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burlesques-第22部分

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out of the carridge to me and said; 'Mr。 De la Pluche; you are a

much better man than I took you to be。  Though her Ladyship IS

horrified; & though your Grandmother DID take gin for breakfast;

don't give her up。  No one ever came to harm yet for honoring their

father & mother。'



〃And this was a sort of consolation to me; and I observed that all

the good fellers thought none the wuss of me。  Cinqbars said I was

a trump for sticking up for the old washerwoman; Lord George Gills

said she should have his linning; and so they cut their joax; and I

let them。  But it was a great releaf to my mind when the cart drove

hoff。



〃There was one pint which my Grandmother observed; and which; I

muss say; I thought lickwise: 'Ho; Jeames;' says she; 'hall those

fine ladies in sattns and velvets is very well; but there's not one

of em can hold a candle to Mary Hann。'〃





〃Railway Spec is going on phamusly。  You should see how polite they

har at my bankers now!  Sir Paul Pump Aldgate; & Company。  They bow

me out of the back parlor as if I was a Nybobb。  Every body says

I'm worth half a millium。  The number of lines they're putting me

upon is inkumseavable。  I've put Fitzwarren; my man; upon several。

Reginald Fitzwarren; Esquire; looks splendid in a perspectus; and

the raskle owns that he has made two thowsnd。



〃How the ladies; & men too; foller and flatter me!  If I go into

Lady Binsis hopra box; she makes room for me; who ever is there;

and cries out; 'O do make room for that dear creature!'  And she

complyments me on my taste in musick; or my new Broom…oss; or the

phansy of my weskit; and always ends by asking me for some shares。

Old Lord Bareacres; as stiff as a poaker; as prowd as loosyfer; as

poor as Joabeven he condysends to be sivvle to the great De la

Pluche; and begged me at Harthur's; lately; in his sollom; pompus

way; 'to faver him with five minutes' conversation。'  I knew what

was comingapplication for sharesput him down on my private

list。  Would'nt mind the Scrag End Junction passing through

Bareacreshoped I'd come down and shoot there。



〃I gave the old humbugg a few shares out of my own pocket。  'There;

old Pride;' says I; 'I like to see you down on your knees to a

footman。  There; old Pompossaty!  Take fifty pound; I like to see

you come cringing and begging for it。'  Whenever I see him in a

VERY public place; I take my change for my money。  I digg him in

the ribbs; or slap his padded old shoulders。  I call him;

'Bareacres; my old buck!' and I see him wince。  It does my art

good。



〃I'm in low sperits。  A disagreeable insadent has just occurred。

Lady Pump; the banker's wife; asked me to dinner。  I sat on her

right; of course; with an uncommon gal ner me; with whom I was

getting on in my fassanating wayfull of lacy ally (as the Marquis

says) and easy plesntry。  Old Pump; from the end of the table;

asked me to drink shampane; and on turning to tak the glass I saw

Charles Wackles (with womb I'd been imployed at Colonel Spurriers'

house) grinning over his shoulder at the butler。



〃The beest reckonised me。  Has I was putting on my palto in the

hall; he came up again: 'HOW DY DOO; Jeames?' says he; in a findish

visper。  'Just come out here; Chawles;' says I; 'I've a word for

you; my old boy。'  So I beckoned him into Portland Place; with my

pus in my hand; as if I was going to give him a sovaring。



〃'I think you said 〃Jeames;〃 Chawles;' says I; 'and grind at me at

dinner?'



〃'Why; sir。' says he; 'we're old friends; you know。'



〃'Take that for old friendship then;' says I; and I gave him just

one on the noas; which sent him down on the pavemint as if he'd

been shot。  And mounting myjesticly into my cabb; I left the rest

of the grinning scoundrills to pick him up; & droav to the Clubb。〃





〃Have this day kimpleated a little efair with my friend George;

Earl Bareacres; which I trust will be to the advantidge both of

self & that noble gent。  Adjining the Bareacre proppaty is a small

piece of land of about 100 acres; called Squallop Hill; igseeding

advantageous for the cultivation of sheep; which have been found to

have a pickewlear fine flaviour from the natur of the grass; tyme;

heather; and other hodarefarus plants which grows on that mounting

in the places where the rox and stones don't prevent them。

Thistles here is also remarkable fine; and the land is also devided

hoff by luxurient Stone Hedgesmuch more usefle and ickonomicle

than your quickset or any of that rubbishing sort of timber: indeed

the sile is of that fine natur; that timber refuses to grow there

altogether。  I gave Bareacres 50L。 an acre for this land (the

igsact premium of my St。 Helena Shares)a very handsom price for

land which never yielded two shillings an acre; and very convenient

to his Lordship I know; who had a bill coming due at his Bankers

which he had given them。  James de la Pluche; Esquire; is thus for

the fust time a landed propriatoror rayther; I should say; is

about to reshume the rank & dignity in the country which his

Hancestors so long occupied。



〃I have caused one of our inginears to make me a plann of the

Squallop Estate; Diddlesexshire; the property of &c。 &c。; bordered

on the North by Lord Bareacres' Country; on the West by Sir Granby

Growler; on the South by the Hotion。  An Arkytect & Survare; a

young feller of great emagination; womb we have employed to make a

survey of the Great Caffranan line; has built me a beautiful Villar

(on paper); Plushton Hall; Diddlesex; the seat of I de la P。;

