VOLUME II - BOOK V - CHAPTER I (a)

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Chapter I (a) - In which the reader will meet with an old acquaintance.

Booth's affairs were put on a better aspect than they had ever worn

before, and he was willing to make use of the opportunity of one day

in seven to taste the fresh air.

At nine in the morning he went to pay a visit to his old friend

Colonel James, resolving, if possible, to have a full explanation of

that behaviour which appeared to him so mysterious: but the colonel

was as inaccessible as the best defended fortress; and it was as

impossible for Booth to pass beyond his entry as the Spaniards found

it to take Gibraltar. He received the usual answers; first, that the

colonel was not stirring, and an hour after that he was gone out. All

that he got by asking further questions was only to receive still

ruder answers, by which, if he had been very sagacious, he might have

been satisfied how little worth his while it was to desire to go in;

for the porter at a great man's door is a kind of thermometer, by

which you may discover the warmth or coldness of his master's

friendship. Nay, in the highest stations of all, as the great man

himself hath his different kinds of salutation, from an hearty embrace

with a kiss, and my dear lord or dear Sir Charles, down to, well Mr.

----, what would you have me do? so the porter to some bows with

respect, to others with a smile, to some he bows more, to others less

low, to others not at all. Some he just lets in, and others he just

shuts out. And in all this they so well correspond, that one would be

inclined to think that the great man and his porter had compared their

lists together, and, like two actors concerned to act different parts

in the same scene, had rehearsed their parts privately together before

they ventured to perform in public.

Though Booth did not, perhaps, see the whole matter in this just

light, for that in reality it is, yet he was discerning enough to

conclude, from the behaviour of the servant, especially when he

considered that of the master likewise, that he had entirely lost the

friendship of James; and this conviction gave him a concern that not

only the flattering prospect of his lordship's favour was not able to

compensate, but which even obliterated, and made him for a while

forget the situation in which he had left his Amelia: and he wandered

about almost two hours, scarce knowing where he went, till at last he

dropt into a coffee-house near St James's, where he sat himself down.

He had scarce drank his dish of coffee before he heard a young officer

of the guards cry to another, "Od, d--n me, Jack, here he comes--

here's old honour and dignity, faith." Upon which he saw a chair open,

and out issued a most erect and stately figure indeed, with a vast

periwig on his head, and a vast hat under his arm. This august

personage, having entered the room, walked directly up to the upper

end, where having paid his respects to all present of any note, to

each according to seniority, he at last cast his eyes on Booth, and

very civilly, though somewhat coldly, asked him how he did.

Booth, who had long recognized the features of his old acquaintance

Major Bath, returned the compliment with a very low bow; but did not

venture to make the first advance to familiarity, as he was truly

possessed of that quality which the Greeks considered in the highest

light of honour, and which we term modesty; though indeed, neither

ours nor the Latin language hath any word adequate to the idea of the

original.

The colonel, after having discharged himself of two or three articles

of news, and made his comments upon them, when the next chair to him

became vacant, called upon Booth to fill it. He then asked him several

questions relating to his affairs; and, when he heard he was out of

the army, advised him earnestly to use all means to get in again,

saying that he was a pretty lad, and they must not lose him.

Booth told him in a whisper that he had a great deal to say to him on

that subject if they were in a more private place; upon this the

colonel proposed a walk in the Park, which the other readily accepted.

During their walk Booth opened his heart, and, among other matters,

acquainted Colonel Bath that he feared he had lost the friendship of

Colonel James; "though I am not," said he, "conscious of having done

the least thing to deserve it."

Bath answered, "You are certainly mistaken, Mr. Booth. I have indeed

scarce seen my brother since my coming to town; for I have been here

but two days; however, I am convinced he is a man of too nice honour

to do anything inconsistent with the true dignity of a gentleman."

Booth answered, "He was far from accusing him of anything

dishonourable."--"D--n me," said Bath, "if there is a man alive can or

dare accuse him: if you have the least reason to take anything ill,

why don't you go to him? you are a gentleman, and his rank doth not

protect him from giving you satisfaction." "The affair is not of any

such kind," says Booth; "I have great obligations to the colonel, and

have more reason to lament than complain; and, if I could but see him,

I am convinced I should have no cause for either; but I cannot get

within his house; it was but an hour ago a servant of his turned me

rudely from the door." "Did a servant of my brother use you rudely?"

said the colonel, with the utmost gravity. "I do not know, sir, in

what light you see such things; but, to me, the affront of a servant

is the affront of the master; and if he doth not immediately punish

it, by all the dignity of a man, I would see the master's nose between

my fingers." Booth offered to explain, but to no purpose; the colonel

was got into his stilts; and it was impossible to take him down, nay,

it was as much as Booth could possibly do to part with him without an

actual quarrel; nor would he, perhaps, have been able to have

accomplished it, had not the colonel by accident turned at last to

take Booth's side of the question; and before they separated he swore

many oaths that James should give him proper satisfaction.

Such was the end of this present interview, so little to the content

of Booth, that he was heartily concerned he had ever mentioned a

syllable of the matter to his honourable friend.

Read next: VOLUME II#BOOK V#CHAPTER I (b)

Read previous: VOLUME I#BOOK IV#CHAPTER IX

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