Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXIX., October, 1852Various
Religion
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXIX., October, 1852
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
As Phil moves about to execute this order, it appears that he is
lame, though able to move very quickly. On the speckled side of his
face he has no eyebrow, and on the other side he has a bushy black
one, which want of uniformity gives him a very singular and rather
sinister appearance. Every thing seems to have happened to his hands
that could possibly take place, consistently with the retention of all
the fingers; for they are notched, and seamed, and crumpled all over.
He appears to be very strong, and lifts heavy benches about as if he
had no idea what weight was. He has a curious way of limping round the
gallery with his shoulder against the wall, and tacking off at objects
he wants to lay hold of, instead of going straight to them, which has
left a smear all round the four walls, conventionally called "Phil's
mark."
This custodian of George's Gallery in George's absence concludes his
proceedings, when he has locked the great doors, and turned out all
the lights but one, which he leaves to glimmer, by dragging out from a
wooden cabin in a corner two mattresses and bedding. These being drawn
to opposite ends of the gallery, the trooper makes his own bed, and
Phil makes his.
"Phil!" says the master, walking toward him without his coat and
waistcoat, and looking more soldierly than ever in his braces, "You
were found in a doorway, weren't you?"
"Gutter," says Phil. "Watchman tumbled over me."
"Then, vagabondizing came natural to _you_, from the beginning."
"As nat'ral as possible," says Phil.
"Good-night!"
"Good-night, guv'ner."
Phil can not even go straight to bed, but finds it necessary to
shoulder round two sides of the gallery, and then tack off at
his mattress. The trooper, after taking a turn or two in the
rifle-distance, and looking up at the moon, now shining through the
skylights, strides to his own mattress by a shorter route, and goes to
bed too.
CHAPTER XXII.--MR. BUCKET.
Allegory looks pretty cool in Lincoln's Inn Fields, though the evening
is hot; for, both Mr. Tulkinghorn's windows are wide open, and the room
is lofty, gusty, and gloomy. These may not be desirable characteristics
when November comes with fog and sleet, or January with ice and snow;
but they have their merits in the sultry long vacation weather. They
enable Allegory, though it has cheeks like peaches, and knees like
bunches of blossoms, and rosy swellings for calves to its legs and
muscles to its arms, to look tolerably cool to-night.
Plenty of dust comes in at Mr. Tulkinghorn's windows, and plenty more
has generated among his furniture and papers. It lies thick every
where. When a breeze from the country that has lost its way, takes
fright, and makes a blind hurry to rush out again, it flings as much
dust in the eyes of Allegory as the law--or Mr. Tulkinghorn, one of its
trustiest representatives--may scatter, on occasion, in the eyes of the
laity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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