“Jessie,” said I, “imitate that for me, dear. It is the last exercise of that extraordinary power I shall ever hear.”
“Play it again,” she said, “that I may catch the air.”
“Is it possible,” said I to myself, “you didn’t hear it after all? It is the first time your little heart was ever pressed before, perhaps it beat so loud you couldn’t distinguish the bugle notes. Was it the new emotion or the new music that absorbed you so? Oh, Jessie, don’t ask me again what natur is.”
Well, I played it again for her, and instantly she gave the repetition with a clearness, sweetness, and accuracy, that was perfectly amazing. Cutler and I then took leave for the present, and proceeded on our way to the shore.
“Ah, Sir!” said Jackson, who accompanied us to the bars, “it’s a long while ago since I eard that hair. Warn’t them mail-coaches pretty things, Sir? Hon the hold King’s birthday, Sir, when they all turned out with new arness and coaches fresh painted, and coachman and guard in new toggery, and four as beautiful bits of blood to each on ’em as was to be found in England, warn’t it a sight to behold, Sir? The world could show nothin’ like it, Sir. And to think they are past and gone, it makes one’s eart hache. They tells me the coachman now, Sir, has a dirty black face, and rides on a fender before a large grate, and flourishes a red ot poker instead of a whip. The guard, Sir, they tells me, is no—”
“Good bye, Mr Jackson;” and I shook hands with him.
“Isn’t that too bad, Sir, now?” he said. “Why, here is Betty again, Sir, with that d—d hat, and a lecture about the stroke. Good bye, your Honour,” said he.
When we came to the bridge where the road curved into the woods, I turned and took a last look at the place where I had spent such an agreeable day.
I don’t envy you it, Doctor, but I wish I had such a lovely place at Slickville as that. What do you think, Sophy, eh? I have an idea you and I could be very happy there, don’t you?
“Oh! Mr Slick,” said Jehu Judd, who was the first person I saw at the door of Peter’s house, “what an everlastin’ long day was yesterday! I did nothing but renew the poultice, look in the glass, and turn into bed again. It’s off now, ain’t it?”