306 



MATTHEW AND JKMIMA. 



The apothecary retired, leaving the lovers to repose ; and " sleep 

 that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care/' performed its office so 

 effectually, that when he visited them on the following morning, one 

 obstacle alone presented itself to the prosecution of their journey. 

 But this obstacle, it must be confessed, was, if not an insuperable, 

 certainly a weighty one; "the gentlemen of the shade, and minions 

 of the moon," as Falstaff politely calls them, having performed their 

 parts so well that not a stray guinea was to be found in any one of 

 the folds, corners, or crevices of Evergreen's capacious pockets, 

 which presented themselves only as one great void. 



But without money how were the postillion, apothecary, and land- 

 lady to be satisfied ; and, which at the present moment was a consi- 

 deration of more importance, how was the journey to be prosecuted 

 to a prosperous and happy conclusion ? These were points which 

 would have puzzled cleverer fellows than Evergreen, spurred on 

 though he was by the arrows of Cupid. " But the attempt must be 

 made," said he, endeavouring " to screw his courage to the sticking 

 place." 



Striving " to patch grief with proverbs/' they summoned the land- 

 lady to an audience, and the evident gene and embarrassment with 

 which she was received, confirmed at once her suspicion of the pur- 

 port of the interview. After some prefatory remarks, to which the 

 robbery naturally gave birth, Evergreen proceeded to ask credit 

 for the expenditure already incurred, and the means of continuing 

 his journey. To the first branch of the request, the hostess, con- 

 sidering the circumstances of the case, would probably have lent a 

 willing ear ; but when it came to be coupled with an actual advance 

 of hard cash, all her principles of prudence, nurtured and strength- 

 ened, as they were, by her long residence in the north, revolted at 

 once ; arid she looked about for some legitimate excuse. The state 

 of Evergreen's health readily presented itself ; and she was begin- 

 ginning to expatiate with much earnestness on the prudence of pro- 

 longing his stay at her house until he could communicate with his 

 friends, when the arrival of a chaise afforded her a plausible excuse 

 for breaking up the conference. Making good her retreat, she left 

 Evergreen and Jemima any thing but pleased with the prospect 

 before them. 



CHAP. III. THE UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL. 



" If it isn't Mr. Robinson !" said Jemima, as she examined the 

 chaise, accompanying her exclamation with that sort of doubtful tit- 

 ter which may be supposed to indicate either pleasure or dissap- 

 pointment. 



" A friend of yours?" enquired Evergreen, "then he may advance 

 us the money which I suspect it will be difficult to extract from our 

 landlady." 



The probability of any such occurrence was soon made apparent 

 by the inquiries with which Mr. Robinson assailed the crowd of as- 

 sembled waiters, hostlers, and chambermaids. " A young gentleman 

 and lady about twenty light hair ruddy countenance five feet 



