There was much to be done for him. The room was a very poor and bare
one, rigidly clean, of course, but with hardly and furniture in it
but a bed, table, and two chairs, and the mistress or her maid
ruthlessly scoured it every morning, without regard to the damp that
the poor patient must inhale.
It appeared that since his expedition to Scotland the estate in
Dorset had been seized, so that Harry Merrycourt could send him no
more remittances, and, as the question about the Ribaumont property
in Picardy was by no means decided, he had been reduced to sad
straits. His Dutch hostess was not courteous, and complained very
much that all the English cavaliers in exile professed to have rich
kindred who would make up for everything, but she could not see that
anything came of it. However, she did give him house-room, and,
though grumbling, had provided him with many comforts and good fare,
such as he was sure could not be purchased out of the very small sum
he could give her by the week.
'And how provided?' he said. 'Ah! Nan, can you forgive me? I have
had to pledge the last pearl of the chaplet, but I knew that Meg
would redeem it.'
He had indeed suffered much, and we were eager to do our utmost for
his recovery. We found the house crowded with people, and redolent
of cheese. This small, chilly garret chamber was by no means proper
for a man in his state of health, nor was there room for us in the
house.
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