Franklin!" cried the old man, "that's exactly
what ROBINSON CRUSOE has done!"
He struggled to his feet with my assistance, and stood for a moment,
looking backwards and forwards between ROBINSON CRUSOE and me,
apparently at a loss to discover which of us had surprised him most. The
verdict ended in favour of the book. Holding it open before him in both
hands, he surveyed the wonderful volume with a stare of unutterable
anticipation--as if he expected to see Robinson Crusoe himself walk out
of the pages, and favour us with a personal interview.
"Here's the bit, Mr. Franklin!" he said, as soon as he had recovered
the use of his speech. "As I live by bread, sir, here's the bit I was
reading, the moment before you came in! Page one hundred and fifty-six
as follows:--'I stood like one Thunderstruck, or as if I had seen
an Apparition.' If that isn't as much as to say: 'Expect the sudden
appearance of Mr. Franklin Blake'--there's no meaning in the English
language!" said Betteredge, closing the book with a bang, and getting
one of his hands free at last to take the hand which I offered him.
I had expected him, naturally enough under the circumstances, to
overwhelm me with questions.
Pages:
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573