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