Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
“When I get my coat,” thought the Bond Street Alnaschar, “I'll hire
of Snaffle that easy-going cream-coloured 'oss that he bought from
Astley's, and I'll canter through the Park, and WON'T I pass through
Little Bunker's Buildings, that's all? I'll wear my grey trousers with
the velvet stripe down the side, and get my spurs lacquered up, and a
French polish to my boot; and if I don't DO for the Captain, and the
tailor too, my name's not Archibald. And I know what I'll do: I'll hire
the small clarence, and invite the Crumps to dinner at the 'Gar and
Starter'” (this was his facetious way of calling the “Star and Garter”),
“and I'll ride by them all the way to Richmond. It's rather a long ride,
but with Snaffle's soft saddle I can do it pretty easy, I dare say.” And
so the honest fellow built castles upon castles in the air; and the last
most beautiful vision of all was Miss Crump “in white satting, with a
horange flower in her 'air,” putting him in possession of “her lovely
'and before the haltar of St. George's, 'Anover Square.” As for Woolsey,
Eglantine determined that he should have the best wig his art could
produce; for he had not the least fear of his rival.
These points then being arranged to the poor fellow's satisfaction, what
does he do but send out for half a quire of pink note-paper, and in a
filagree envelope despatch a note of invitation to the ladies at the
“Bootjack”:--
“BOWER OF BLOOM, BOND STREET:
“Thursday.
“MR. ARCHIBALD EGLANTINE presents his compliments to Mrs. and Miss
Crump, and requests the HONOUR AND PLEASURE of their company at the
'Star and Garter' at Richmond to an early dinner on Sunday next.
“IF AGREEABLE, Mr. Eglantine's carriage will be at your door at three
o'clock, and I propose to accompany them on horseback, if agreeable
likewise.”
This note was sealed with yellow wax, and sent to its destination; and
of course Mr. Eglantine went himself for the answer in the evening: and
of course he told the ladies to look out for a certain new coat he was
going to sport on Sunday; and of course Mr. Walker happens to call the
next day with spare tickets for Mrs. Crump and her daughter, when the
whole secret was laid bare to him--how the ladies were going to Richmond
on Sunday in Mr. Snaffle's clarence, and how Mr. Eglantine was to ride
by their side.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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