The Astonishing History of Troy Town | Page 5

soul, what is the matter?"
Then suddenly he became aware that all this frantic display was meant
for him. How he first learnt it he could never afterwards explain, but the
shock of it brought a deathly faintness.
"There is some horrible mistake," he murmured hoarsely, and turned to
run.
He was too late. The crowd had closed around him, and swept him on,
cheering, yelling, vociferating towards the town. He feebly put up a
hand for silence--
"My friends," he shouted, "you are--"
"Yes, yes, we know. Welcome! Welcome! Hip-hip-hoo-roar!"
"My friends, I assure you--"
Boom! Boom! Tring-a-ring--boom!
It was that accursed Fife and Drum Temperance Band. In a moment
five-and-twenty fifers were blowing "See, the conquering hero comes,"
with all their breath, and marching to the beat of a deafening drum.
Behind them came a serried crowd with the stranger in its midst, and a
straggling train of farmers' gigs and screaming urchins closed the
procession.
Miss Limpenny, at the first-storey window of No. 1 Alma Villas, heard
the yet distant din. With trembling fingers she hung out of window a
loyal pocket-handkerchief (worn by her mother at the Jubilee of King
George III), shut down the sash upon it, and discreetly retired again
behind her white blinds to watch.
The cheering grew louder, and Miss Limpenny's heart beat faster. "I
hope," she thought to herself, "I hope that their high connections will
not have given them a distaste for our hearty ways. Well as I know

Troy, I think I might be frightened at this display of public feeling."
She peeped out over the white blinds. Next door, the Admiral was
fuming nervously up and down his gravel walk. He was debating the
propriety of his costume. Even yet there was time to run up-stairs and
don his cocked hat and gold-laced coat before the procession arrived.
Between the claims of his civil and official positions the poor man was
in a ferment.
"As a man of the world," Miss Limpenny soliloquised, "the Honourable
Frederic Goodwyn-Sandys cannot fail to appreciate our sterling
Admiral. Dear, dear, here they come! I do trust dearest Lavinia has not
put herself in too conspicuous a position at the parlour window. What a
lot of people, to be sure!"
The crowd had gathered volume during its passage through the town,
and the "Conquering Hero" was more distractingly shrill than ever. The
goal was almost reached, for "The Bower" stood next door to Alma
Villas, and was divided from them only by a road which led down to
the water's edge and the Penpoodle ferry boat.
"Why, everybody is here," said Miss Limpenny, "except, of course, the
Vicar. There's Pharaoh Geddye waving a flag, and blind Sam Hockin
and Mrs. Hockin with him, I declare, and Bathsheba Merryfield, and
Jim the dustman, and Seth Udy in the band--he must have taken the
pledge lately--and Walter Sibley and a score I don't even know by sight.
And, bless my heart! that's old Cobbledick, wooden leg and all! I
thought he was bed-ridden for life. But I don't see the arrivals yet. I
wonder who that poor man is, in the crowd--it can't be--and yet--Why,
whatever is the Admiral doing?"
For Admiral Buzza had opened his front gate and deliberately stepped
out into the road.
The stranger, dishevelled, haggard and bewildered, had long since
abandoned all attempts at explanation and fallen into a desperate apathy,
when all at once a dozen voices in front cried "Hush!" The band broke
off suddenly, and the cheering died away.

"Make way for the Admiral!" "Out of the road, there!" "The Admiral's
going to speak!" "Silence for the Admiral!"
The stranger looked up and saw through the opening in the crowd a
little man advancing, hat in hand. He had a red face, and the importance
of his mission had lent it even a deeper tint than it usually wore: his
bald head was fringed with stiff grey hair: he was clothed in
"pepper-and-salt" trousers, a blue frock-coat and waistcoat, and carried
a large bunch of primroses in his buttonhole. His step was full of
dignity and his voice of grave politeness, as he began, with a bow--
"Though not the accredited spokesman of my fellow-citizens here, I am
sure I shall not be deemed presumptuous" (cries of "No") "if I venture
to give expression to some of the kindly sentiments which I am sure we
one and all entertain upon this auspicious occasion." (Loud cheers.)
"For upwards of twenty years I have now resided in this beautiful and
prosperous--I think I may use these words" ("Hear, hear!") "this
beautiful and prosperous little town, and it is therefore with the more
sincere pleasure" (here the Admiral laid his hand upon his waistcoat)
"that I bid you welcome to Troy." (Frantic cheering.)