书城公版The Life of Francis Marion
37931400000255

第255章 Chapter XC.

Boulogne!--hah!--so we are all got together--debtors and sinners before heaven; a jolly set of us--but I can't stay and quaff it off with you--I'm pursued myself like a hundred devils, and shall be overtaken, before I can well change horses:--for heaven's sake, make haste--'Tis for high-treason, quoth a very little man, whispering as low as he could to a very tall man, that stood next him--Or else for murder; quoth the tall man--Well thrown, Size-ace! quoth I. No; quoth a third, the gentleman has been committing--A! ma chere fille! said I, as she tripp'd by from her matins--you look as rosy as the morning (for the sun was rising, and it made the compliment the more gracious)--No; it can't be that, quoth a fourth--(she made a curt'sy to me--I kiss'd my hand) 'tis debt, continued he: 'Tis certainly for debt;quoth a fifth; I would not pay that gentleman's debts, quoth Ace, for a thousand pounds; nor would I, quoth Size, for six times the sum--Well thrown, Size-ace, again! quoth I;--but I have no debt but the debt of Nature, and I want but patience of her, and I will pay her every farthing Iowe her--How can you be so hard-hearted, Madam, to arrest a poor traveller going along without molestation to any one upon his lawful occasions? do stop that death-looking, long-striding scoundrel of a scare-sinner, who is posting after me--he never would have followed me but for you--if it be but for a stage or two, just to give me start of him, I beseech you, madam--do, dear lady----Now, in troth, 'tis a great pity, quoth mine Irish host, that all this good courtship should be lost; for the young gentlewoman has been after going out of hearing of it all along.----Simpleton! quoth I.

--So you have nothing else in Boulogne worth seeing?

--By Jasus! there is the finest Seminary for the Humanities----There cannot be a finer; quoth I.