The attorney signified
a suspicion of Hatchway's being married to Miss Pickle, and that
the firing and illuminations were in honour of the nuptials; upon
which Gamaliel discovered some faint signs of emotion, and, taking
the pipe from his mouth, gave it as his opinion, that his sister
was brought to bed.
While they were thus bewildered in the maze of their own imaginations,
a company of countrymen, who sat drinking in the kitchen, and whose
legs were more ready than their invention, sallied out to know the
meaning of these exhibitions. Understanding that there was a butt
of strong beer abroach in the yard, to which they were invited
by the servants, they saved themselves the trouble and expense
of returning to spend the evening at the public-house, and listed
themselves under the banner of Tom Pipes, who presided as director
of this festival.
The news of Peregrine's return being communicated to the parish,
the parson, and three or four neighbouring gentlemen, who were
well-wishers to our hero, immediately repaired to the garrison,
in order to pay their compliments on this happy event, and were
detained to supper.
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