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第37章

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the Colonel; of how he would have enjoyed this snug room and 

roaring fire; and of his cold grave in the wood by Market Bosworth; 

lingered on my palate; AMARI ALIQUID; like an after…taste; but was 

not able … I say it with shame … entirely to dispel my self…

complacency。  After all; in this world every dog hangs by its own 

tail。  I was a free adventurer; who had just brought to a 

successful end … or; at least; within view of it … an adventure 

very difficult and alarming; and I looked across at Mr。 Dudgeon; as 

the port rose to his cheeks; and a smile; that was semi…

confidential and a trifle foolish; began to play upon his leathery 

features; not only with composure; but with a suspicion of 

kindness。  The rascal had been brave; a quality for which I would 

value the devil; and if he had been pertinacious in the beginning; 

he had more than made up for it before the end。



'And now; Dudgeon; to explain;' I began。  'I know your master; he 

knows me; and he knows and approves of my errand。  So much I may 

tell you; that I am on my way to Amersham Place。'



'Oho!' quoth Dudgeon; 'I begin to see。'



'I am heartily glad of it;' said I; passing the bottle; 'because 

that is about all I can tell you。  You must take my word for the 

remainder。  Either believe me or don't。  If you don't; let's take a 

chaise; you can carry me to…morrow to High Holborn; and confront me 

with Mr。 Romaine; the result of which will be to set your mind at 

rest … and to make the holiest disorder in your master's plans。  If 

I judge you aright (for I find you a shrewd fellow); this will not 

be at all to your mind。  You know what a subordinate gets by 

officiousness; if I can trust my memory; old Romaine has not at all 

the face that I should care to see in anger; and I venture to 

predict surprising results upon your weekly salary … if you are 

paid by the week; that is。  In short; let me go free; and 'tis an 

end of the matter; take me to London; and 'tis only a beginning … 

and; by my opinion; a beginning of troubles。  You can take your 

choice。'



'And that is soon taken;' said he。  'Go to Amersham tomorrow; or go 

to the devil if you prefer … I wash my hands of you and the whole 

transaction。  No; you don't find me putting my head in between 

Romaine and a client!  A good man of business; sir; but hard as 

millstone grit。  I might get the sack; and I shouldn't wonder!  

But; it's a pity; too;' he added; and sighed; shook his head; and 

took his glass off sadly。



'That reminds me;' said I。  'I have a great curiosity; and you can 

satisfy it。  Why were you so forward to meddle with poor Mr。 

Dubois?  Why did you transfer your attentions to me?  And 

generally; what induced you to make yourself such a nuisance?'



He blushed deeply。



'Why; sir;' says he; 'there is such a thing as patriotism; I hope。'









CHAPTER XVI … THE HOME…COMING OF MR。  ROWLEY'S VISCOUNT





BY eight the next morning Dudgeon and I had made our parting。  By 

that time we had grown to be extremely familiar; and I would very 

willingly have kept him by me; and even carried him to Amersham 

Place。  But it appeared he was due at the public…house where we had 

met; on some affairs of my great…uncle the Count; who had an 

outlying estate in that part of the shire。  If Dudgeon had had his 

way the night before; I should have been arrested on my uncle's 

land and by my uncle's agent; a culmination of ill…luck。



A little after noon I started; in a hired chaise; by way of 

Dunstable。  The mere mention of the name Amersham Place made every 

one supple and smiling。  It was plainly a great house; and my uncle 

lived there in style。  The fame of it rose as we approached; like a 

chain of mountains; at Bedford they touched their caps; but in 

Dunstable they crawled upon their bellies。  I thought the landlady 

would have kissed me; such a flutter of cordiality; such smiles; 

such affectionate attentions were called forth; and the good lady 

bustled on my service in such a pother of ringlets and with such a 

jingling of keys。  'You're probably expected; sir; at the Place?  I 

do trust you may 'ave better accounts of his lordship's 'elth; sir。  

We understood that his lordship; Mosha de Carwell; was main bad。  

Ha; sir; we shall all feel his loss; poor; dear; noble gentleman; 

and I'm sure nobody more polite!  They do say; sir; his wealth is 

enormous; and before the Revolution; quite a prince in his own 

country!  But I beg your pardon; sir; 'ow I do run on; to be sure; 

and doubtless all beknown to you already!  For you do resemble the 

family; sir。  I should have known you anywheres by the likeness to 

the dear viscount。  Ha; poor gentleman; he must 'ave a 'eavy 'eart 

these days。'



In the same place I saw out of the inn…windows a man…servant 

passing in the livery of my house; which you are to think I had 

never before seen worn; or not that I could remember。  I had often 

enough; indeed; pictured myself advanced to be a Marshal; a Duke of 

the Empire; a Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour; and some other 

kickshaws of the kind; with a perfect rout of flunkeys correctly 

dressed in my own colours。  But it is one thing to imagine; and 

another to see; it would be one thing to have these liveries in a 

house of my own in Paris … it was quite another to find them 

flaunting in the heart of hostile England; and I fear I should have 

made a fool of myself; if the man had not been on the other side of 

the street; and I at a one…pane window。  There was something 

illusory in this transplantation of the wealth and honours of a 

family; a thing by its nature so deeply rooted in the soil; 

something ghostly in this sense of home…coming so far from home。



From Dunstable I rolled away into a crescendo of similar 

impressions。  There are certainly few things to be compared with 

these castles; or rather country seats; of the English nobility and 

gentry; nor anything at all to equal the servility of the 

population that dwells in their neighbourhood。  Though I was but 

driving in a hired chaise; word of my destination seemed to have 

gone abroad; and the women curtseyed and the men louted to me by 

the wayside。  As I came near; I began to appreciate the roots of 

this widespread respect。  The look of my uncle's park wall; even 

from the outside; had something of a princely character; and when I 

came in view of the house itself; a sort of madness of vicarious 

vain…glory struck me dumb and kept me staring。  It was about the 

size of the Tuileries。  It faced due north; and the last rays of 

the sun; that was setting like a red…hot shot amidst a tumultuous 

gathering of snow clouds; were reflected on the endless rows of 

windows。  A portico of Doric columns adorned the front; and would 

have done honour to a temple。  The servant who received me at the 

door was civil to a fault … I had almost said; to offence; and the 

hall to which he admitted me through a pair of glass doors was 

warmed and already partly lighted by a liberal chimney heaped with 

the roots of beeches。



'Vicomte Anne de St。 Yves;' said I; in answer to the man's 

question; whereupon he bowed before me lower still; and stepping 

upon one side introduced me to the truly awful presence of the 

major…domo。  I have seen many dignitaries in my time; but none who 

quite equalled this eminent being; who was good enough to answer to 

the unassuming name of Dawson。  From him I learned that my uncle 

was extremely low; a doctor in close attendance; Mr。 Romaine 

expected at any moment; and that my cousin; the Vicomte de St。 

Yves; had been sent for the same morning。



'It was a sudden seizure; then?' I asked。



Well; he would scarcely go as far as that。  It was a decline; a 

fading away; sir; but he was certainly took bad the day before; had 

sent for Mr。 Romaine; and the major…domo had taken it on himself a 

little later to send word to the Viscou

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