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