Esquire。  The house is reprasented a handsome Itallian Structer;

imbusmd in woods; and circumwented by beautiful gardings。  Theres a

lake in front with boatsful of nobillaty and musitions floting on

its placid suffaceand a curricle is a driving up to the grand

hentrance; and me in it; with Mrs。; or perhaps Lady Hangelana de la

Pluche。  I speak adwisedly。  I MAY be going to form a noble

kinexion。  I may be (by marridge) going to unight my family once

more with Harrystoxy; from which misfortn has for some sentries

separated us。  I have dreams of that sort。



〃I've sean sevral times in a dalitifle vishn a SERTING ERL;

standing in a hattitude of bennydiction; and rattafying my union

with a serting butifle young lady; his daughter。  Phansy Mr。 or Sir

Jeames and lady Hangelina de la Pluche!  Ho! what will the old

washywoman; my grandmother; say?  She may sell her mangle then; and

shall too by my honor as a Gent。〃





〃As for Squallop Hill; its not to be emadgind that I was going to

give 5000 lb。 for a bleak mounting like that; unless I had some

ideer in vew。  Ham I not a Director of the Grand Diddlesex?  Don't

Squallop lie amediately betwigst Old Bone House; Single Gloster;

and Scrag End; through which cities our line passes?  I will have

400;000 lb。 for that mounting; or my name is not Jeames。  I have

arranged a little barging too for my friend the Erl。  The line will

pass through a hangle of Bareacre Park。  He shall have a good

compensation I promis you; and then I shall get back the 3000 I

lent him。  His banker's acount; I fear; is in a horrid state。〃





'The Diary now for several days contains particulars of no interest

to the public:Memoranda of City dinnersmeetings of Directors

fashionable parties in which Mr。 Jeames figures; and nearly always

by the side of his new friend; Lord Bareacres; whose 〃pompossaty;〃

as previously described; seems to have almost entirely subsided。'





We then come to the following:





〃With a prowd and thankfle Art; I copy off this morning's Gayzett

the following news:



〃'Commission signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of

Diddlesex。



〃'JAMES AUGUSTUS DE LA PLUCHE; Esquire; to be Deputy Lieutenant。'〃





〃'North Diddlesex Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry。



〃'James Augustus de la Pluche; Esquire; to be Captain; vice

Blowhard; promoted。〃'





〃And his it so?  Ham I indeed a landed propriatora Deppaty

Leftnanta Capting?  May I hatend the Cort of my Sovring? and dror

a sayber in my country's defens?  I wish the French WOOD land; and

me at the head of my squadring on my hoss Desparation。  How I'd

extonish 'em!  How the gals will stare when they see me in

youniform!  How Mary Hann wouldbut nonsince!  I'm halways

thinking of that pore gal。  She's left Sir John's。  She couldn't

abear to stay after I went; I've heerd say。  I hope she's got a

good place。  Any sumn of money that would sett her up in bisniss;

or make her comfarable; I'd come down with like a mann。  I told my

granmother so; who sees her; and rode down to Healing on porpose on

Desparation to leave a five lb。 noat in an anvylope。  But she's

sent it back; sealed with a thimbill。〃





Tuesday。Reseaved the folloing letter from Lord B; rellatiff

to my presntation at Cort and the Youniform I shall wear on that

hospicious seramony:





〃'MY DEAR DE LA PLUCHE;I THINK you had better be presented as a

Deputy Lieutenant。  As for the Diddlesex Yeomanry; I hardly know

what the uniform is now。  The last time we were out was in 1803;

when the Prince of Wales reviewed us; and when we wore French gray

jackets; leathers; red morocco boots; crimson pelisses; brass

helmets with leopard…skin and a white plume; and the regulation

pig…tail of eighteen inches。  That dress will hardly answer at

present; and must be modified; of coarse。  We were called the White

Feathers; in those days。  For my part; I decidedly recommend the

Deputy Lieutenant。



〃'I shall be happy to present you at the Levee and at the Drawing…

room。  Lady Bareacres will be in town for the 13th; with Angelina;

who will be presented on that day。  My wife has heard much of you;

and is anxious to make your acquaintance。



〃'All my people are backward with their rents: for heaven's sake;

my dear fellow; lend me five hundred and oblige



〃'Yours; very gratefully;



〃'BAREACRES。'





〃Note。B

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