Sylvia's Lovers

There was a recruiting sergeant of marines sitting in the

house-place, drinking. He, too, like Philip, had lost his way; but

was turning his blunder to account by telling all manner of

wonderful stories to two or three rustics who had come in ready to

drink on any pretence; especially if they could get good liquor

without paying for it.

The sergeant rose as Philip fell back, and brought up his own mug of

beer, into which a noggin of gin had been put (called in Yorkshire

'dog's-nose'). He partly poured and partly spilt some of this

beverage on Philip's face; some drops went through the pale and

parted lips, and with a start the worn-out man revived.

'Bring him some victual, landlord,' called out the recruiting

sergeant. 'I'll stand shot.' They brought some cold bacon and coarse oat-cake. The sergeant asked

for pepper and salt; minced the food fine and made it savoury, and

kept administering it by teaspoonfuls; urging Philip to drink from

time to time from his own cup of dog's-nose.

A burning thirst, which needed no stimulant from either pepper or

salt, took possession of Philip, and he drank freely, scarcely

recognizing what he drank. It took effect on one so habitually

sober; and he was soon in that state when the imagination works

wildly and freely.

He saw the sergeant before him, handsome, and bright, and active, in

his gay red uniform, without a care, as it seemed to Philip, taking

life lightly; admired and respected everywhere because of his cloth.

If Philip were gay, and brisk, well-dressed like him, returning with

martial glory to Monkshaven, would not Sylvia love him once more?

Could not he win her heart? He was brave by nature, and the prospect

of danger did not daunt him, if ever it presented itself to his

imagination.

He thought he was cautious in entering on the subject of enlistment

with his new friend, the sergeant; but the latter was twenty times

as cunning as he, and knew by experience how to bait his hook.

Philip was older by some years than the regulation age; but, at that

time of great demand for men, the question of age was lightly

entertained. The sergeant was profuse in statements of the

advantages presented to a man of education in his branch of the

service; how such a one was sure to rise; in fact, it would have

seemed from the sergeant's account, as though the difficulty

consisted in remaining in the ranks.

Philip's dizzy head thought the subject over and over again, each

time with failing power of reason.

At length, almost, as it would seem, by some sleight of hand, he

found the fatal shilling in his palm, and had promised to go before

the nearest magistrate to be sworn in as one of his Majesty's

marines the next morning. And after that he remembered nothing more.