The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET. 153 shade and sun after the light of that countenance whose reflections are seen in days of serene and cloudless beauty ! Captain Pentonville and Mr. Buckram did not edify themselves with much interchange of discourse during their walk, both being too much engaged with their own reflections to think about amusing the other. At length a cottage was descried in the distance, and Captain Pen- tonville proceeded thither to reconnoitre, while the tailor sate him- self quietly down under a hedge, to await his friend’s return. The captain only found a poor old woman upon the premises; but from her he purchased a pound of smuggled Belgian tobacco and a couple of pipes, besides a loaf of bread, some cold meat, and a bottle of beer. With these luxuries he returned to Buckram; andas the two travellers had not broken their fast previous to their escape from the inn at» Gravelines, they fellin good earnest upon the provisions. This repast cheered their spirits a little; and having lighted their pipes as addi- tional means of comfort, they pursued their journey. Towards four o’clock they arrived in sight of a small village, situate in a beautiful valley, through which a clear and broad stream mean- dered, until it was lost from view amidst the deeply-tangled woods which overhung it at a distance. ‘The two travellers sate down once more to rest, and finish their provisions ; and when properly refreshed, the captain pursued his way towards the village, the tailor remaining in a spot to which it would be easy for his friend to retrace his steps, ~without missing his path. Captain Pentonville entered the village—not, however, without many misgivings relative to the dangers which he incurred at the hands of gendarmes. There was not a tailor’s shop to be seen; but in a few minutes he beheld a comfortable looking little public-house, or village inn, with an enormous aquatic bird painted upon the sign. In fact, the styleand title of the hostel was the Grand Canard—which, being interpreted, means, ‘‘ The Great Duck.” There he made certain little inquiries relative to beds for the night, and won the landlady’s favour by paying liberally in advance for the accommodation solicited ‘‘for himself and a friend whom he expected;” and he ordered a good supper to be ready at nine o'clock, for which he also insisted upon settling there and then. He next inquired for the landlord, of whom he intended to procure a coat, cost what it might; and to insure whose good graces he had disbursed his money with such liberality. ‘‘My husband can’t be disturbed just directly, sir,” said the land- lady. ‘‘ The truth is, there is a gentleman dying in the house; and he has just sent for the clergyman to confess him, and the notary to make his will. He is very rich, it appears ; indeed, he has been living comichooks.€