Volume Ii Part 11 (2/2)

”If you 'd cut off your enc.u.mbrances, Mr. Dodd,” says I, ”that would save something.”

”My what?” said he, flaring up, with a face like a turkey-c.o.c.k.

But I was n't going to dispute with him, Molly; so I swept out of the room, and threw down a little china flowerpot just to stop him.

The same day we started, and arrived here at the hotel, the ”Cour de Parme,” by midnight; it was a tiresome journey, and K. I. made it worse, for he was fighting with somebody or other the whole time; and Lord George was not with us, for he had gone off to Milan to meet James; and Mr. D. was therefore free to get into as many sc.r.a.pes as he pleased.

I must say, he did n't neglect the opportunity, for he insulted the pa.s.sport people and the customhouse officers, and the man at the bridge of boats, and the postmasters and postilions everywhere. ”I did n't come here to be robbed,” said he everywhere; and he got a few Italian words for ”thief,” ”rogue,” ”villain,” and so on; and if I saw one, I saw ten knives drawn on him that blessed day. He would n't let Cary translate for him, but sat on the box himself, and screamed out his directions like a madman. This went on till we came to a place called San Donino, and there--it was the last stage from Parma--they told him he could n't have any horses, though he saw ten of them standing all ready harnessed and saddled in the stable. I suppose they explained to him the reason, and that he did n't understand it, for they all got to words together, and it was soon who 'd scream loudest amongst them.

At last K. I. cried out, ”Come down, Paddy, and see if we can't get four of these beasts to the carriage, and we 'll not ask for a postilion.”

Down jumps Paddy out of the rumble, and rushes after him into the stable. A terrible uproar followed this, and soon after the stable people, helpers, ostlers, and postboys, were seen running out of the door for their lives, and K. I. and Paddy after them, with two rack-staves they had torn out of the manger. ”Leave them to me,” says K.

I.; ”leave them to me, Paddy, and do you go in for the horses; put them to, and get a pair of reins if you can; if not, jump up on one of the leaders, and drive away.”

If he was bred and born in the place, he could not have known it better, for he came out the next minute with a pair of horses, that he fastened to the carriage in a trice, and then hurried back for two more, that he quickly brought out and put to also. ”There 's no whip to be found,”

says he, ”but this wattle will do for the leaders; and if your honor will stir up the wheelers, here 's a nice little handy stable fork to do it with.” With this Paddy sprung into the saddle, K. I. jumped up to the box, and off they set, tearing down the street like mad. It was pitch dark, and of course neither of them knew the road; but K. I. screamed out, ”Keep in the middle, Paddy, and don't pull up for any one.” We went through the village at a full gallop, the people all yelling and shouting after us; but at the end of the street there were two roads, and Paddy cried out, ”Which way now?” ”Take the widest, if you can see it,” screamed out K. I.; and away he went, at a pace that made the big travelling-carriage b.u.mp and swing like a boat at sea.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 164]

We soon felt we were going down a dreadful steep, for the carriage was all but on top of the horses, and K. I. kept screaming out, ”Keep up the pace, Paddy. Make them go, or we'll all be smashed.” Just as he said that I heard a noise, like the sea in a storm,--a terrible sound of rus.h.i.+ng, das.h.i.+ng, roaring water; then a frightful yell from Paddy, followed by a plunge. ”In a river, by ------!” roared out K. I.; and as he said it, the coach gave a swing over to one side, then righted, then swung back again, and with a crash that I thought smashed it to atoms, fell over on one side into the water.

”All right,” said K. I.; ”I turned the leaders short round and saved us!” and with that he began tearing and dragging us out. I fell into a swoon after this, and know no more of what happened. When I came to myself, I was in a small hut, lying on a bed of chestnut leaves, and the place crowded with peasants and postilions.

”There 's no mischief done, mamma,” said Cary. ”Paddy swam the leaders across beautifully, for the traces snapped at once, and, except the fright, we 're nothing the worse.”

”Where's Mary Anne?” said I.

”Talking to the gentleman who a.s.sisted us--outside--some friend of Lord George's, I believe, for he is with him.”

Just as she said this, in comes Mary Anne with Lord George and his friend.

”Oh, mamma,” says she, in a whisper, ”you don't know who it is,--the Prince himself.”

”Ah, been and done it, marm,” said he, addressing me with his gla.s.s in his eye.

”What, sir?” said I.

”Taken a 'header,' they tell me, eh? Glad there's no harm done.”

”His Serene Highness hopes you 'll not mind it, mamma,” said Mary Anne.

”Oh, is _that_ it?” said I.

”Yes, mamma. Isn't he delightful,--so easy, so familiar, and so truly kind also.”

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