The Scarlet Pimpernel | Page 9

a frown
upon his good-humoured face, "stop that fooling with them young
jackanapes and get on with the work."
"The work's gettin' on all ri', father."
But Mr. Jellyband was peremptory. He had other views for his buxom
daughter, his only child, who would in God's good time become the
owner of "The Fisherman's Rest," than to see her married to one of
these young fellows who earned but a precarious livelihood with their
net.
"Did ye hear me speak, me girl?" he said in that quiet tone, which no
one inside the inn dared to disobey. "Get on with my Lord Tony's
supper, for, if it ain't the best we can do, and `e not satisfied, see what
you'll get, that's all."
Reluctantly Sally obeyed.
"Is you `xpecting special guests then to-night, Mr. Jellyband?" asked
Jimmy Pitkin, in a loyal attempt to divert his host's attention from the
circumstances connected with Sally's exit from the room.
"Aye! that I be," replied Jellyband, "friends of my Lord Tony hisself.
Dukes and duchesses from over the water yonder, whom the young lord
and his friend, Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, and other young noblemen have
helped out of the clutches of them murderin' devils."
But this was too much for Mr. Hempseed's querulous philosophy.
"Lud!" he said, "what do they do that for, I wonder? I don't 'old not
with interferin' in other folks' ways. As the Scriptures say--"
"Maybe, Mr. `Empseed," interrupted Jellyband, with biting sarcasm,
"as you're a personal friend of Mr. Pitt, and as you says along with Mr.
Fox: `Let `em murder!' says you."
"Pardon me, Mr. Jellyband," febbly protested Mr. Hempseed, "I dunno

as I ever did."
But Mr. Jellyband had at last succeeded in getting upon his favourite
hobby-horse, and had no intention of dismounting in any hurry.
"Or maybe you've made friends with some of them French chaps 'oo
they do say have come over here o' purpose to make us Englishmen
agree with their murderin' ways."
"I dunno what you mean, Mr. Jellyband," suggested Mr. Hempseed,
"all I know is--"
"All I know is," loudly asserted mine host, "that there was my friend
Peppercorn, `oo owns the `Blue-Faced Boar,' an' as true and loyal an
Englishman as you'd see in the land. And now look at 'im!--'E made
friends with some o' them frog-eaters, `obnobbed with them just as if
they was Englishmen, and not just a lot of immoral, Godforsaking
furrin' spies. Well! and what happened? Peppercorn `e now ups and
talks of revolutions, and liberty, and down with the aristocrats, just like
Mr. `Empseed over `ere!"
"Pardon me, Mr. Jellyband," again interposed Mr. Hempseed feebly, "I
dunno as I ever did--"
Mr. Jellyband had appealed to the company in general, who were
listening awe-struck and open-mouthed at the recital of Mr.
Peppercorn's defalcations. At one table two customers--gentlemen
apparently by their clothes--had pushed aside their half-finished game
of dominoes, and had been listening for some time, and evidently with
much amusement at Mr. Jellyband's international opinions. One of
them now, with a quiet, sarcastic smile still lurking round the corners of
his mobile mouth, turned towards the centre of the room where Mr.
Jellyband was standing.
"You seem to think, mine honest friend," he said quietly, "that these
Frenchmen,--spies I think you called them--are mighty clever fellows
to have made mincemeat so to speak of your friend Mr. Peppercorn's
opinions. How did they accomplish that now, think you?"
"Lud! sir, I suppose they talked `im over. Those Frenchies, I've `eard it
said, `ave got the gift of gab--and Mr. `Empseed `ere will tell you `ow
it is that they just twist some people round their little finger like."
"Indeed, and is that so, Mr. Hempseed?" inquired the stranger politely.
"Nay, sir!" replied Mr. Hempseed, much irritated, "I dunno as I can
give you the information you require."

"Faith, then," said the stranger, "let us hope, my worthy host, that these
clever spies will not succeed in upsetting your extremely loyal
opinions."
But this was too much for Mr. Jellyband's pleasant equanimity. He
burst into an uproarious fit of laughter, which was soon echoed by
those who happened to be in his debt.
"Hahaha! hohoho! hehehe!" He laughed in every key, did my worthy
host, and laughed until his sided ached, and his eyes streamed. "At me!
hark at that! Did ye `ear `im say that they'd be upsettin' my
opinions?--Eh?--Lud love you, sir, but you do say some queer things."
"Well, Mr. Jellyband," said Mr. Hempseed, sententiously, "you know
what the Scriptures say: `Let `im `oo stands take `eed lest `e fall.'"
"But then hark'ee Mr. `Empseed," retorted Jellyband, still holding his
sides with laughter, "the Scriptures didn't know me. Why, I wouldn't so
much as drink a glass of ale with one o' them