He does not play billiards often, and never in public: but when he does
play, he always contrives to get hold of a good flat, and never leaves
him till he has done him uncommonly brown. He has lately been playing a
good deal with Famish.
When he makes his appearance in the drawing-room, which occasionally
happens at a hunt-meeting or a race-ball, he enjoys himself extremely.
His young friend is Ensign Famish, who is not a little pleased to be
seen with such a smart fellow as Rag, who bows to the best turf company
in the Park. Rag lets Famish accompany him to Tattersall's, and
sells him bargains in horse-flesh, and uses Famish's cab. That young
gentleman's regiment is in India, and he is at home on sick leave. He
recruits his health by being intoxicated every night, and fortifies his
lungs, which are weak, by smoking cigars all day. The policemen about
the Haymarket know the little creature, and the early cabmen salute him.
The closed doors of fish and lobster shops open after service, and vomit
out little Famish, who is either tipsy and quarrelsome--when he wants
to fight the cabmen; or drunk and helpless--when some kind friend (in
yellow satin) takes care of him. All the neighbourhood, the cabmen, the
police, the early potato-men, and the friends in yellow satin, know the
young fellow, and he is called Little Bobby by some of the very worst
reprobates in Europe.
His mother, Lady Fanny Famish, believes devoutly that Robert is in
London solely for the benefit of consulting the physician; is going to
have him exchanged into a dragoon regiment, which doesn't go to that
odious India; and has an idea that his chest is delicate, and that
he takes gruel every evening, when he puts his feet in hot water. Her
Ladyship resides at Cheltenham, and is of a serious turn.
Bobby frequents the 'Union Jack Club' of course; where he breakfasts on
pale ale and devilled kidneys at three o'clock; where beardless young
heroes of his own sort congregate, and make merry, and give each other
dinners; where you may see half-a-dozen of young rakes of the fourth
or fifth order lounging and smoking on the steps; where you behold
Slapper's long-tailed leggy mare in the custody of a red-jacket until
the Captain is primed for the Park with a glass of curacoa; and where
you see Hobby, of the Highland Buffs, driving up with Dobby, of the
Madras Fusiliers, in the great banging, swinging cab, which the latter
hires from Rumble of Bond Street.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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