the holly-tree-第7节

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The　boy；　looking　exactly　like　his　father；　stood　for　a　few　minutes

with　his　glowing　face　towards　the　sunset；　and　then　departed　with；

〃Good…night；　Cobbs。　　I'm　going　in。〃



If　I　was　to　ask　Boots　how　it　happened　that　he　was　a…going　to　leave

that　place　just　at　that　present　time；　well；　he　couldn't　rightly

answer　me。　　He　did　suppose　he　might　have　stayed　there　till　now　if　he

had　been　anyways　inclined。　　But；　you　see；　he　was　younger　then；　and

he　wanted　change。　　That's　what　he　wanted；change。　　Mr。　Walmers；　he

said　to　him　when　he　gave　him　notice　of　his　intentions　to　leave；

〃Cobbs；〃　he　says；　〃have　you　anythink　to　complain　of？　　I　make　the

inquiry　because　if　I　find　that　any　of　my　people　really　has　anythink

to　complain　of；　I　wish　to　make　it　right　if　I　can。〃　　〃No；　sir。〃　says

Cobbs；　〃thanking　you；　sir；　I　find　myself　as　well　sitiwated　here　as　I

could　hope　to　be　anywheres。　　The　truth　is；　sir；　that　I'm　a…going　to

seek　my　fortun'。〃　　〃O；　indeed；　Cobbs！〃　he　says；　〃I　hope　you　may　find

it。〃　　And　Boots　could　assure　mewhich　he　did；　touching　his　hair

with　his　bootjack；　as　a　salute　in　the　way　of　his　present　calling

that　he　hadn't　found　it　yet。



Well；　sir！　　Boots　left　the　Elmses　when　his　time　was　up；　and　Master

Harry；　he　went　down　to　the　old　lady's　at　York；　which　old　lady　would

have　given　that　child　the　teeth　out　of　her　head　（if　she　had　had

any）；　she　was　so　wrapped　up　in　him。　　What　does　that　Infant　do；for

Infant　you　may　call　him　and　be　within　the　mark；but　cut　away　from

that　old　lady's　with　his　Norah；　on　a　expedition　to　go　to　Gretna

Green　and　be　married！



Sir；　Boots　was　at　this　identical　Holly…Tree　Inn　（having　left　it

several　times　since　to　better　himself；　but　always　come　back　through

one　thing　or　another）；　when；　one　summer　afternoon；　the　coach　drives

up；　and　out　of　the　coach　gets　them　two　children。　　The　Guard　says　to

our　Governor；　〃I　don't　quite　make　out　these　little　passengers；　but

the　young　gentleman's　words　was；　that　they　was　to　be　brought　here。〃

The　young　gentleman　gets　out；　hands　his　lady　out；　gives　the　Guard

something　for　himself；　says　to　our　Governor；　〃We're　to　stop　here　to…

night；　please。　　Sitting…room　and　two　bedrooms　will　be　required。

Chops　and　cherry…pudding　for　two！〃　and　tucks　her；　in　her　sky…blue

mantle；　under　his　arm；　and　walks　into　the　house　much　bolder　than

Brass。



Boots　leaves　me　to　judge　what　the　amazement　of　that　establishment

was；　when　these　two　tiny　creatures　all　alone　by　themselves　was

marched　into　the　Angel；much　more　so；　when　he；　who　had　seen　them

