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Every word was thus audible to the servants, who had followed them out of the house and now congregated about us on the terrace, as well as to Rowley and the five postillions on the gravel sweep below. The sentiments expressed were popular; some ass, whom the devil moved to be my enemy, proposed three cheers, and they were given with a will. Nor was that the end of it.
The first sign of it was the livery and badge worn by the postillions. Posting houses, horses and roads, were all the property of His Transparency. Eisenstadt itself, though not his principal seat, is a large palace three sides of a triangle. This last was sanctified by the spirit of Joseph Haydn, for so many years Kapellmeister to the Esterhazy family.
I reached St. Agatha at day-break, and I made the devil's own noise at the door of the postmaster, calling for an attorney to take down my statement, and threatening to have the postillions who had overturned and deserted me, hanged. A wheelwright inspected my coach and pronounced the axle-tree broken, and told me I should have to remain for a day at least.
To the postillion Evan was indebted for one of his first lessons. About an hour after midnight pastoral stillness and the moon begat in the postillion desire for a pipe. Daylight prohibits the dream of it to mounted postillions. At night the question is more human, and allows appeal. The moon smiles assentingly, and smokers know that she really lends herself to the enjoyment of tobacco.
If our affairs of this kind made themselves on the grand route, what armies of postillions we should need!" I held my peace. In that vision of Jack Belsize I saw misery, guilt, children dishonoured, homes deserted, ruin for all the actors and victims of the wretched conspiracy. Laura marked my disturbance when we reached home.
They came from the voice of the Duke whom they saw not, but recognised by his tones from his tomb on wheels. The postillions sprang upon the horses and tarried not till they had arrived before the portico of Harcourt House where the great myth descended unseen to his room. Harcourt House, Cavendish-square, was a famous London mansion, for many years in the possession of the Dukes of Portland.
Along a covered way, lined with ladies and gentlemen, and strewn with flowers, the Queen proceeded to the railway station, and after a quarter of an hour's journey reached Dublin, where she was met by her own carriages, with the postillions in the Ascot liveries.
I got out of the carriage, and after thanking the kindly old landlord, who was sorry to lose so good a boarder, I made her get in, sat down beside her, and ordered the postillions to go to Toulon, as I wished to see that fine port before returning to Italy. We got to Toulon at five o'clock. My Rosalie behaved herself at supper like the mistress of a house accustomed to the best society.
While we were at dinner I ordered up one of the beaten postillions, and heard his story. He was a frank rogue; he said he had received some blows with the flat of the sword, but he boasted of having sent a stone after the Frenchman which must have made an impression on him.
Breakfast was soon over, and they shortly took their places. The postillions had their orders, and were quickly on their way at an exhilarating pace. Presently, in obedience to Mr. Salton's signal, the carriage drew up opposite a great heap of stones by the wayside. "Here, Adam," he said, "is something that you of all men should not pass by unnoticed.
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