His conversation and appearance had, in an instant,
recovered their wonted steadiness; and before we were half across the
market, Crony was moralizing upon the dangers of the scene from which we
had so recently and fortunately escaped. But hearts young and buoyant as
ours, when lighted up by the fire of enterprise, and provoked to action
by potent charges of the grape, were not to be dashed by one repulse,
or compelled to beat a retreat at the first brush with a reconnoitring
party; we had sallied forth in pursuit of a spree, and frolic we were
determined upon,
"While misty night, with silent pace,
Steals gradual o'er the wanton chase."
There is something very romantic in prowling the streets of the
metropolis at midnight, in quest of adventure; at least, so my
companions insisted, and I had embarked too deeply in the night's
debauch to moralize upon its consequences. How many a sober-looking face
demure when morning dawns would blush to meet the accusing spirit of the
night, dressed out in all the fantasies of whim and eccentricity with
which the rosy god of midnight revelry clothes his laughter-loving
bacchanals--
"While sleep attendant at her drowsy fane,
Parent of ease, envelopes all your train!"
The lamentations of old Crony brought to mind the ~347~~complaints
of honest Jack Falstaff against his associates.
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