"But--never mind," I say; "I shall see all the _boxes_ in time." So he
kick his leg upon the board, and cry "cheat!" and we are out into the
country in lesser than one minute, and roll at so grand pace, what I
have had fear we will be reversed. But after little times, I take
courage, and we begin to entertain together: but I hear one of the
wheels cry squeak, so I tell him, "Sir--one of the wheel would be
greased;" then he make reply, nonchalancely, "Oh--it is nothing but one
of the _boxes_ what is too tight." But it is very long time after as I
learn that wheel a _box_ was pipe of iron what go turn round upon the
axle.
Well--we fly away at the pace of charge. I see great castles many; then
come a pretty house of country well ornated, and I make inquire what it
should be. "Oh!" responsed he, "I not remember the gentleman's name, but
it is what we call a snug country _box_."
Then I feel myself abymed at despair, and begin to suspect that he
amused himself. But, still I tell myself, "Well--never mind; we shall
see." And then after some times, there come another house, all alone
in a forest, not ornated at all. "What, how you call that?" I demand
of him. "Oh!" he responded again, "that is a shooting _box_ of Lord
Killfots." "Oh!" I cry at last out, "that is little too strong;" but
he hoisted his shoulders and say nothing. Well, we come at a house of
country ancient, with the trees cut like some peacocks, and I demand,
"What you call these trees?" "_Box_, sir," he tell me. "Devil is in the
_box_!" I say at myself. "But--never mind; we shall see." So I myself
refreshed with a pinch of snuff, and offer him, and he take very polite,
and remark upon an instant, "That is a very handsome _box_ of yours,
sir."
"Morbleu!" I exclaimed with inadvertencyness, but I stop myself. Then
he pull out his snuff-_box_, and I take a pinch, because I like at
home to be sociable when I am out at voyages, and not show some pride
with inferior. It was of wood beautiful with turnings, and colour of
yellowish. So I was pleased to admire very much, and inquire the name of
the wood, and again he say, "_Box_, sir!" Well--I hold myself with
patience, but it was difficilly; and we keep with great gallop, till we
come at a great crowd of the people. Then I say, "What for all so large
concourse?"--"Oh!" he response again, "there is one grand _boxing_
match--a battle here to-day."--"Peste!" I tell myself, "a battle of
_boxes_! Well, never mind! I hope it can be a combat at the outrance,
and they all shall destroy one another, for I am fatigued."
Well--we arrive at an hotel, very superb, all as it ought, and I demand
a morsel to refresh myself. I go into a salon, but, before I finish,
great noise come into the passage, and I pull the bell's rope to demand
why so great tapage? The waiter tell me, and he laugh at same time, but
very civil no less, "Oh, sir, it is only two of the women what quarrel,
and one has given another a _box_ on the ear."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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