without　their　seeing　him；　give　the　Governor　his　views　of　the

expedition　they　was　upon。　　〃Cobbs；〃　says　the　Governor；　〃if　this　is

so；　I　must　set　off　myself　to　York；　and　quiet　their　friends'　minds。

In　which　case　you　must　keep　your　eye　upon　'em；　and　humour　'em；　till

I　come　back。　　But　before　I　take　these　measures；　Cobbs；　I　should　wish

you　to　find　from　themselves　whether　your　opinion　is　correct。〃　　〃Sir；

to　you；〃　says　Cobbs；　〃that　shall　be　done　directly。〃



So　Boots　goes　up…stairs　to　the　Angel；　and　there　he　finds　Master

Harry　on　a　e…normous　sofa；immense　at　any　time；　but　looking　like

the　Great　Bed　of　Ware；　compared　with　him；a　drying　the　eyes　of　Miss

Norah　with　his　pocket…hankecher。　　Their　little　legs　was　entirely　off

the　ground；　of　course；　and　it　really　is　not　possible　for　Boots　to

express　to　me　how　small　them　children　looked。



〃It's　Cobbs！　　It's　Cobbs！〃　cries　Master　Harry；　and　comes　running　to

him；　and　catching　hold　of　his　hand。　　Miss　Norah　comes　running　to　him

on　t'other　side　and　catching　hold　of　his　t'other　hand；　and　they　both

jump　for　joy。



〃I　see　you　a　getting　out；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs。　　〃I　thought　it　was　you。

I　thought　I　couldn't　be　mistaken　in　your　height　and　figure。　　What's

the　object　of　your　journey；　sir？Matrimonial？〃



〃We　are　going　to　be　married；　Cobbs；　at　Gretna　Green；〃　returned　the

boy。　　〃We　have　run　away　on　purpose。　　Norah　has　been　in　rather　low

spirits；　Cobbs；　but　she'll　be　happy；　now　we　have　found　you　to　be　our

friend。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir；　and　thank　you；　miss；〃　says　Cobbs；　〃for　your　good

opinion。　　Did　you　bring　any　luggage　with　you；　sir？〃



If　I　will　believe　Boots　when　he　gives　me　his　word　and　honour　upon

it；　the　lady　had　got　a　parasol；　a　smelling…bottle；　a　round　and　a

half　of　cold　buttered　toast；　eight　peppermint　drops；　and　a　hair…

brush；seemingly　a　doll's。　　The　gentleman　had　got　about　half　a

dozen　yards　of　string；　a　knife；　three　or　four　sheets　of　writing…

paper　folded　up　surprising　small；　a　orange；　and　a　Chaney　mug　with

his　name　upon　it。



〃What　may　be　the　exact　natur　of　your　plans；　sir？〃　says　Cobbs。



〃To　go　on；〃　replied　the　boy；which　the　courage　of　that　boy　was

something　wonderful！〃in　the　morning；　and　be　married　to…morrow。〃



〃Just　so；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs。　　〃Would　it　meet　your　views；　sir；　if　I

was　to　accompany　you？〃



When　Cobbs　said　this；　they　both　jumped　for　joy　again；　and　cried　out；

〃Oh；　yes；　yes；　Cobbs！　　Yes！〃



〃Well；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs。　　〃If　you　will　excuse　my　having　the　freedom

