The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 298: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET. 995 of its contents, as all it did contain was the stone thrown at the Lord Mayor in the month of March, 1839. Mr. Buckram now rose, and, after applauding the objections adduced by his friend the captain, declared it to be his opinion that the best thing to suppress the insur- _ rection would be to make an immediate example of old Rumtutch, by thrashing and ducking him in his bed without a moment’s delay. Mr. Smale vainly spoke for a quarter of an hour against this measure: he and Mr. Pifpaf were packed off to bed;—and Captain Pentonville remained with Mr. Buckram to execute the proposed plan of vengeance. _ These two gentlemen, having maturely digested their plans, pro- ceeded to call Mr. Gibbins to their aid; and thus reinforced, they re- paired to the chamber of Mr. Rumtutch. This daring rebel was in bed, but not asleep. Schemes of ambition chased away balmy slum- bers from his pillow. He turned and tossed upon his feverish couch, while before him passed visions of glory and power which dazzled his mental eyes—his physical ones being at the moment useless, as the chamber was pitch dark. He reflected upon the bold step he had taken : his plans were matured—he had possessed himself of the key to power, for the treasurer was his confederate—and he doubted not that another four and twenty hours’ space would behold him Chairman of the Luminaries. But—ah! dread thought—he would be an usurper ; and his name would go down to posterity with that of King John and Richard the Third. Yes—he reflected upon all this: and his consola- tion was derived from the fact that, if he were an usurper, Napoleon and Louis Philippe would be associated with him in the undying page of history. The temptation was too great: yes—he must proceed! Besides, it was too late to retract. The most powerful of the Lu- minaries had declared in his favour; the rest would be compelled to submit to his rule. Already did hé see the words, “ RumtTutcH, -Cyarrman,” at the head of the ordinances: already did he fancy him- self welcomed with shouts of applause when he set foot upon the deck of the Steam Packet ;—already did he imagine himself to be the centre of attraction to crowds of Luminaries, who, with admiration depicted upon their countenances, pointed him out to their children, saying, ‘“‘ There goes Rumtutch, the new chairman!” All this he enjoyed by anticipation; all this he fancied; and much more of the same kind of felicity would he doubtless have experienced in his reverie, had not his waking dreams of greatness been most rudely and abruptly inter- rupted by a torrent of cold water which fell, like an Alpine cataract, | upon his devoted person as he reclined upon that couch which was the scene of his ambitious aspirations. A terrible yell issued from the lips of Mr. Rumtutch, accompanied Q (E(0) Aniicele\oye) KSGO