England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
Fondness for art leads me a great deal to this studio. George is a
gentleman, and has very good friends, and good pluck too. When we were
at Rome there was a great row between him and young Heeltap, Lord
Boxmoor’s son, who was uncivil to Miss Rumbold; (the young
scoundrel--had I been a fighting man I should like to have shot him
myself!) Lady Betty Bulbul is very fond of Clara, and Tom Bulbul, who
took George’s message to Heeltap, is always hanging about the studio. At
least I know that I find the young jackanapes there almost every day;
bringing a new novel, or some poisonous French poetry, or a basket of
flowers, or grapes, with Lady Betty’s love to her dear Clara--a young
rascal with white kids, and his hair curled every morning. What business
has _he_ to be dangling about George Rumbold’s premises, and sticking up
his ugly pug-face as a model for all George’s pictures?
Miss Clapperclaw says Bulbul is evidently smitten, and Clara too. What!
would she put up with such a little fribble as that, when there is a man
of intellect and taste who--but I won’t believe it. It is all the
jealousy of women.
[Illustration: SOME OF OUR GENTLEMEN.]
SOME OF THE SERVANTS IN OUR STREET.
These gentlemen have two clubs in our quarter--for the butlers at the
Indiaman, and for the gents in livery at the Paddington Arms--of either
of which societies I should like to be a member. I am sure they could
not be so dull as Our Club at the Poluphloisboio, where one meets the
same neat clean respectable old fogies every day.
But with the best wishes, it is impossible for the present writer to
join either the Plate Club or the Uniform Club (as these _réunions_ are
designated), for one could not shake hands with a friend who was
standing behind your chair--or nod a how-dye-do to the batter who was
pouring you out a glass of wine;--so that what I know about the gents in
our neighbourhood is from mere casual observation. For instance, I have
a slight acquaintance with, 1, Thomas Spavin, who commonly wears the
above air of injured innocence, and is groom to Mr. Joseph Green, of Our
Street. “_I_ tell why the Brougham oss is out of condition, and why
Desperation broke out all in a lather! Osses will this eavy weather;
and Desperation was always the most mystest hoss I ever see.--_I_ take
him out with Mr. Anderson’s ounds--I’m above it. I allis was too timid
to ride to ounds by natur; and Colonel Sprigs’ groom as says he saw me,
is a liar,” &c., &c.
Such is the tenor of Mr. Spavin’s remarks to his master. Whereas all the
world in Our Street knows that Mr. Spavin spends at least a hundred
a-year in beer; that he keeps a betting-book; that he has lent Mr.
Green’s black Brougham horse to the omnibus driver; and at a time when
Mr. G. supposed him at the veterinary surgeon’s, has lent him to a
livery stable, which has let him out to that gentleman himself, and
actually driven him to dinner behind his own horse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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