The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 391: what you’re looking at

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

304 THE STEAM PACKET. ‘ CHAPTER XXIX. IN WHICH THE NARRATIVE RETURNS TO MR. BUCKRAM, AND RELATES THE LAST MOST IMPORTANT EPISODE IN HIS VERY EVENTFUL HIS- TORY. 2 Ir is byno means an agreeable task for the historian to trace the down- ward progress of great men. Napoleon descended from an imperial throne to occupy a barren rock in a distant island ;—Buckram was compelled to abandon the title which had attracted all eyes towards him, and relapse into the humble tailor. His story had got wind throughout Boulogne; and even the very gaoler was seen to suppress — a smile with difficulty, when he cast his eyes upon the unlucky wight. Lord Noodleton—the real Lord Noodleton—had, however, been as good as his word, and no opposition was offered in the course of the day to the tailor’s release, so soon as he had satisfied the authorities that his assumed name had not led to the perpetration of any deed militating against the laws of French society. It was aleut seven o'clock in the evening when Mr. Buckram emer- ged from Boulogne gaol. No longer did his carriage verge upon that semi-swagger which had been assumed to consort with assumption of rank—it being an universal. notion amongst the really vulgar-minded, that high rank is always evidenced by an overbearing demeanour and insolent gestures. The tailor, and not the nobleman, was now shown in that crestfallen aspect—that downcast glance—that disconcerted countenance. Instead of rudely taking the wall as he passed along, he stepped into the middle of the street to allow even beggars to pass. He was completely humbled, for it seemed to him as if every one read his history upon his countenance as he walked through Boulogne. He entered an inn, kept by an Englishman, and of very small pre- tensions, with the view of obtaining refreshment and a bed for the night. As soon as he had given the necessary orders, he inquired if there were a porter handy, to fetch his clothes from the Hotel d’Angle- terre. The landlord observed that he would send the commissioner immediately, that functionary also fulfilling the onerous duties of porter and ‘‘ boots,”’ in the same way as on the occasion of a ministe- rial change some years ago, the Duke of Wellington held half-a-dozen Cabinet situations until the arrival of Sir Robert Peel. The said com- missioner (added the landlord, who was a communicative man) had Eomicbooks. co