"
~197~~"And satirical in all, I'll vouch for you, lieutenant;" said
Optimus.
"By Jasus, you've hit it! if truth be satire, it's a language I love,
although it's not very savoury to some palates."
"Will the duke marry the banker's widow, Joel that's the grand question
at Tattersall's, now your match with Maria's off, and Earl Rivers's
greyhounds are disposed of. Only give me the office, boy, in that
particular, and I'll give you a company to-morrow, if money will
purchase one; and realize a handsome fortune by betting on the event."
"Then I'll bet Cox and Greenwood's cash account against the
commander-in-chief's, that the widow marries a Beau-clerc, becomes in
due time Duchess of St. Alban's, and dies without issue, leaving her
immense property as a charitable bequest to enrich a poor dukedom; and
thus, having in earlier life degraded one part of the peerage, make
amends to the Butes, the Guildfords, and the Burdetts, by a last
redeeming act to another branch of the aristocracy."
"At it again, lieutenant; firing ricochet shot, and knocking down duck
and drake at the same time."
"Sure, that has been the great amusement of my life; in battle and
abroad I have contrived to knock down my share of the male enemies of my
country; in peace and at home I've a mighty pleasant knack of winging a
few female bush fighters.
Pages:
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746