The Wayfarers

Оглавление

Snaith John Collis. The Wayfarers

CHAPTER I. THE DEVIL TO PAY

CHAPTER II. LADY CYNTHIA CAREW

CHAPTER III. INTRODUCES A MERITORIOUS HEBREW

CHAPTER IV. WE START UPON OUR PILGRIMAGE

CHAPTER V. I VINDICATE THE NATIONAL CHARACTER

CHAPTER VI. CONTAINS A FEW TRITE UTTERANCES ON THE GENTLE PASSION

CHAPTER VII. AN INSTRUCTIVE CHAPTER; IN WHICH IT IS SHOWN THAT IF A LITTLE LEARNING IS DANGEROUS, MUCH MAY BE CALAMITOUS

CHAPTER VIII. WE GET US TO CHURCH

CHAPTER IX. WE GO UPON OUR WEDDING TOUR

CHAPTER X. WE ARE BESET BY A HEAVY MISFORTUNE

CHAPTER XI. I COME A PRISONER TO A FAMILIAR HOUSE, AND FIND STRANGE COMPANY

CHAPTER XII. I DISCOVER A GREAT AUTHOR WHERE I LEAST EXPECT TO FIND ONE

CHAPTER XIII. I FIND OUT CYNTHIA: CYNTHIA FINDS OUT ME

CHAPTER XIV. AMANTIUM IRÆ

CHAPTER XV. AMORIS INTEGRATIO: WE ARE CLAPT IN THE STOCKS

CHAPTER XVI. WE ARE SO SORELY TRIED THAT WE FAIN HAVE RECOURSE TO OUR WITS

CHAPTER XVII. WE MAKE ACQUAINTANCE WITH A PERSON OF DISTINCTION

CHAPTER XVIII. CONTAINS A PANEGYRIC ON THE GENTLE PASSION

CHAPTER XIX. WE APPEAR IN A NEW CHARACTER

CHAPTER XX. DISADVANTAGES OF A CHAISE AND A PAIR OF HORSES

CHAPTER XXI. WE REAP THE FRUITS OF OUR AUDACITY

CHAPTER XXII. THE LAST

Отрывок из книги

Having come to this odd resolve, it behoved us to lose no time. But whither we should go, neither of us knew. North, south, east, or west, one latitude was as good as another. We should be equally served in each. As for the means at our disposal, we had the sum of twelve-pence halfpenny sterling. I am sure that much the same thoughts were uppermost in the minds of us both, for the moment I looked at little Cynthia sitting on the couch with a tight mouth and ratter quizzical eyes, I broke forth into a shout of laughter, which she returned so promptly that it became a question as to whom the honour of the first peal belonged.

In the midst of this pleasantry I walked to the door of the room and locked it again. I had no mind to be taken unawares by the enemy; and provided I was not, François' example had shown that a way of escape was always open.

.....

"What a consummate folly is this," says I, "when at any moment we may be ta'en."

But the pretty little fool sat as demure as a mouse, not relaxing a lip or twitching an eyebrow, i' faith as adorable a picture of a person as any I've seen off a painted canvas. There was that tantalizing air about her which at once invited, yet forbade; that aroused that which it denied. I vow nothing could have been more taking than the sight of little Cynthia sitting there as straight as any arrow that ever Cupid shot, her knees and heels together, and her hands spread out with the palms turned down, and her dainty toes peeping from underneath her petticoat. Indeed, so was I worked on by her graces and airs that I was like to forget the grim pass in which we were involved. Nay, I gradually began to solicit her in a formal manner; a piece of behaviour that contributed as much to her whimsical pleasure as it did to my embarrassment. And when in accents of undying regard, I came to ask for her hand in exchange for my heart and fortune, she was so charmed with the natural fervour with which I did it, that she stopped me imperiously, in the middle of much passion, and says: "I would have your lordship go over again that splendid passage that you have just uttered, that hath the fine swearing and the great humility in it. I never heard anything choicer; Mr. Betterton never surpassed it."

.....