His enemies had triumphed over him; but
he would not have heeded the defeat, provided he could efface the foul
stigma cast upon his reputation, and rebut the false charge brought
against him by De Gondomar.
With a heart overflowing with rage and bitterness, and with a thousand
wild projects passing through his brain, Sir Jocelyn took a boat at
Whitehall stairs, and ordered the watermen to row down the river,
without assigning any paticular place of landing. After awhile, he
succeeded, to a certain extent, in controlling his angry emotions; and
as the watermen rested on their oars for a moment, to inquire his
destination, he looked round, and perceiving he was just opposite the
Three Cranes in the Vintry, he desired to be put ashore there.
No better retreat wherein to recover his composure seemed to offer
itself than Madame Bonaventure's comfortable house of entertainment;
and thither, therefore, he proceeded, and at his request was shown into
a private room overlooking the river. Scarcely was he installed within
it, than the buxom hostess, who had caught sight of him as he mounted
the stairs, entered, and in her blandest accents, and with her most
bewitching smiles, begged to know his commands; declaring that all that
her house possessed was at his service.
She was running on thus, but perceiving the young knight to be much
disturbed, she instantly changed her tone, and expressed such genuine
concern for him, that he could not fail to be moved by it.
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