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friend the General；whom I had known for five minutes； in the
course of which period he had made me intimate for life with two
Majors； who again had made me intimate for life with three Colonels；
who again had made me brother to twenty…two civilians；again； I
say； I listened to my friend the General； leisurely expounding the
resources of the establishment； as to gentlemen's morning…room； sir；
ladies' morning…room； sir； gentlemen's evening…room； sir； ladies'
evening…room； sir； ladies' and gentlemen's evening reuniting…room；
sir； music…room； sir； reading…room； sir； over four hundred sleeping…
rooms； sir； and the entire planned and finited within twelve
calendar months from the first clearing off of the old encumbrances
on the plot； at a cost of five hundred thousand dollars； sir。 Again
I found； as to my individual way of thinking； that the greater； the
more gorgeous； and the more dollarous the establishment was； the
less desirable it was。 Nevertheless； again I drank my cobbler；
julep； sling； or cocktail； in all good…will； to my friend the
General； and my friends the Majors； Colonels； and civilians all；
full well knowing that； whatever little motes my beamy eyes may have
descried in theirs； they belong to a kind； generous； large…hearted；
and great people。
I had been going on lately at a quick pace to keep my solitude out
of my mind； but here I broke down for good； and gave up the subject。
What was I to do？ What was to become of me？ Into what extremity
was I submissively to sink？ Supposing that； like Baron Trenck； I
looked out for a mouse or spider； and found one； and beguiled my
imprisonment by training it？ Even that might be dangerous with a
view to the future。 I might be so far gone when the road did come
to be cut through the snow； that； on my way forth； I might burst
into tears； and beseech； like the prisoner who was released in his
old age from the Bastille； to be taken back again to the five
windows； the ten curtains； and the sinuous drapery。
A desperate idea came into my head。 Under any other circumstances I
should have rejected it； but； in the strait at which I was； I held
it fast。 Could I so far overcome the inherent bashfulness which
withheld me from the landlord's table and the company I might find
there； as to call up the Boots； and ask him to take a chair；and
something in a liquid form；and talk to me？ I could； I would； I
did。
SECOND BRANCHTHE BOOTS
Where had he been in his time？ he repeated； when I asked him the
question。 Lord； he had been everywhere！ And what had he been？
Bless you； he had been everything you could mention a'most！
Seen a good deal？ Why； of course he had。 I should say so； he could
assure me； if I only knew about a twentieth part of what had come in
his way。 Why； it would be easier for him； he expected； to tell what
he hadn't seen than what he had。 Ah！ A deal； it would。
What was the curiousest thing he had seen？ Well！ He didn't know。
He couldn't momently name what was the curiousest thing he had seen…
…unless it was a Unicorn； and he see him once at a Fair。 But
supposing a young gentleman not eight year old was to run away with
a fine young woman of seven； might I think that a queer start？
Certainly。 Then that was a start as he himself had had his blessed
eyes on； and he had cleaned the shoes they run away inand they was
so little that he couldn't get his hand into 'em。
Master Harry Walmers' father； you see； he lived at the Elmses； down
away by Shooter's Hill there； six or seven miles from Lunnon。 He
was a gentleman of spirit； and good…looking； and held his head up
when he walked； and had what you may call Fire about him。 He wrote
poetry； and he rode； and he ran； and he cricketed； and he danced；
and he acted； and he done it all equally beautiful。 He was uncommon
proud of Master Harry as was his only child； but he didn't spoil him
neither。 He was a gentleman that had a will of his own and a eye of
his own； and that would be minded。 Consequently； though he made
quite a companion of the fine bright boy； and was delighted to see
him so fond of reading his fairy books； and was never tired of
hearing him say my name is Norval； or hearing him sing his songs
about Young May Moons is beaming love； and When he as adores thee
has left but the name； and that； still he kept the command over the
