The admiral laughed when I went to take leave of him, and
jokingly said that he hoped I was not going to shame him by turning
into a beau and a lady-killer.
"I smoke you, by gad!" he cried with another laugh, when to my
confusion I felt my cheeks go warm.
And the truth of it is I had determined to pay a visit to Mr.
Allardyce on my way home, and the wish to cut a different figure
from that in which I had first appeared to the ladies of his family
had entered not a little into the consideration of my new garments.
Why do I say "the ladies"? Let me be honest and say 'twas Mistress
Lucy I had in my mind.
There was no question of tramping to Shrewsbury afoot. I took
passage to Bristowe in a coasting vessel, and there, after having a
chat with old Woodrow (who told me that his friend Captain Reddaway
had sworn to shew me a rope's end for deceiving him if I ever came
athwart his hawser), I booked a seat in the new diligence that ran
between Bristowe and Worcester, and there indulged myself in the
luxury of a postchaise for the journey to the Hall. And I warrant
you I was as proud as a peacock when the chaise swung in at the
gate, and rattled up the drive to the door.
'Twas Susan who opened it. She stared at me for a moment, then
burst out a-giggling, and left me standing while she rushed into
the house with a cry of "Measter, here be Joe come back, dressed
like a lord!"
"The deuce he is!" came the answering roar, and down came Mr.
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