Page:Braddon--The Trail of the Serpent.djvu/166

162 "I don't know about that," said the good-natured doctor. "So, general," he added, turning to Richard, who had shifted his position, and now lay looking at his visitor rather anxiously, "so, general, you would like to mix with your friends out there?"

"Indeed I should, sir." Those deep and earnest dark eyes, with which Richard watched the doctor's face, were scarcely the eyes of a madman.

"Very well, then," said the medical man, "very well; we must see if it can't be managed. But I say, general, you'll find the Prince Regent among your fellow-boarders; and I wouldn't answer for your not meeting with Lord Gastlereagh, and that might cause unpleasantness—eh, general?"

"No, no, sir; there's no fear of that. Political differences should never"

"Interfere with private friendship. A noble sentiment, general. Very well, you shall mix with the other boarders to-morrow. I'll speak to the Board about it this afternoon. This, luckily, is a Board-day. You'll find George the Fourth a very nice fellow. He came here because he would take everything of other people's that he could lay his hands on, and said he was only taking taxes from his subjects. Good-day. I'll send round some port wine immediately, and you shall have a couple of glasses a day given you; so keep up your spirits, general."

"Well," said the boy from Slopperton, as the doctor closed the door behind him, "that 'ere medical officer's a regular brick: and all I can say is to repeat his last words—which ought to be printed in gold letters a foot high—and those words is,—'Keep up your spirits, general.'"

period of incessant rains had by no means improved the natural beauties of the Sloshy; nor had it in any manner enhanced the advantages attending a residence on the banks of that river. The occupants of the houses by the waterside were in the habit of going to sleep at night with the firm conviction that the lower portion of their tenement was a comfortable kitchen, and awakening in the morning were apt to find it a miniature lake.

Then, again, the river had a knack of dropping in at odd times, in a friendly way, when least expected—when Mrs. Jones was cooking the Sunday's dinner, or while Mrs. Brown was gone to market; and, as its manner of entering an apartment was,