He took her aside, and briefly explained that
retirement, quiet, and a back room to himself were the accommodations
he sought.
"I understand you sir," replied the landlady, with a knowing wink,
"a little quiet will be agreeable by way of change; I hope you'll find
every thing here to your liking." She then curtseyed and withdrew.
"Frank," said the hostess to the head waiter, "who _do_ you think
we've got in the blue parlour? you'll never guess! I knew him the minute
I clapped eyes on him; dressed just as I saw him at the Haymarket
Theatre, the only night I ever was at a London stage play. The gray
coat, and the striped trousers, and the hessian boots over them, and the
straw hat out of all shape, and the gingham umbrella!"
"Who is he, ma'am?" said Frank. "Why, the great comedy actor, Mr.
Liston," replied the landlady, "come down for a holiday; he wants to be
quiet, so we must not blab, or the whole town will be after him."
This brief dialogue will account for much disquietude which subsequently
befell our ill fated Dumps. People met him, he could not imagine why,
with a broad grin on their features. As they passed they whispered to
each other, and the words "inimitable," "clever creature," "irresistibly
comic," evidently applied to himself, reached his ears.
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