As Soon As The Coachman Was Gone,
Horatio Called Him In, And Asked What Was The Matter, And Who It Was
That Endeavoured To Impose Upon Him?
On which the innkeeper readily told
him, that on such a day this coachman came to him and hired a horse in
order to make up a set to go to Rheines in Champaigne, my lord-baron
having three or four sick in the stable at that time.
- Two days after,
said he, my horse was brought home all in a foam, and fell down dead in
less than three hours, and yet this rascally coachman refuses to pay
me for him.
Horatio humoured him in all he said, and let him go on his own way till
he had vented his whole stock of railing, and then asked him what
company were in the coach. The innkeeper replied, that there was one man
and two women, but did not know who they were, for their faces were
muffled up in their hoods. This was sufficient for him to be assured it
was no other than Charlotta, with her woman, and some friend whom the
baron had sent with them. The day mentioned, being the very same he had
been informed she was carried away, was also another confirmation; and
he had not only the happiness of knowing where his mistress was, but of
knowing it by such means as could give the baron no suspicion of his
being acquainted with it, and therefore make him think it necessary to
remove her.
Having gained this intelligence, which yet he was no better for than the
hope of being able to get a sight of her thro' the grate, which he was
resolved to accomplish some way or other, he resumed his design of going
into the army of the king of Sweden. As a perfect knowledge of the many
excellent qualities of the chevalier St. George, made him regard and
love him with an affection beyond what is ordinarily to be met with from
a servant to his master, he felt an extreme repugnance to quit him, and
yet more in breaking a matter to him which, while it testified a
confidence in the goodness of him whose assistance he must implore, he
thought, at the same time, would be looked on as ingratitude in himself;
and he was some time deliberating in what manner he should do it; and it
would have been perhaps a great while before he could have found words
which he would have thought proper for the purpose, if he had not taken
an opportunity, which, without any design of his own, offered itself
to him.
The chevalier St. George took a particular pleasure in the game of
Chess; and Horatio having learned it among the officers in Campaine,
frequently played with him: they were one evening at this diversion,
when the lover of Charlotta having his mind a little perplexed, placed
his men so ill, that the chevalier beat him out at every motion.
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