"
"Well, Harry, if you do see the king, as it is possible you may do,
or if you do not, you might speak to the colonel, and ask him, in
my name, to express to Charles my regret at leaving his service, in
which I have been so well treated, and say how much I feel the
kindly interest that his majesty has been pleased to take in me. If
there had been any chance of the war coming to an end shortly, I
should have remained to see it out; but, now that the Polish
business may be considered finished, it will be continued with
Russia, and may go on for years, for the czar is just as obstinate
and determined as Charles himself."
Accordingly, the next morning, Charlie sent in the formal
resignation of his commission to the war minister at Stockholm, and
Harry left by ship for Revel. Sir Marmaduke placed his business
affairs in the hands of a Scotch merchant at Gottenburg, with
instructions to call in the money he had lent on mortgage, and, two
days later, took passage with Charlie for Hull, whence they posted
across the country to Lancaster, and then drove to Lynnwood.
As soon as the news spread that Sir Marmaduke had returned, the
church bells rang a joyous peal, bonfires were lighted, the tenants
flocked in to greet him, and the gentry for miles round rode over
to welcome and congratulate him.
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