第 15 节
作者:青涩春天      更新:2024-04-09 19:50      字数:9321
  thought not of thee。
  It happened thus。  Miss Amethyst being engaged to drive with her
  cousin the prince in his phaeton; her own carriage was sent into
  the Park simply with her companion; who had charge of her little
  Fido; the dearest little spaniel in the world。  Jeames and
  Frederick were behind the carriage with their long sticks and neat
  dark liveries; the horses were worth a thousand guineas each; the
  coachman a late lieutenant…colonel of cavalry: the whole ring could
  not boast a more elegant turn…out。
  The prince drove his curricle; and had charge of his belle cousine。
  It may have been the red fezzes in the carriage of the Turkish
  ambassador which frightened the prince's grays; or Mrs。 Champignon's
  new yellow liveries; which were flaunting in the Park; or hideous
  Lady Gorgon's preternatural ugliness; who passed in a low
  pony…carriage at the time; or the prince's own want of skill;
  finally; but certain it is that the horses took fright; dashed
  wildly along the mile; scattered equipages; pietons; dandies' cabs;
  and snobs' pheaytons。  Amethyst was screaming; and the prince;
  deadly pale; had lost all presence of mind; as the curricle came
  rushing by the spot where Miss Amethyst's carriage stood。
  〃I'm blest;〃 Frederick exclaimed to his companion; 〃if it ain't the
  prince a…drivin our missis!  They'll be in the Serpingtine; or
  dashed to pieces; if they don't mind。〃  And the runaway steeds at
  this instant came upon them as a whirlwind。
  But if those steeds ran at a whirlwind pace; Jeames was swifter。
  To jump from behind; to bound after the rocking; reeling curricle;
  to jump into it; aided by the long stick which he carried and used
  as a leaping…pole; and to seize the reins out of the hands of the
  miserable Borodino; who shrieked piteously as the dauntless valet
  leapt on his toes and into his seat; was the work of an instant。
  In a few minutes the mad; swaying rush of the horses was reduced to
  a swift but steady gallop; presently into a canter; then a trot;
  until finally they pulled up smoking and trembling; but quite
  quiet; by the side of Amethyst's carriage; which came up at a rapid
  pace。
  〃Give me the reins; malappris! tu m'ecrases le corps; manant!〃
  yelled the frantic nobleman; writhing underneath the intrepid
  charioteer。
  〃Tant pis pour toi; nigaud;〃 was the reply。  The lovely Amethyst of
  course had fainted; but she recovered as she was placed in her
  carriage; and rewarded her preserver with a celestial smile。
  The rage; the fury; the maledictions of Borodino; as he saw the
  lattera liveried menialstoop gracefully forward and kiss
  Amethyst's hand; may be imagined rather than described。  But Jeames
  heeded not his curses。  Having placed his adored mistress in the
  carriage; he calmly resumed his station behind。  Passion or danger
  seemed to have no impression upon that pale marble face。
  Borodino went home furious; nor was his rage diminished; when; on
  coming to dinner that day; a recherche banquet served in the
  Frangipane best style; and requesting a supply of a puree a la
  bisque aux ecrevisses; the clumsy attendant who served him let fall
  the assiette of vermeille cisele; with its scalding contents; over
  the prince's chin; his Mechlin jabot; and the grand cordon of the
  Legion of honor which he wore。
  〃Infame;〃 howled Borodino; 〃tu l'as fait expres!〃
  〃Oui; je l'ai fait expres;〃 said the man; with the most perfect
  Parisian accent。  It was Jeames。
  Such insolence of course could not be passed unnoticed even after
  the morning's service; and he was chassed on the spot。  He had been
  but a week in the house。
  The next month the newspapers contained a paragraph which may
  possibly elucidate the above mystery; and to the following effect:
  〃Singular Wager。One night; at the end of last season; the young
  and eccentric Earl of B…gn…gge laid a wager of twenty…five thousand
  pounds with a broken sporting patrician; the dashing Marquis of
  M…rt…ng…le; that he would pass a week under the roof of a celebrated
  and lovely young heiress; who lives not a hundred miles from
  B…lgr…ve Squ…re。  The bet having been made; the earl pretended an
  illness; and having taken lessons from one of his lordship's own
  footmen (Mr。 James Plush; whose name he also borrowed) in 'the
  MYSTERIES of the PROFESSION;' actually succeeded in making an entry
  into Miss P…ml…co's mansion; where he stopped one week exactly;
