The Blue Pavilions

by Arthur Quiller-Couch

Overview

At noonday, on the 11th of October, 1673, the little seaport of Harwich, beside the mouth of the River Stour, presented a very lively appearance. More than a hundred tall ships, newly returned from the Dutch War, rode at anchor in the haven, their bright masts swaying in the sunshine above the thatched and red-tiled roofs of the town. Tarry sailors in red and grey kersey suits, red caps and flat-heeled shoes jostled in the narrow streets and hung about St. Nicholas's Churchyard, in front of the Admiralty House, wherein the pursers sat before bags and small piles of money, paying off the crews. Soldiers crowded the tavern doors-men in soiled uniforms of the Admiral's regiment, the Buffs and the 1st Foot Guards; some with bandaged heads and arms, and the most still yellow after their seasickness, but all intrepidly toasting the chances of Peace and the girls in opposite windows. Above their laughter, and along every street or passage opening on the harbour-from Cock and Pye Quay, from Lambard's stairs, the Castleport, and half a dozen other landing-stages-came wafted the shouts of captains, pilots, boatswains, caulkers, longshore men; the noise of artillery and stores unlading; the tack-tack of mallets in the dockyard, where Sir Anthony Deane's new ship the Harwich was rising on the billyways, and whence the blown odours of pitch and hemp and timber, mingling with the landward breeze, drifted all day long into the townsfolk's nostrils, and filled their very kitchens with the savour of the sea.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789355344199
Publisher:	Alpha Edition
Publication date:	10/22/2021
Pages:	180
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.41(d)

About the Author

Arthur Quiller-Couch was a distinguished English writer and literary critic. Born in 1863, Quiller-Couch is renowned for his contributions to literature and his extensive knowledge of the English language. Quiller-Couch's writing style is characterized by its elegance, precision, and attention to detail. He had a deep appreciation for the art of storytelling, and his works often showcased his mastery of plot construction and character development. In "The Blue Pavilions," Quiller-Couch displays his storytelling prowess and ability to transport readers to different settings and eras. His descriptive prose brings landscapes and characters to life, immersing readers in rich and vibrant worlds. Arthur quiller-couch's contributions to literature, both as an author and a critic, have left a lasting impact. His works continue to be celebrated for their literary merit, engaging narratives, and timeless themes.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER III. THE TWO PAVILIONS. Captain Barker and Captain Runacles had been friends from boyhood. They had been swished together at Doctor Hnskisson's school, hard by the Watergate ; had been packed off to sea in the same ship, and afterward had more than once smelt powder together. Admiral Blake and Sir Christopher Mings had turned them into tough fighters by sea; and Margaret Tallworthy had completed their education ashore, and made them good friends, by rejecting both. In an access of misogyny they had planned and built their blue pavilions, beside the London road, vowing to shut themselves up and look on no woman again. This happened but a short while before the first Dutch War, in which the one served under Captain Jonings in the Ruby, and the other had the honor to be cast ashore with Prince Rupert himself, aboard the Galloper. Upon the declaration of peace, in the autumn of 1667,they had returned, and, forgetting their vow, laid siege again to their mistress, who regretted the necessity of refusing them thrice apiece. Upon his third rejection, Jeremy Runacles was driven by indignation to offer his hand at once to Mistress Isabel Seaman, sister of that same Robert Seaman who, as Mayor of Harwich, admitted Sir Anthony Deane to the freedom of the Corporation, and had the honor to receive, in exchange, twelve fire-buckets for the new town-hall. As Mistress Isabel inherited a third of the profits amassed by her father in the rope-making trade, she was considered a good match. Captain Barker, however, resented the marriage on the ground that she was out of place in a pavilion expressly designed for a confirmed bachelor. When, after a few months, her husband also began to holdthis view, Mrs. Runacles, instead of reminding him that he, and he alone, was to blame for her ...