The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. TitmarshThackeray, William Makepeace
General
The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh
Thackeray, William Makepeace
Christmas stories, English
I saw him the other night at Mrs. Bumpsher's grand let-off. He flung
himself down cross-legged on a pink satin sofa, so that you could see
Mrs. Bumpsher quiver with rage in the distance, Bruff growl with fury
from the further room, and Miss Pim, on whose frock Bulbul's feet
rested, look up like a timid fawn.
"Fan me, Miss Pim," said he of the cushion. "You look like a perfect
Peri to-night. You remind me of a girl I once knew in Circassia--Ameena,
the sister of Schamyl Bey. Do you know, Miss Pim, that you would fetch
twenty thousand piastres in the market at Constantinople?"
"Law, Mr. Bulbul!" is all Miss Pim can ejaculate; and having talked over
Miss Pim, Clarence goes off to another houri, whom he fascinates in a
similar manner. He charmed Mrs. Waddy by telling her that she was the
exact figure of the Pasha of Egypt's second wife. He gave Miss Tokely
a piece of the sack in which Zuleika was drowned; and he actually
persuaded that poor little silly Miss Vain to turn Mahometan, and sent
her up to the Turkish ambassador's to look out for a mufti.
THE DOVE OF OUR STREET.
If Bulbul is our Lion, Young Oriel may be described as The Dove of our
colony. He is almost as great a pasha among the ladies as Bulbul. They
crowd in flocks to see him at Saint Waltheof's, where the immense height
of his forehead, the rigid asceticism of his surplice, the twang with
which he intones the service, and the namby-pamby mysticism of his
sermons, have turned all the dear girls' heads for some time past.
While we were having a rubber at Mrs. Chauntry's, whose daughters are
following the new mode, I heard the following talk (which made me revoke
by the way) going on, in what was formerly called the young ladies'
room, but is now styled the Oratory:--
THE ORATORY.
MISS CHAUNTRY. MISS ISABEL CHAUNTRY.
MISS DE L'AISLE. MISS PYX.
REV. L. ORIEL. REV. O. SLOCUM--[In the further room.]
Miss Chauntry (sighing).--Is it wrong to be in the Guards, dear Mr.
Oriel?
Miss Pyx.--She will make Frank de Boots sell out when he marries.
Mr. Oriel.--To be in the Guards, dear sister? The church has always
encouraged the army. Saint Martin of Tours was in the army; Saint
Louis was in the army; Saint Waltheof, our patron, Saint Witikind of
Aldermanbury, Saint Wamba, and Saint Walloff were in the army. Saint
Wapshot was captain of the guard of Queen Boadicea; and Saint Werewolf
was a major in the Danish cavalry. The holy Saint Ignatius of Loyola
carried a pike, as we know; and--
Miss De l'Aisle.--Will you take some tea, dear Mr. Oriel?
Oriel.--This is not one of MY feast days, Sister Emma. It is the feast
of Saint Wagstatf of Walthamstow.
The Young Ladies.--And we must not even take tea?
Oriel.--Dear sisters, I said not so. YOU may do as you list; but I am
strong (with a heart-broken sigh); don't ply me (he reels). I took a
little water and a parched pea after matins. To-morrow is a flesh day,
and--and I shall be better then.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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