Last Words: A Final Collection of Stories — John Shaqi
Last Words: A Final Collection of StoriesEwing, Juliana Horatia
General
Last Words: A Final Collection of Stories
Ewing, Juliana Horatia
Children's stories; Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
"And who serves them that have no garden?" asked Aunt Catherine,
sticking her gold glasses over her nose, and looking at us.
"None of us do," said Arthur, after thinking for a minute.
"Humph!" said Aunt Catherine.
Next time Chris was asked to luncheon, I was asked too. Father laughed
at me, and teased me, but I went.
I was very much amused by the airs which Chris gave himself at table.
He was perfectly well behaved, but, in his quiet, old-fashioned way,
he certainly gave himself airs. We have only one man indoors--James;
but Aunt Catherine has three--a butler, a footman, and a second
footman. The second footman kept near Christopher, who sat opposite
Aunt Catherine, (she made me sit on one side), and seemed to watch to
attend upon him; but if Christopher did want anything, he always
ignored this man, and asked the butler for it, and called him by his
name.
After a bit, Aunt Catherine began to talk about the game again.
"Have you got anyone to serve them that have no garden, yet?" she
asked.
Christopher shook his head, and said "No."
"Humph," said Aunt Catherine; "better take me into the game."
"Could you be of any use?" asked Christopher. "Toast and water,
Chambers."
The butler nodded, as majestically as Chris himself, to the second
footman, who flew to replenish the silver mug, which had been Lady
Catherine's when she was a little girl. When Christopher had drained
it (he is a very thirsty boy), he repeated the question.
"Do you think you could be of any use?"
Mr. Chambers, the butler, never seems to hear anything that people
say, except when they ask for something to eat or drink; and he does
not often hear that, because he watches to see what you want, and
gives it of himself, or sends it by the footman. He looks just as if
he was having his photograph taken, staring at a point on the wall and
thinking of nothing; but when Christopher repeated his question I saw
Chambers frown, I believe he thinks Christopher presumes on Lady
Catherine's kindness, and does not approve of it.
It is quite the other way with Aunt Catherine. Just when you would
think she must turn angry, and scold Chris for being rude, she only
begins to laugh, and shakes like a jelly (she is very stout) and
encourages him. She said,
"Take care all that toast and water doesn't get into your head,
Chris."
She said that to vex him, because, ever since he heard that he had
water on the brain, Chris is very easily affronted about his head. He
was affronted now, and began to eat his bread-and-butter pudding in
silence, Lady Catherine still shaking and laughing. Then she wiped her
eyes, and said,
"Never mind, old man, I'm going to tell you something. Put the sugar
and cream on the table, Chambers, and you needn't wait."
The men went out quietly, and Aunt Catherine went on:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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