Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-06-09


little narrow, crooked town of Dover hid itself
away from the beach, and ran its head INTO
the chalk cliffs, like u marine ostrich. The
beach was a desert of heaps of sea and stones
tumbling wildly about, and the sea did what 1t
liked, and what it liked was destruction. 1t
thundered at the town, and thundered at the
cliffs, and brought the coast down madly. The
air among the houses was of SO strong piscatory
flavor that one might have supposed sick fish
went up to be dipped in it, as sick people went
down to be dipped in the sea. little fishing
was done in the port. and quantity of stroll
ing about by night, and looking seaward: par
ticularly at those times when the tide made,
and was near food. Small tradesmen, who did
no business whatever, sometimes unaccountably
realized large fortunes, and it was remarkable
that nobody in the neighborhood could endure
a lamplighter.
As the day declined into the afternoon, and
the air, which had been at intervals clear enough
to allow the French coast to be seen, became
again charged with mist and vapor, Mr.. Lorry's
thoughts seemed to cloud too. When it was
dark, and he sat before the coffee room fire
awaiting his dinner, as he had awaited his
breakfast, his mind was busily digging, digging,
digging in the live red Goals.
A bottle of good claret after dinner does
digger IN the red Goals no harm, otherwise than
as it has tendency to throw him out of work,
Mr.. Lorry had been idle a long time, and had
just poured out his last glassful Of wine, with
as complete an appearance of satisfaction as is
ever to be found in an elderly gentleman of
fresh complexion who has got to the end of
bottle, when the ratting of wheels came up the
narrow street and rumbed into the inn-yard.
He set down his glass untouched. :" This is
Nam 'selle :" said he.
In a very few minutes the waiter cane in to
announce that Miss Manette had arrived from
London, and would be glad to see the gentleman
from Tellson's.
" So soon?"
Miss Manette had taken some rcfreshmcnt on
the road, and required none then, and was ex-
tremey anxious to sec the gentleman from Tell
sons Immediately if it suited his pleasure and
convenience.
The gentleman from Tellson's had nothing
left for it but to empty his 6 lass with an air of
stolid desperation, settle his old little aaxen wig
at the cars, and follow the waiter to Miss Ma
nette apartment. 1t was large, dark room,
furnished in funeral manner with black horse
hair, and loaded with heavy dark tables. These
had been oiled and oiled until the two tall can
! dies on the table in themiddle-of the room werc
gloomily reflected on every leaf as if they were
buried in the deep graves Of black mahogany,
and no light to speak of could be expected from
them until they were dug out.
The obscurity was 50 difficult to penetrate that
Mr.. Lorry, picking his way over the well-worn
Turkey carpet supposed Miss Manettc to be-
for the moment, in some adjacent room, until
, !, having got past the two tall candles, he saw
standing to receive him by the table between
' them and the fire, II young lady of not more
than seventeen, in riding and still hold
= ing her straw traveing-hat by its ribbon in hel
y hand. AS his eyes rested on short, slight
= pretty figure quantity of golden hair, a paii
: of blue eyes that met his own with an inqulrine
: look, and forehead with IL singular capacity
= = remembering how young and smooth it was)
y of lifting and knitting itself into an expression
that was not quite one Of perplexity, or wonder
= or alarm, or merely of bright fixed attention
y though it included all the four expressiorS-a'
> his eyes rested on these things, a sudden vivit
! likeness passed before him of child whom hi
y had held in his arms on the passage across tina
10 very Channel, one cold time, when the hal
: drifted heavily and the sea ran high. Tht
" : Likeness passed away, say, like breath along
" the surface of the gaunt pier-glaes behind her
on the frame of which hospital procession o
negro cupids, several headless and all cripples
were offering black baskets of Dead-Sea frui
y to black divinties of the feminine gender-anC
he made formal bow to Miss Manette.
- Pray take q seat, Sir In q very cea
'' and pleasant young voice. a little foreign il
its accent, but very little indeed.
. 81 kiss your hand, miss said Mr. Lorry
: with the manners of an earlier date, as he mad
y his formal bow again. and took his seat.
81 received letter from the Bank, Si,, yes
;, terday, informing me that some new uteligenc
or discovery
"The word is not material, miss either wor
to will do"
. prospecting the small property Of my poo
III father whom never saw-so long dead"
III Mr.. Lorry moved in his chair, and cast
troubled look toward the hospital procession
Ill negro cupids. As If they had any help for an
body in their absurd baskets
,h "-rendered it necessary that should 20 t
Paris, there to communicate with gcntlena
ce of the Bank, 50 good as to be dispatched
Paris Tor the purpos,.'
ne "Myself."
r. :" AS was prepared to hear, Sir
e, She courtesicd to linn (young ladies ma,
courtcsies in thosn days., with pretty desi
to convey to him that she felt how much old
mt and wiser he was than she lie made her a
III other bow.
en- ." replied to the Bank, Sir, thar as it W
considered necessary, by those who know, al
ed who are 30 kind as to advise me, that | shou
20 to Faance, and that AS am an orphan al
have no friend who conld 60 with me, / shou
he esteem it highly if | might be permitted to pla
ter myself, during tho journey, under that wort
his gentlemans protection The gentleman HI
nd left London, but think messenger was Sc
nd after him to beg the favor Of his waiting forl
er, here"