “Listen to what I have to tell you,” rejoined window which commanded a view of the port.| Cosmo. “Mr. Lanover occupies the adjoining There lay the Athene, just in the same position as'room as his parlour. He was out nearly the that in which I had before seen her: not one single | whole of yesterday; and as I had not been able inch did she appear to have moved—and not the! to follow him in the first instance, I did not think slightest sign was there of any intention to set | it worth while to go searching after him—perhaps sail. uselessly ; and I therefore remained here laying The hours passed; and it was not until about| my plans. As you have seen, I succeeded in three o’clock in the afternoon that Cosmo made | winning over—with little trouble indeed—the his appearance. Heentered hastily; and with far | woman of the coffee-house, and the tailor in the more excitement than he was accustomed to ex- | adjacent dwelling: for I foresaw the necessity of hibit, he exclaimed, “Come, sir—quick, quick! | securing a safe means of ingress and egress for there is not an instant to be lost! Come and all | yourself when the proper time should some. You will be well or at least I hope so.” understand wherefore? I do not comprehend I snatched up my hat and hastened to accom- | English; and it is of course in their own native pany Cosmo: he said not another word—indeed | tongue that Lanover and Dorchester will con- | CHAPTER CXxX, there was no time for explanation, with such speed | verse: so that you must be the listener. Lanover did he hurry me off. We passed out of the back | returned to his lodging at an early hour last even- of the hotel, where there was a private gate; and!ing; and he soon went to bed. This morning, he led me through several bye-ways and alleys,— | immediately after breakfast, he told the landlady his intention evidently being to avoid the principal thaf an English gentleman would come to the streets. At length we reached a small mean- |} house in the course of a few hours—and that if looking tailor’s shop, which we entered. The tailor | he (Lanover) were not in at 'the time, the woman himself was at work upon a pair of pantaloons | was to say he would be certain to return between which already appeared too ancient and too well} three and four o’clock. He then went out. I pieced to endure much more patching. The mo-| arranged with the woman everything that was ment we made our appearance, he flung the gar-| to be done. It was a little before three that the ment aside—nodded significantly to Cosmo—and | Englishman arrjved, giving the name of Dor- at once led the way toaninnerroom. ‘Thence a/ chester. He inquired for Mr. Lanover; and the door opened into a little back-yard, whither Cosmo | message was delivered according to Lanover’s in- bade me follow him; and as he passed by the tailor, | structions. Mr. Dorchester then said that he who stood at the door, he dropped a piece of gold | should leave his trunk here, as he might stay a into his hand. I therefore understood that this | day or two, or he might be off immediately after was the fee for the service which he was perform- | his interview with Mr. Lanover—it was quite un- ing—though what its precise nature was, I could | certain. The landlady showed him to a bed-room, not immediately divine. apologising for not being able to give him a par- A few instants, however, showed me. Cosmo) Jour: and this she did in order that the interview Oo ee ee ee eee LT See — rrr en sr CORNICLOO@ Ss (CO)