A COMEDY
By BERNARD CAPES
AUTHOR OF
“THE LAKE OF WINE,” “A JAY OF ITALY,” ETC., ETC.
LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD.
RUSKIN HOUSE MUSEUM STREET W.C.
First published in 1916
(All rights reserved)
Somewhere about the western angle now formed by the junction ofOxford Street and the Charing Cross Road, there stood in the year 1661“The Mischief” Inn. It was a substantial building, consisting of twogabled sections, divided by a third and wider having a pent-roof, andforming with the others a deep recess, in whose ground quarters wasplentiful accommodation for the stabling of horses. At the level ofthe first story ran a railed wooden balcony, common to all thebedrooms behind; and in the yard below were rough benches andtrestle-tables disposed about, where customers might forgather todiscuss, over their pipes and purl, such topics as went seasonablywith them—it might be his popular Majesty’s latest roguery, or “OldMob’s,” almost as great a thief and favourite.
“The Mischief,” standing as it did on the great highway running eastand west, formed a convenient terminus for travellers journeying fromthe contiguous wilds of Berkshire and Wiltshire, the majority of whom,for reasons of economy, came by “waggon.” This was a vast road craft,with a tilt, and tyres to its wheels a foot wide, whose consistentrecord of progress never exceeded three miles to the hour. It wasdrawn commonly by six sturdy roadsters in double harness, and bearingyokes with swinging bells at the hames of their collars; and time wasnever of the essence of its contract. But it was safe, if slow, beingwell prepared and armed against surprises, which were by no means ofinfrequent occurrence by the days-long way, especially as London wasapproached.
Oxford Street itself, indeed, bore a villainous reputation. Itstretched somewhat on the borders of the town, with wild and woodedcountry going northwards from it, and was handy therefore to thegentry whose profession it was to cut purses from the skirts ofcivilization. Latterly, i