Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
“You do, sir; I tell you, you do! and what's more, I wish the same
to you--transported, at any rate! But as two sailors, when a boat's
a-sinking, though they hate each other ever so much, will help and bale
the boat out; so, sir, let US act: let us be the two sailors.”
“Bail, sir?” said Eglantine, as usual mistaking the drift of the
argument. “I'll bail no man! If you're in difficulties, I think you had
better go to your senior partner, Mr Woolsey.” And Eglantine's cowardly
little soul was filled with a savage satisfaction to think that his
enemy was in distress, and actually obliged to come to HIM for succour.
“You're enough to make Job swear, you great fat stupid lazy old barber!”
roared Mr. Woolsey, in a fury.
Eglantine jumped up and made for the bell-rope. The gallant little
tailor laughed.
“There's no need to call in Betsy,” said he. “I'm not a-going to eat
you, Eglantine; you're a bigger man than me: if you were just to fall on
me, you'd smother me! Just sit still on the sofa and listen to reason.”
“Well, sir, pro-ceed,” said the barber with a gasp.
“Now, listen! What's the darling wish of your heart? I know it, sir!
you've told it to Mr. Tressle, sir, and other gents at the club. The
darling wish of your heart, sir, is to have a slap-up coat turned out of
the ateliers of Messrs. Linsey, Woolsey and Company. You said you'd give
twenty guineas for one of our coats, you know you did! Lord Bolsterton's
a fatter man than you, and look what a figure we turn HIM out. Can any
firm in England dress Lord Bolsterton but us, so as to make his Lordship
look decent? I defy 'em, sir! We could have given Daniel Lambert a
figure!”
“If I want a coat, sir,” said Mr. Eglantine, “and I don't deny it,
there's some people want a HEAD OF HAIR!”
“That's the very point I was coming to,” said the tailor, resuming the
violent blush which was mentioned as having suffused his countenance
at the beginning of the conversation. “Let us have terms of mutual
accommodation. Make me a wig, Mr. Eglantine, and though I never yet cut
a yard of cloth except for a gentleman, I'll pledge you my word I'll
make you a coat.”
“WILL you, honour bright?” says Eglantine.
“Honour bright,” says the tailor. “Look!” and in an instant he drew
from his pocket one of those slips of parchment which gentlemen of his
profession carry, and putting Eglantine into the proper position, began
to take the preliminary observations. He felt Eglantine's heart
thump with happiness as his measure passed over that soft part of the
perfumer's person.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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