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第15节

burlesques-第15节

小说: burlesques 字数: 每页4000字

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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 

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