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cursing the wine； the landlady； the wine…grower； and the English nation
generally； when the young woman entered and （choosing so to interpret
the oaths） said； 〃Coming； your honour； I think your honour called〃
Gustavus Adolphus whistled； stared at her very hard； and seeming quite
dumb…stricken by her appearance； contented himself by swallowing a
whole glass of mountain by way of reply。
Mr。 Brock was； however； by no means so confounded as his captain：
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Catherine： A Story
he was thirty years older than the latter； and in the course of fifty years of
military life had learned to look on the most dangerous enemy； or the most
beautiful woman； with the like daring； devil…may…care determination to
conquer。
〃My dear Mary；〃 then said that gentleman； 〃his honour is a lord； as
good as a lord； that is； for all he allows such humble fellows as I am to
drink with him。〃
Catherine dropped a low curtsey； and said； 〃Well； I don't know if you
are joking a poor country girl； as all you soldier gentlemen do； but his
honour LOOKS like a lord： though I never see one； to be sure。〃
〃Then；〃 said the Captain； gathering courage； 〃how do you know I look
like one； pretty Mary？〃
〃Pretty Catherine： I mean Catherine； if you please； sir。〃
Here Mr。 Brock burst into a roar of laughter； and shouting with many
oaths that she was right at first； invited her to give him what he called a
buss。
Pretty Catherine turned away from him at this request； and muttered
something about 〃Keep your distance； low fellow！ buss indeed； poor
country girl；〃 etc。 etc。； placing herself； as if for protection； on the side of
the Captain。 That gentleman looked also very angry； but whether at the
sight of innocence so outraged； or the insolence of the Corporal for daring
to help himself first； we cannot say。 〃Hark ye； Mr。 Brock；〃 he cried very
fiercely； 〃I will suffer no such liberties in my presence： remember； it is
only my condescension which permits you to share my bottle in this way；
take care I don't give you instead a taste of my cane。〃 So saying； he； in a
protecting manner； placed one hand round Mrs。 Catherine's waist； holding
the other clenched very near to the Corporal's nose。
Mrs。 Catherine； for HER share of this action of the Count's； dropped
another curtsey and said； 〃Thank you； my Lord。〃 But Galgenstein's threat
did not appear to make any impression on Mr。 Brock； as indeed there was
no reason that it should； for the Corporal； at a combat of fisticuffs； could
have pounded his commander into a jelly in ten minutes； so he contented
himself by saying； 〃Well； noble Captain； there's no harm done； it IS an
honour for poor old Peter Brock to be at table with you； and I AM sorry；
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Catherine： A Story
sure enough。〃
〃In truth； Peter； I believe thou art； thou hast good reason； eh； Peter？
But never fear； man； had I struck thee； I never would have hurt thee。〃
〃I KNOW you would not；〃 replied Brock； laying his hand on his heart
with much gravity； and so peace was made； and healths were drunk。 Miss
Catherine condescended to put her lips to the Captain's glass； who swore
that the wine was thus converted into nectar； and although the girl had not
previously heard of that liquor； she received the compliment as a
compliment； and smiled and simpered in return。
The poor thing had never before seen anybody so handsome； or so
finely dressed as the Count； and； in the simplicity of her coquetry； allowed
her satisfaction to be quite visible。 Nothing could be more clumsy than the
gentleman's mode of complimenting her； but for this； perhaps； his
speeches were more effective than others more delicate would have been；
and though she said to each； 〃Oh； now； my Lord；〃 and 〃La； Captain； how
can you flatter one so？〃 and 〃Your honour's laughing at me；〃 and made
such polite speeches as are used on these occasions； it was manifest from
the flutter and blush； and the grin of satisfaction which lighted up the
buxom features of the little country beauty； that the Count's first
operations had been highly successful。 When following up his attack； he
produced from his neck a small locket （which had been given him by a
Dutch lady at the Brill）； and begged Miss Catherine to wear it for his sake；
and chucked her under the chin and called her his little rosebud； it was
pretty clear how things would go： anybody who could see the expression
of Mr。 Brock's countenance at this event might judge of the progress of the
irresistible High…Dutch conqueror。
Being of a very vain communicative turn； our fair barmaid gave her
two companions； not only a pretty long account of herself； but of many
other persons in the village； whom she could perceive from the window
opposite to which she stood。 〃Yes； your honour；〃 said she 〃my Lord； I
mean； sixteen last March； though there's a many girl in the village that at
my age is quite chits。 There's Polly Randall now； that red…haired girl along
with Thomas Curtis： she's seventeen if she's a day； though he is the very
first sweetheart she has had。 Well； as I am saying； I was bred up here in the
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Catherine： A Story
villagefather and mother died very young； and I was left a poor orphan
well； bless us！ if Thomas haven't kissed her！to the care of Mrs。 Score；
my aunt； who has been a mother to mea stepmother； you know；and I've
been to Stratford fair； and to Warwick many a time； and there's two people
who have offered to marry me； and ever so many who want to； and I won't
have noneonly a gentleman； as I've always said； not a poor clodpole； like
Tom there with the red waistcoat （he was one that asked me）； nor a
drunken fellow like Sam Blacksmith yonder； him whose wife has got the
black eye； but a real gentleman； like〃
〃Like whom； my dear？〃 said the Captain； encouraged。
〃La； sir； how can you？ Why； like our squire； Sir John； who rides in
such a mortal fine gold coach； or； at least； like the parson； Doctor Dobbs
that's he； in the black gown； walking with Madam Dobbs in red。〃
〃And are those his children？〃
〃Yes： two girls and two boys； and only think； he calls one William
Nassau； and one George Denmarkisn't it odd？〃 And from the parson； Mrs。
Catherine went on to speak of several humble personages of the village
community； who； as they are not necessary to our story； need not be
described at full length。 It was when； from the window； Corporal Brock
saw the altercation between the worthy divine and his son； respecting the
latter's ride； that he judged it a fitting time to step out on the green； and to
bestow on the two horses those famous historical names which we have
just heard applied to them。
Mr。 Brock's diplomacy was； as we have stated； quite successful； for；
when the parson's boys had ridden and retired along with their mamma
and papa； other young gentlemen of humbler rank in the village were
placed upon 〃George of Denmark〃 and 〃William of Nassau；〃 the Corporal
joking and laughing with all the grown…up people。 The women； in spite of
Mr。 Brock's age； his red nose； and a certain squint of his eye； vowed the
Corporal was a jewel of a man； and among the men his popularity was
equally great。
〃How much dost thee get； Thomas Clodpole？〃 said Mr。 Brock to a
countryman （he was the man whom Mrs。 Catherine had described as her
suitor）； who had laughed loudest at some of his jokes： 〃how much dost
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Catherine： A Story
thee get for a week's work； now？〃
Mr。 Clodpole； whose name was really Bullock； stated that his wages
amounted to 〃three shillings and a puddn。〃
〃Three shillings and a puddn！monstrous！and for this you toil like a
galley…slave； as I have