One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

ONE OF OUR
CONQUERORS
By
George Meredith
1897
BOOK 1
George Meredith
CHAPTER I
ACROSS LONDON BRIDGE
A GENTLEMAN, noteworthy for a lively countenance and a
waistcoat to match it, crossing London Bridge at noon on a
gusty April day, was almost magically detached from his conflict
with the gale by some sly strip of slipperiness, abounding
in that conduit of the markets, which had more or less
adroitly performed the trick upon preceding passengers, and
now laid this one flat amid the shuffle of feet, peaceful for
the moment as the uncomplaining who have gone to Sabrina
beneath the tides. He was unhurt, quite sound, merely astonished,
he remarked, in reply to the inquiries of the first
kind helper at his elbow; and it appeared an acceptable statement
of his condition. He laughed, shook his coat-tails,
smoothed the back of his head rather thoughtfully, thankfully
received his runaway hat, nodded bright beams to right
and left, and making light of the muddy stigmas imprinted
by the pavement, he scattered another shower of his nods
and smiles around, to signify, that as his good friends would
wish, he thoroughly felt his legs and could walk unaided.
And he was in the act of doing it, questioning his familiar
behind the waistcoat amazedly, to tell him how such a misadventure
could have occurred to him of all men, when a
glance below his chin discomposed his outward face. ‘Oh,
confound the fellow!’ he said, with simple frankness, and
was humorously ruffled, having seen absurd blots of smutty
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