All
seemed comfortless without; and turning back to the warm hearth,
which was blazing at the other end of the room, he was reseating
himself, when Jenkins brought in the tea-urn.
"I hope, my lord," said the waiter, "that your lordship slept well
last night?"
"Perfectly, I thank you," replied the count, unmindful that the man
had addressed him according to his rank; "when you come to remove
these things, bring me my bill."
Jenkins bowed and withdrew, congratulating himself on his dexterity
in having saluted the stranger with his title.
During the absence of the waiter, Thaddeus thought it time to examine
the state of his purse. He well recollected how he had paid at
Dantzic; and from the style in which he was served here, he did not
doubt that to defray what he had already contracted would nearly
exhaust his all. He emptied the contents of his purse into his hands;
a guinea and some silver was all that he possessed. A flush of terror
suffused itself over his face; he had never known the want of money
before, and he trembled now lest the charge should exceed his means
of payment.
Jenkins entered with the bill. On the count's examining it, he was
pleased to find it amounted to no more than the only piece of gold
his purse contained. He laid it upon the tea-board, and putting half-
a-crown into the hand of Jenkins, who appeared waiting for something,
wrapped his cloak round him as he was walking out of the room.
Pages:
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187