Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 388: what you’re looking at

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

‘= _ roof of the compartment itself. JOSEPH WILMOT;$ OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 375 CHAPTER CLV. MORE MEETINGS WITH OLD ACQUAINTANCES. I was the sole occupant of the compartment which I had entered, until the train reached Rugby. This was at about seven o’clock in the evening; and it was consequently at that season of the year quite dark. The gas was lighted at the station: the usual oil-lamp threw its sickly glimmer from the The train waited for about a quarter of an hour at Rugby; and I stepped forth to take a turn or two upon the plat- form. While I was thus engaged, I beheld a very tall man-servant, in a slabby livery, with tarnished gold Jace, carrying an enormous French poodle under each arm. ‘Those arms were evidently very much cramped by the burdens which they thus sustained ; and he looked the very picture of wretchedness—so rueful was the expression of his countenance! I knew him at once: there could be no possibility of mistake. This was John Robert, footman in the service of Mr. and Lady Georgiana Tiverton. Though some years had elapsed since I last saw him, he appeared but little changed—unless indeed it were that he had grown thinner in form and more lugubrious in countenance: while on the other hand he had to carry a much fatter pair of poodles than those which he was doomed to take care of at the time when I was a still humbler menial in the same household as himself. I was about to accost him, to inquire concerning his master and mistress,— when [ perceived them hastily approaching; and at the same instant the bell rang for the passen- gers to take their seats. I returned to the compartment in which I had hitherto travelled: but scarcely had I settled myself in my place, when one of the railway offi- cials hurried up to the door—bobbed in his head— then turning abruptly round, shouted out, “ There’s plenty of room here, sir!” The next moment, who should come up to the very compartment but Mr, Tiverton and Lady Georgiana? “Where is John Robert?” inquired her lady- ship, in that half languid, half severe tone which I remembered so well. “Those poor dear pets will catch their very death with cold * Here [ am, my lady,” said the miserable foot- man, coming up to the door with a dog under each arm. “The poodles, my lady “ Now don’t answer me, John Robert,” inter- rupted Lady Georgiana. “You know very well that I can put up with anything except being an- swered. Let the dear little pets lightly and gently down into this carriage re “Beg your pardon, ma’am,” said the railway official, “ but dogs are not allowed inside the car- riages ' “ Dear me!” exclaimed the indignant lady : “ what is the world coming to? A person of my rank mn “Please, my lady,” said the footman, evidently rendered desperate by having the care of the dogs, “if these dear little pets ain’t taken into a nice warm place where there’s a carpet, I’m certain sure they’ll be starved with the cold.” “Pray my good man,” said Lady Georgiana to the official, “ do—do, if you have the heart of a Christian, let these dear little amiables come into this carriage.” “ Yes, pray do,” said Mr. Tiverton: and he displayed a half-crown between his finger and thumb. “ Well, sir,” said the railway official, “ I have no objection. But perhaps that gentleman yonder” —now looking at me—“ might be annoyed by the dogs sf “No,” I said: case.” “ In with them, John Robert !” exclaimed Lady Georgiana vehemently, as if she were afraid that the permission just awarded might be thought better of and recalled. I saw John Robert’s countenance become as much animated with joy as such a rueful face could possibly expand from its wonted lugubrious- ness: and first he let one obese poodle gently down into the carriage—and then the other. “ Dear pet!” said Lady Georgiana, patting one brute: “dear little love !” she added, patting the other : then suddenly bethinking herself of other things, she exclaimed, “ Run, John Robert, and see that all the luggage is safe. ,, There's that green trunk without the hinges “And there’s the carpet- es without the pad- lock,” interjected Mr. Tiverton. «And the great black box with the broken lid,” continued Lady Georgiana. “ And the small deal box with the bottom half out,” said Mr. Tiverton. “And the two bandboxes, already smashed “ But my lady,” interposed. John Robert, “ the porter took care of them all when we changed carriages bi “ Now don’t answer me, John Robert,” inter rupted Lady Georgiana. “ You know that I can put up with anything except being answered x * Do run, John Robert !” cried Mr. Tiverton. “Take your seats!” echoed through the station: and the ery was followed by the locomotive whistle —and then by the slamming of doors all along the train. “ Get to your seat, my man,” said the railway official, who was waiting at the door of our com- partment—for a& purpose which was obvious enough. “Hah! hem! It’s very kind of the man to let us have the dogs inside—isn’s if my dear P” and as Mr. Tiverton thus spoke, he quietly returned the half-crown to his waistcoat pocket. The disappointed official gave the door a bang which resounded throughout the station; and the train was almost immediately in motion. I had now leisure to observe that though age had ageravated the thinness of Lady Georgiana and had added to the wrinkles on her husband’s countenance, in other respects they seemed by no means altered. Her ladyship had on an old lavender-coloured silk gown: and I could almost have sworn it was the very same she used to wear when I was at Myrtle Lodge. As for Mr. Tiver- ton, he seemed to be apparelled in precisely the same suit as that which he likewise wore at that time—except with an increased degree of shabbi- ness and seediness, if possible. I perceived that they in their turn were now examining me,—Mr. Tiver- “do not consider me in the PED EI TS AAS, OP Sy Roa eR DOOLK COUN ( LLL LLL LL LI EC A ap | | { (CO)