The party would willingly have stopped some time here on the declivity of
the hill, to enjoy the extensive prospect before them, had they not been
apprehensive of the dampness of the grass. “How delightful it would be,”
exclaimed some one, “if we had a Turkey carpet to lay down here!” The
wish was scarcely expressed when the man in the grey coat put his hand in
his pocket, and, with a modest and even humble air, pulled out a rich
Turkey carpet, embroidered in gold. The servant received it as a matter
of course, and spread it out on the desired spot; and, without any
ceremony, the company seated themselves on it. Confounded by what I saw,
I gazed again at the man, his pocket, and the carpet, which was more than
twenty feet in length and ten in breadth; and rubbed my eyes, not knowing
what to think, particularly as no one saw anything extraordinary in the
matter.
I would gladly have made some inquiries respecting the man, and asked who
he was, but knew not to whom I should address myself, for I felt almost
more afraid of the servants than of their master. At length I took
courage, and stepping up to a young man who seemed of less consequence
than the others, and who was more frequently standing by himself, I
begged of him, in a low tone, to tell me who the obliging gentleman was
in the grey cloak. “That man who looks like a piece of thread just
escaped from a tailor’s needle?” “Yes; he who is standing alone yonder.”
“I do not know,” was the reply; and to avoid, as it seemed, any further
conversation with me, he turned away, and spoke of some common-place
matters with a neighbour.
The sun’s rays now being stronger, the ladies complained of feeling
oppressed by the heat; and the lovely Fanny, turning carelessly to the
grey man, to whom I had not yet observed that any one had addressed the
most trifling question, asked him if, perhaps, he had not a tent about
him. He replied, with a low bow, as if some unmerited honour had been
conferred upon him; and, putting his hand in his pocket, drew from it
canvas, poles, cord, iron—in short, everything belonging to the most
splendid tent for a party of pleasure. The young gentlemen assisted in
pitching it: and it covered the whole carpet: but no one seemed to think
that there was anything extraordinary in it.
I had long secretly felt uneasy—indeed, almost horrified; but how was
this feeling increased when, at the next wish expressed, I saw him take
from his pocket three horses! Yes, Adelbert, three large beautiful
steeds, with saddles and bridles, out of the very pocket whence had
already issued a letter-case, a telescope, a carpet twenty feet broad and
ten in length, and a pavilion of the same extent, with all its
appurtenances! Did I not assure thee that my own eyes had seen all this,
thou wouldst certainly disbelieve it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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