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268 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
lovely and pleasant of wood and river scenes. The tables are
decorated with flowers, rich wine-cups sparkle on the board, and
Captain Jones's party have everything they can desire. Their
dinner over, and that company gone, the same waiters, the same
flowers, the same cups and crystals, array themselves for Mr.
Brown and his party. Or, if you won't have Agnes Twysden
compared to the Star and Garter Tavern, which must admit mixed
company, liken her to the chaste moon, who shines on shepherds
of all complexions, swarthy or fair.
When oppressed by superior odds a commander is forced to
retreat, we like him to show his skill by carrying off his guns,
treasure, and camp equipages. Dr. Firmin, beaten by fortune and
compelled to fly, showed quite a splendid skill and coolness in his
manner of decamping, and left the very smallest amount of spoils
in the hands of the victorious enemy. His wines had been famous
amongst the grave epicures with whom he dined : he used to boast,
like a worthy bon vivant who knows the value of wine-conversation
after dinner, of the quantities which he possessed, and the rare
bins which he had in store; but when the executioners came to
arrange his sale, there was found only a beggarly account of empty
bottles, and I fear some of the unprincipled creditors put in a great
quantity of bad liquor which they endeavoured to foist off on the
public as the genuine and carefully selected stock of a well-known
connoisseur. News of this dishonest proceeding reached Dr. Firmin
presently in his retreat ; and he showed by his letter a generous
and manly indignation at the manner in which his creditors had
tampered with his honest name and reputation as a bon vivant
He have bad wine ! For shame ! He had the best from the best
wine merchant, and paid, or rather owed, the best prices for it ;
for of late years the Doctor had paid no bills at all : and the wine
merchant appeared in quite a handsome group of figures in his
schedule. In like manner his books were pawned to a book
auctioneer ; and Brice, the butler, had a bill of sale for the furniture.
Firmin retreated, we will not say with the honours of war,
but as little harmed as possible by defeat. Did the enemy want
the plunder of his city 1 He had smuggled almost all his valuable
goods over the wall. Did they desire his ships? He had sunk
them : and when at length the conquerors poured into his stronghold,
he was far beyond the reach of their shot. Don't we often
hear still that Nana Sahib is alive and exceedingly comfortable ?
We do not love him ; but we can't help having a kind of admiration
for that slippery fugitive who has escaped from the dreadful
jaws of the lion. In a word, when Firmin's furniture came to be
sold, it was a marvel how little his creditors benefited by the sale.