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- 2026-01-30T20:48:05.590Z
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- mile this side of Brentford, to whom his deplorable situation now
induced him to apply for work. The man did not wish himself to hire,
but said that if he (Israel) understood farming or gardening, he might
perhaps procure work from Sir John Millet, whose seat, he said, was not
remote. He added that the knight was in the habit of employing many men
at that season of the year, so he stood a fair chance.
Revived a little by this prospect of relief, Israel starts in quest of
the gentleman’s seat, agreeably to the direction received. But he
mistook his way, and proceeding up a gravelled and beautifully
decorated walk, was terrified at catching a glimpse of a number of
soldiers thronging a garden. He made an instant retreat before being
espied in turn. No wild creature of the American wilderness could have
been more panic-struck by a firebrand, than at this period hunted
Israel was by a red coat. It afterwards appeared that this garden was
the Princess Amelia’s.
Taking another path, ere long he came to some laborers shovelling
gravel. These proved to be men employed by Sir John. By them he was
directed towards the house, when the knight was pointed out to him,
walking bare-headed in the inclosure with several guests. Having heard
the rich men of England charged with all sorts of domineering
qualities, Israel felt no little misgiving in approaching to an
audience with so imposing a stranger. But, screwing up his courage, he
advanced; while seeing him coming all rags and tatters, the group of
gentlemen stood in some wonder awaiting what so singular a phantom
might want.
“Mr. Millet,” said Israel, bowing towards the bare-headed gentleman.
“Ha,—who are you, pray?”
“A poor fellow, sir, in want of work.”
“A wardrobe, too, I should say,” smiled one of the guests, of a very
youthful, prosperous, and dandified air.
“Where’s your hoe?” said Sir John.
“I have none, sir.”
“Any money to buy one?”
“Only four English pennies, sir.”
“_English_ pennies. What other sort would you have?”
“Why, China pennies to be sure,” laughed the youthful gentleman. “See
his long, yellow hair behind; he looks like a Chinaman. Some
broken-down Mandarin. Pity he’s no crown to his old hat; if he had, he
might pass it round, and make eight pennies of his four.”
“Will you hire me, Mr. Millet,” said Israel.
“Ha! that’s queer again,” cried the knight.
“Hark ye, fellow,” said a brisk servant, approaching from the porch,
“this is Sir John Millet.”
Seeming to take pity on his seeming ignorance, as well as on his
undisputable poverty, the good knight now told Israel that if he would
come the next morning he would see him supplied with a hoe, and
moreover would hire him.
It would be hard to express the satisfaction of the wanderer at
receiving this encouraging reply. Emboldened by it, he now returns
towards a baker’s he had spied, and bravely marching in, flings down
all four pennies, and demands bread. Thinking he would not have any
more food till next morning, Israel resolved to eat only one of the
pair of two-penny loaves. But having demolished one, it so sharpened
his longing, that yielding to the irresistible temptation, he bolted
down the second loaf to keep the other company.
After resting under a hedge, he saw the sun far descended, and so
prepared himself for another hard night. Waiting till dark, he crawled
into an old carriage-house, finding nothing there but a dismantled old
phaeton. Into this he climbed, and curling himself up like a
carriage-dog, endeavored to sleep; but, unable to endure the constraint
of such a bed, got out, and stretched himself on the bare boards of the
floor.
- title
- Chunk 2