child； and the child was a child； and it's to be wished more of 'em
was！
How did Boots happen to know all this？ Why； through being under…
gardener。 Of course he couldn't be under…gardener； and be always
about； in the summer…time； near the windows on the lawn； a mowing；
and sweeping； and weeding； and pruning； and this and that； without
getting acquainted with the ways of the family。 Even supposing
Master Harry hadn't come to him one morning early； and said； 〃Cobbs；
how should you spell Norah； if you was asked？〃 and then began
cutting it in print all over the fence。
He couldn't say he had taken particular notice of children before
that； but really it was pretty to see them two mites a going about
the place together； deep in love。 And the courage of the boy！
Bless your soul； he'd have throwed off his little hat； and tucked up
his little sleeves； and gone in at a Lion； he would； if they had
happened to meet one； and she had been frightened of him。 One day
he stops； along with her； where Boots was hoeing weeds in the
gravel； and says； speaking up； 〃Cobbs；〃 he says； 〃I like you。〃 〃Do
you； sir？ I'm proud to hear it。〃 〃Yes； I do； Cobbs。 Why do I like
you； do you think； Cobbs？〃 〃Don't know； Master Harry； I am sure。〃
〃Because Norah likes you； Cobbs。〃 〃Indeed； sir？ That's very
gratifying。〃 〃Gratifying； Cobbs？ It's better than millions of the
brightest diamonds to be liked by Norah。〃 〃Certainly； sir。〃
〃You're going away； ain't you； Cobbs？〃 〃Yes； sir。〃 〃Would you like
another situation； Cobbs？〃 〃Well； sir； I shouldn't object； if it
was a good Inn。〃 〃Then； Cobbs；〃 says he； 〃you shall be our Head
Gardener when we are married。〃 And he tucks her； in her little sky…
blue mantle； under his arm； and walks away。
Boots could assure me that it was better than a picter； and equal to
a play； to see them babies； with their long； bright； curling hair；
their sparkling eyes； and their beautiful light tread； a rambling
about the garden； deep in love。 Boots was of opinion that the birds
believed they was birds； and kept up with 'em； singing to please
'em。 Sometimes they would creep under the Tulip…tree； and would sit
there with their arms round one another's necks； and their soft
cheeks touching； a reading about the Prince and the Dragon； and the
good and bad enchanters； and the king's fair daughter。 Sometimes he
would hear them planning about having a house in a forest； keeping
bees and a cow； and living entirely on milk and honey。 Once he came
upon them by the pond； and heard Master Harry say； 〃Adorable Norah；
kiss me； and say you love me to distraction； or I'll jump in head…
foremost。〃 And Boots made no question he would have done it if she
hadn't complied。 On the whole； Boots said it had a tendency to make
him feel as if he was in love himselfonly he didn't exactly know
who with。
〃Cobbs；〃 said Master Harry； one evening； when Cobbs was watering the
flowers； 〃I am going on a visit； this present Midsummer； to my
grandmamma's at York。〃
〃Are you indeed； sir？ I hope you'll have a pleasant time。 I am
going into Yorkshire； myself； when I leave here。〃
〃Are you going to your grandmamma's； Cobbs？〃
〃No； sir。 I haven't got such a thing。〃
〃Not as a grandmamma； Cobbs？〃
〃No； sir。〃
The boy looked on at the watering of the flowers for a little while；
and then said； 〃I shall be very glad indeed to go； Cobbs；Norah's
going。〃
〃You'll be all right then； sir；〃 says Cobbs； 〃with your beautiful
sweetheart by your side。〃
〃Cobbs；〃 returned the boy； flushing； 〃I never let anybody joke about
it； when I can prevent them。〃
〃It wasn't a joke； sir；〃 says Cobbs； with humility；〃wasn't so
meant。〃
〃I am glad of that； Cobbs； because I like you； you know； and you're
going to live with us。Cobbs！〃
〃Sir。〃
〃What do you think my grandmamma gives me when I go down there？〃
〃I couldn't so much as make a guess； sir。〃
〃A Bank of England five…pound note； Cobbs。〃
〃Whew！〃 says Cobbs； 〃that's a spanking sum of money； Master Harry。〃
〃A person could do a good deal with such a sum of money as that；
couldn't a person； Cobbs？〃
〃I believe you； sir！〃
〃Cobbs；〃 said the boy； 〃I'll tell you a secret。 At Norah's house；
they have been joking her about me； and pretending to laugh at our
being engaged；pretending to make game of it； Cobbs！〃
〃Such； sir；〃 says Cobbs； 〃is the depravity of human natur。〃
The boy； looking exactly like his father； stood for a few minutes
with his glowing face towards the sunset； an