The Stranger Part 8

_Mrs. H._ What's the matter?

_Pet._ The child has fallen into the river! His little Excellency is drowned!

_Mrs. H._ Who? What?

_Pet._ His honour, my young master!

_Mrs. H._ Drowned?

_Pet._ Yes.

_Mrs. H._ Dead?

_Pet._ No; he's not dead.

_Mrs. H._ Well, well, then softly;--you will alarm the Countess.

_Enter the BARON._

_Bar._ What is the matter? Why all this noise?

_Pet._ Noise? why--

_Mrs. H._ Be not alarmed, my lord. Whatever may have happened, the dear child is now at least safe. You said so, I think, master Peter?

_Pet._ Why, to be sure, his little Excellency is not hurt; but he's very wet though: and the Count is taking him by the garden door to the house.

_Bar._ Right, that the countess may not be alarmed. But tell us, young man, how could it happen?

_Pet._ From beginning to end?

_Mrs. H._ Never mind particulars. You attended the dear child?

_Pet._ True.

_Mrs. H._ Into the park?

_Pet._ True.

_Mrs. H._ And then you went to the river?

_Pet._ True.--Why, rabbit it, I believe you're a witch.

_Mrs. H._ Well, and what happened further?

_Pet._ Why, you see, his dear little Excellency would see the bridge, that father built out of the old summer house; and the streamers, and the boat, and all that.--I only turned my head round for a moment, to look after a magpie--crus.h.!.+ down went the bridge, with his little Excellency; and oh, how I was scared to see him carried down the river!

_Bar._ And you drew him out again directly?

_Pet._ No, I didn't.

_Mrs. H._ No; your father did?

_Pet._ No, he didn't.

_Mrs. H._ Why you did not leave him in the water?

_Pet._ Yes, we did!--But we bawled as loud as we could; you might have heard us down to the village.

_Mrs. H._ Ay--and so the people came immediately to his a.s.sistance.

_Pet._ No, they didn't: but the Stranger came, that lives yonder, close to old Toby, and never speaks a syllable. Odsbodlikins! what a devil of a fellow it is! With a single spring bounces he slap into the torrent; sails and dives about and about like a duck; gets me hold of the little angel's hair, and, Heaven bless him! pulls him safe and sound to dry land again.--Ha! ha! ha!

_Bar._ Is the Stranger with them?

_Pet._ Oh lud! no. He ran away. His Excellency wanted to thank him, and all that; but he was off; vanquished like a ghost.

_Enter SOLOMON._

_Sol._ Oh! thou careless varlet! I disown you! What an accident might have happened! and how you have terrified his Excellency! But I beg pardon, [_Bows._] His Right Honourable Excellency, the Count, requests your--

_Bar._ We come. [_Exit, with MRS. HALLER._

_Char._ Ha! ha! ha! Why, Mr. Solomon, you seem to have a hopeful pupil.

_Sol._ Ah! sirrah!

_Char._ But, Mr. Solomon, why were you not nimble enough to have saved his young lords.h.i.+p?

_Sol._ Not in time, my sweet Miss. Besides, mercy on us! I should have sunk like a lump of lead: and I happened to have a letter of consequence in my pocket, which would have been made totally illegible; a letter from Constantinople, written by Chevalier--What's his name? [_Draws a letter from his pocket, and putting it up again directly, drops it.

PETER takes it up, slily and un.o.bserved._] It contains momentous matter, I a.s.sure you. The world will be astonished when it comes to light; and not a soul will suppose that old Solomon had a finger in the pye.

_Char._ No, that I believe.

_Sol._ But I must go and see to the cellar. Miss, your most obedient servant. [_Exit._

_Char._ [_With pride._] Your servant, Mr. Solomon.

_Pet._ Here's the letter from Constantinople. I wonder what it can be about. Now for it! [_Opens it._

_Char._ Aye, let us have it.

Pet. [Reads.] _If so be you say so, I'll never work for you, never no more. Considering as how your Sunday waistcoat has been turned three times, it doesn't look amiss, and I've charged as little as any tailor of 'em all. You say I must pay for the buckram; but I say, I'll be d.a.m.n'd if I do. So no more from your loving nephew,_

TIMOTHY TWIST.

From Constantinople! Why, cousin Tim writ it.