Not doubting they were messengers from the
apothecary, he desired the girl to show them up stairs. When they
entered his room, the count rose. One of the men stepped forward, and
laying a slip of paper on the table, said, "I arrest you, sir, at the
suit of Messrs. Vincent and Jackson, apothecaries!"
Thaddeus colored; but suppressing his indignant emotion, he calmly
asked the men whither they were going to take him?
"If you like," replied one of them, "you may be well enough lodged. I
never heard a word against Clement's in Wych Street."
"Is that a prison?" inquired Thaddeus.
"No, not exactly that, sir," answered the other man, laughing. "You
seem to know little of the matter, which, for a Frenchman, is odd
enough; but mayhap you have never a lock-upd-house in France, since
ye pulled down the bastile! Howsoever, if you pay well, Mr. Clements
will give you lodgings as long as you like. It is only poor rogues
who are obligated to go to Newgate; such gemmen as you can live as
ginteely in Wych Street as at their own houses."
There was such an air of derision about this fellow while he spoke,
and glanced around the room, that Thaddeus, sternly contracting his
brows, took no further notice of him, but, turning towards his more
civil companion, said:
"Has this person informed me rightly? Am I going to a prison, or am I
not? If I do not possess money to pay Mr.
Pages:
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482