"
"She don't want to say nothin' disrespectable," said Peter, "against
her friend, but she was no shentleman for all tat."
"He is now," said Tom again, with an air of triumph. "He is an
hofficer, and dines at the mess. I don't suppose he'd be seen with me
now, for it's agen the rules of the service, but he is the best friend
I have in the world."
"She don't know nothin' about ta mess herself," said Peter, "but she
supposes she eats meat and drinks wine every tay, which was more tan
she did as a poy. But she'd rather live on oatmeal and drink whiskey,
and be a poor shentlemen, than be an officher like M'Clure, and tine
with the Queen, Cot bless her."
"And the old pipe, then, was all you got for your share, was it?" says
I.
"No, Sir," said Tom, "it warn't. One day, when I was nearly well,
Betty came to me--
"'Oh, Tom,' said she, 'I have such good news for you.'
"'What is it?' sais I, 'are we going to have another general
engagement?'
"'Oh, dear, I hope not,' she said. 'You have had enough of fighting
for one while, and you are always so misfortunate.'
"'Well, what is it?' sais I.
"'Will you promise me not to tell?'
"'Yes,' said I, 'I will.'
"'That's just what you said the first time I kissed you. Do get out,'
she replied, 'and you promise not to lisp a word of it to Rory
M'Clure? or he'll claim it, as he did that orse, and, Tom, I caught
that orse, and he was mine.
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