Part 11 (1/2)

”I am obliged to you, my friend,” said I, ”for this piece of information, and in order that you may understand something of the person you are speaking to beyond the mere exterior view, here is half-a-crown for your communication.”

”Why, Sir,” said he, laying on at the same moment a shovel of coals, ”this here makes out what I said--Don't you see, said I, that 'are Gentleman is a gentleman every inch of him, says I--as don't want nothing at all no more nor what is right, and if so be as how he's got himself in a bit of a hobble, I knows very well as how he's got the tip{2} in his pocket, and does'nt want for spirit to pull it out--Perhaps you might like some breakfast, sir?”

1 Turn in--Going to bed. This is a term most in use among seafaring men.

2 Tip is synonymous with blunt, and means money.

~95~~”Why yes,” said I--for I began to feel a little inclined that way.

”O my wife, Sir,” said he, ”will do all you want, when she rouses herself.”

”I suppose,” continued I, ”you frequently have occasion to accommodate persons in similar situations?”

”Lord bless you! yes, sir, and a strange set of rum customers we have too sometimes--why it was but a few nights ago we had 'em stowed here as thick as three in a bed. We had 'em all upon the _hop_{1}--you never see'd such fun in all your life, and this here place was as full of curiosities as Pidc.o.c.k's at Exeter Change, or Bartlemy-fair--Show 'em up here, all alive alive O!”

”Indeed!” said I, feeling a little inquisitive on the subject; ”and how did this happen?”

”Why it was a _rummish_ piece of business altogether. There was a large party of dancing fas.h.i.+onables all met together for a little jig in St.

Martin's lane, and a very pretty medley there was of them. The fiddlers wagg'd their elbows, and the lads and la.s.ses their trotters, till about one o'clock, when, just as they were in the midst of a quadrille, in burst the officers, and quickly changed the tune. The appearance of these gentlemen had an instantaneous effect upon all parties present: the cause of their visit was explained, and the whole squad taken into custody, to give an account of themselves, and was brought here in hackney-coaches. The delicate Miss and her a.s.siduous partner, who, a short time before had been all spirits and animation, were now sunk in gloomy reflections upon the awkwardness of their situation; and many of our inhabitants would have fainted when they were informed they would have to appear before the Magistrate in the morning, but for the well-timed introduction of a little drap of the _cratur_, which an Irish lady ax'd me to fetch for her. But the best of the fun was, that in the group we had a Lord and a Parson! For the dignity of the one, and the honour of the other, they were admitted to bail--Lord have mercy upon us! said the Parson--Amen, said the Lord; and this had the desired effect upon the Constable of the night, for he let them off on the sly, you understand: But my eyes what work there was in the morning! sixteen Jarveys, full of live lumber,

1 Hop--A dance.

~96~~were taken to Bow-street, in a nice pickle you may be sure, dancing-pumps and silk-stockings, after setting in the watch-house all night, and surrounded by lots of people that hooted and howled, as the procession pa.s.sed along, in good style. They were safely landed at the Brown Bear, from which they were handed over in groups to be examined by the Magistrate, when the men were discharged upon giving satisfactory accounts, and the women after some questions being put to them. You see all this took place because they were dancing in an unlicensed room. It was altogether a laughable set-out as ever you see'd--the Dandys and the Dandyzettes--the Exquisites--the Shopmen--the Ladies' maid and the Prentice Boys--my Lord and his Reverence--mingled up higgledy-piggledy, pigs in the straw, with Bow-street Officers, Runners and Watchmen--Ladies squalling and fainting, Men swearing and almost fighting. It would have been a pleasure to have kick'd up a row that night, a purpose to get admission--you would have been highly amused, I'll a.s.sure you--good morning, Sir.” And thus saying, he turned the lock upon me, and left me to my meditations. In about a couple of hours the old woman made her appearance, and prepared me some coffee; and at eleven o'clock came the Constable of the night, to accompany me before the Magistrate.

”Aware that the circ.u.mstances were rather against me, and that I had no right to interfere in other persons' business or quarrels, I consulted him upon the best mode of making up the matter; for although I had really done no more than becomes a man in protecting a female, I had certainly infringed upon the law, in effecting the escape of a person in custody, and consequently was liable to the penalty or penalties in such cases made and provided. On our arrival at the Brown Bear, I was met by a genteel-looking man, who delivered me a letter, and immediately disappeared. Upon breaking the seal, I found its contents as follows:

Dear Sir, Although unknown to me, I have learned enough of your character to p.r.o.nounce you a trump, a prime c.o.c.k, and nothing but a good one. I am detained by John Doe and Richard Roe with their d----d _fieri facias_, or I should be with you. However, I trust you will excuse the liberty I take in requesting you will make use of the enclosed for the purpose of shaking yourself out of the ~97~~hands of the scouts and their pals. We shall have some opportunities of meeting, when I will explain: in the mean time, believe me I am

Your's truly,

Tom.

”With this advice, so consonant with my own opinion, I immediately complied; and having satisfied the broken-headed Charley, and paid all expences incurred, I was induced to walk into the office merely to give a look around me, when by a lucky chance I saw you enter. And thus you have a full, true, and particular account of the peregrinations of your humble servant.”

Listening with close attention to this narrative of Sparkle's, all other subjects had escaped observation, till they found themselves in the Strand.

”Whither are we bound?” inquired Sparkle.

”On a voyage of discoveries,” replied Dashall, ”and we just wanted you to act as pilot.”

”What place is this?” inquired Bob.

”That,” continued Sparkle, ”is Somerset-house. It is a fine old building; it stands on the banks of the Thames, raised on piers and arches, and is now appropriated to various public offices, and houses belonging to the various offices of the Government.”

”The terrace, which lies on the river, is very fine, and may be well viewed from Waterloo Bridge. The front in the Strand, you perceive, has a n.o.ble aspect, being composed of a rustic bas.e.m.e.nt, supporting a Corinthian order of columns crowned with an attic in the centre, and at the extremities with a bal.u.s.trade. The south front, which looks into the court, is very elegant in its composition.

”The bas.e.m.e.nt consists of nine large arches; and three in the centre open, forming the princ.i.p.al entrance; and three at each end, filled with windows of the Doric order, are adorned with pilasters, entablatures, and pediments. On the key-stones of the nine arches are carved, in alto relievo, nine colossal masks, representing the Ocean, and the eight main Rivers of England, viz. _Thames, Humber, Mersey, Dee, Medway, Tweed, Tyne, and Severn_, with appropriate emblems to denote their various characters.

”Over the bas.e.m.e.nt the Corinthian order consists of ten columns upon pedestals, having their regular entablature. It comprehends two floors, and the attic in the centre of the front extends over three intercolomniations, and is divided into three parts by four colossal statues placed on ~98~~the columns of the order. It terminates with a group consisting of the arms of the British empire, supported on one side by the Genius of England, and by Fame, sounding the trumpet, on the other. These three open arches in the front form the princ.i.p.al entrance to the whole of the structure, and lead to an elegant vestibule decorated with Doric columns.