THE SOLDIER OF BY HENRY CURLING, ESQ. Oh Heaven! that one might read the book of fate; The happiest youth,-viewing his progress through, Would shut the book, and sit him down and die. SHAKSPERE. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1843. I THREW myself on the bed, and notwithstanding the unpleasant thoughts which intruded themselves, soon fell into a deep slumber, from which I did not awake until aroused by a rap at my chamber door, and the entrance of my host. "Come," said he, "I have allowed you to repose till the last moment; there is no time to spare. The early village cock hath thrice done salutation to the morn.' > "2 VOL. II. B I jumped out of bed immediately, thrust my head into the wash-hand basin, made a hasty toilette, and we sallied forth together. In any other circumstances, I should have felt inclined to smile at our present equipage. Myself, at this early hour, brushing the dew from the grass, and nolens volens without a particle of ill-humour or hostile feeling, going out, a complete greenhorn, to fight a duel with a practised hand, under guidance and patronage of a village Esculapius, who looked old enough to be my grandfather! The said 'Great Medicine' enveloped in an old military cloak of blue cloth, ornamented with what had once been a red collar, arm-holes having been cut subsequent to its build, for the purpose of riding comfortably on horseback in it; a shocking bad foraging cap upon his head, which, being pulled down over his ears, and nearly meeting the beforesaid stand-up collar, left nothing visible of the wearer's features but his fiery proboscis, and an occasional sparkle of his brilliant eye. Thus equipped, then, and with his pistol-case under one arm and his gold-headed cane in his other hand, the worthy Doctor strode forth, and I followed him. Determination was in his step |