to　give　an　opinion；　what　I　should　recommend　would　be　this。　　I'm

acquainted　with　a　pony；　sir；　which；　put　in　a　pheayton　that　I　could

borrow；　would　take　you　and　Mrs。　Harry　Walmers；　Junior；　（myself

driving；　if　you　approved；）　to　the　end　of　your　journey　in　a　very

short　space　of　time。　　I　am　not　altogether　sure；　sir；　that　this　pony

will　be　at　liberty　to…morrow；　but　even　if　you　had　to　wait　over　to…

morrow　for　him；　it　might　be　worth　your　while。　　As　to　the　small

account　here；　sir；　in　case　you　was　to　find　yourself　running　at　all

short；　that　don't　signify；　because　I'm　a　part　proprietor　of　this

inn；　and　it　could　stand　over。〃



Boots　assures　me　that　when　they　clapped　their　hands；　and　jumped　for

joy　again；　and　called　him　〃Good　Cobbs！〃　and　〃Dear　Cobbs！〃　and　bent

across　him　to　kiss　one　another　in　the　delight　of　their　confiding

hearts；　he　felt　himself　the　meanest　rascal　for　deceiving　'em　that

ever　was　born。



〃Is　there　anything　you　want　just　at　present；　sir？〃　says　Cobbs；

mortally　ashamed　of　himself。



〃We　should　like　some　cakes　after　dinner；〃　answered　Master　Harry；

folding　his　arms；　putting　out　one　leg；　and　looking　straight　at　him；

〃and　two　apples；and　jam。　　With　dinner　we　should　like　to　have

toast…and…water。　　But　Norah　has　always　been　accustomed　to　half　a

glass　of　currant　wine　at　dessert。　　And　so　have　I。〃



〃It　shall　be　ordered　at　the　bar；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs；　and　away　he　went。



Boots　has　the　feeling　as　fresh　upon　him　at　this　minute　of　speaking

as　he　had　then；　that　he　would　far　rather　have　had　it　out　in　half…a…

dozen　rounds　with　the　Governor　than　have　combined　with　him；　and　that

he　wished　with　all　his　heart　there　was　any　impossible　place　where

those　two　babies　could　make　an　impossible　marriage；　and　live

impossibly　happy　ever　afterwards。　　However；　as　it　couldn't　be；　he

went　into　the　Governor's　plans；　and　the　Governor　set　off　for　York　in

half　an　hour。



The　way　in　which　the　women　of　that　housewithout　exceptionevery

one　of　'emmarried　and　singletook　to　that　boy　when　they　heard　the

story；　Boots　considers　surprising。　　It　was　as　much　as　he　could　do　to

keep　'em　from　dashing　into　the　room　and　kissing　him。　　They　climbed

up　all　sorts　of　places；　at　the　risk　of　their　lives；　to　look　at　him

through　a　pane　of　glass。　　They　was　seven　deep　at　the　keyhole。　　They

was　out　of　their　minds　about　him　and　his　bold　spirit。



In　the　evening；　Boots　went　into　the　room　to　see　how　the　runaway

couple　was　getting　on。　　The　gentleman　was　on　the　window…seat；

supporting　the　lady　in　his　arms。　　She　had　tears　upon　her　face；　and

was　lying；　very　tired　and　half　asleep；　with　her　head　upon　his

shoulder。



〃Mrs。　Harry　Walmers；　Junior；　fatigued；　sir？〃　says　Cobbs。



〃Yes；　she　is　tired；　Cobbs；　but　she　is　not　used　to　be　away　from　home；

and　she　has　been　in　low　spirits　again。　　Cobbs；　do　you　think　you

could　bring　a　biffin；　please？〃



〃I　ask　your　pardon；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs。　　〃What　was　it　you？〃



〃I　think　a　Norfolk　biffin　would　rouse　her；　Cobbs。　　She　is　very　fond

of　them。〃



Boots　withdrew　in　search　of　the　required　restorative；　and　when　he

brought　it　in；　the　gentleman　handed　it　to　the　lady；　and　fed　her　with

a　spoon；　and　took　a　little　himself；　the　lady　being　heavy　with　sleep；

and　rather　cross。　　〃What　should　you　think；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs；　〃of　a

chamber　candlestick？〃　　The　gentleman　approved；　the　chambermaid　went

first；　up　the　great　staircase；　the　lady；　in　her　sky…blue　mantle；

followed；　gallantly　escorted　by　the　gentleman；　the　gentleman

embraced　her　at　her　door；　and　retired　to　his　own　apartment；　where

Boots　softly　locked　him　up。



Boots　couldn't　but　feel　with　increased　acuteness　what　a　base

deceiver　he　was；　when　they　consulted　him　at　breakfast　（they　had

ordered　sweet　milk…and…water；　and　toast　and　currant　jelly；　over…

night）　about　the　pony。　　It　really　was　as　much　as　he　could　do；　he

don't　mind　confessing　to　me；　to　look　them　two　young　things　in　the

face；　and　think　what　a　wicked　old　father　of　lies　he　had　grown　up　to