  having time to win his bet; and to save the life of the lady; whom
  we hear he is about to lead to the altar。  He disarmed the Prince
  of Borodino in a duel fought on Calais sandsand; it is said;
  appeared at the C club wearing his PLUSH COSTUME under a cloak;
  and displaying it as a proof that he had won his wager。〃
  Such; indeed; were the circumstances。  The young couple have not
  more than nine hundred thousand a year; but they live cheerfully;
  and manage to do good; and Emily de Pentonville; who adores her
  daughter…in…law and her little grandchildren; is blest in seeing
  her darling son enfin un homme range。
  CRINOLINE。
  BY JE…MES PL…SH; ESQ。
  I。
  I'm not at libbaty to divulj the reel names of the 2 Eroes of the
  igstrawny Tail which I am abowt to relait to those unlightnd
  paytrons of letarature and true connyshures of merritthe great
  Brittish publicBut I pledj my varacity that this singlar story of
  rewmantic love; absobbing pashn; and likewise of GENTEEL LIFE; is;
  in the main fax; TREW。  The suckmstanzas I elude to; ocurd in the
  rain of our presnt Gratious Madjisty and her beluvd and roil
  Concert Prince Halbert。
  Welthen。  Some time in the seazen of 18 (mor I dar not rewheel)
  there arrived in this metropulus; per seknd class of the London and
  Dover Railway; an ellygant young foring gentleman; whom I shall
  danomminate Munseer Jools De Chacabac。
  Having read through 〃The Vicker of Wackfield〃 in the same oridganal
  English tung in which this very harticle I write is wrote too; and
  halways been remarkyble; both at collidge and in the estamminy; for
  his aytred and orror of perfidgus Halbion; Munseer Jools was
  considered by the prapriretors of the newspaper in which he wrote;
  at Parris; the very man to come to this country; igsamin its
  manners and customs; cast an i upon the politticle and finalshle
  stat of the Hempire; and igspose the mackynations of the infyamous
  Palmerston; and the ebomminable Sir Pillboth enemies of France;
  as is every other Britten of that great; gloarus; libberal; and
  peasable country。  In one word; Jools de Chacabac was a penny…a…
  liner。
  〃I will go see with my own I's;〃 he said; 〃that infimus hiland of
  which the innabitants are shopkeepers; gorged with roast beef and
  treason。  I will go and see the murderers of the Hirish; the
  pisoners of the Chynese; the villians who put the Hemperor to death
  in Saintyleany; the artful dodges who wish to smother Europe with
  their cotton; and can't sleep or rest heasy for henvy and hatred of
  the great inwinsable French nation。  I will igsammin; face to face;
  these hotty insularies; I will pennytrate into the secrets of their
  Jessywhittickle cabinet; and beard Palmerston in his denn。〃  When
  he jumpt on shor at Foaxton (after having been tremenguously sick
  in the fourcabbing); he exclaimed; 〃Enfin je te tiens; Ile maudite!
  je te crache a la figure; vieille Angleterre!  Je te foule a mes
  pieds an nom du monde outrage;〃 and so proseaded to inwade the
  metropulus。
  As he wisht to micks with the very chicest sosiaty; and git the
  best of infamation about this country; Munseer Jools of coarse went
  and lodgd in Lester SquareLester Squarr; as he calls itwhich;
  as he was infommed in the printed suckular presented to him by a
  very greasy but polite comishner at the Custumus Stares; was in the
  scenter of the town; contiggus to the Ouses of Parlyment; the
  prinsple theayters; the parx; St。 Jams Pallice; and the Corts of
  Lor。  〃I can surwhey them all at one cut of the eye;〃 Jools
  thought; 〃the Sovring; the infamus Ministers plotting the
  destruction of my immortial country; the business and pleasure of
  these pusprond Londoners and aristoxy; I can look round and see
  all。〃  So he took a three…pair back in a French hotel; the 〃Hotel
  de l'Ail;〃 kep by Monsieur Gigotot; Cranbourne Street; Lester
  Squarr; London。
  In this otell there's a billiard…room on the first floor; and a
  tabble…doat at eighteenpence peredd at 5 o'clock; and the landlord;
  who kem into Jools's room smoaking a segar; told the young gent
  that the house was friquented by all the Brittish nobillaty; who
  reglar took their dinners there。  〃They can't ebide their own
  quiseen;〃 he said。  〃You'll see what a dinner we'll serve you to…
  day。〃  Jools wrote off to his paper
  〃The members of the haughty and luxurious English aristocracy; like
  all the rest of the world; are obliged to fly to France for the
  indulgence of their luxuries。  The nobles of England; quitting
  their