The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 358: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee ee * — eo THE STEAM PACKET. 277 Belinda did not mean to insult the person kneeling at her feet; but, with a reference to former thoughts, she repeated mechanically those words which represented the ideas uppermost in her mind, and the indignities to which she believed the wife of a gentleman of Mr. Buck- ram’s profession must necessarily be subjected. | ‘Well, then, Miss,” exclaimed the tailor, starting from his knees, and resuming his seat by her side, “ since you take it in this light, we had better go to the common sense of the thing at once. I have told you who I am, honestly and in a straightforward manner; and I now put it to you whether your reputation won’t be all the better by your marrying the tailor with whom you will have passed a night no one knows where!” ‘¢ Add not insult to injury, sir!’ ejaculated Belinda, now recovering all her presence of mind, and resolving in a moment how to act: “I demand, if you have a particle of honour left, or if you entertain towards me one spark of the affection that you have always professed —I demand that you instantly order the postilion to return to Bou- _ logne, and restore me to my father and mother.” The mention of parents produced the natural effect upon a female mind in such a cruel situation; and Belinda burst into a flood of tears. } At that moment, before the tailor had time to make any reply to Belinda’s request, the carriage wheeled abruptly out of the road, and stopped at the door of the little inn adjoining the post-house at Samer —a distance of about twelve miles from Boulogne. The people belonging to the inn immediately came up to the car- riage, with lanterns in their hands; and the light thereof glared upon the pale cheeks of Belinda, and the flushed countenance of Buckram. The landlord opened the door, and Belinda instantly leaped from the vehicle. Mechanically she followed the host into a parlour; and, throwing herself upon a sofa, buried her face in her hands, weeping bitterly. Buckram entered a moment afterwards, and made a sign for the landlord to leave them alone together. ‘“Upon what do you resolve, Miss Pifpaf?” said the tailor to the disconsolate young lady. ‘“To return to my father and mother this moment,” replied she, starting from the sofa; ‘‘ and with a female servant belonging to this inn to accompany me back to Boulogne. If you refuse, sir—I shall seek the protection of the landlord.” ** Only consider, dear Belinda,” began the tailor, who now saw that he had gone too far; ‘‘ only consider that your reputation will suffer, and that I adore you—dote upon you!” Gomicbooks (E(0)