The Flower of the Flock, Volume 1 (of 3)Egan, Pierce
General
The Flower of the Flock, Volume 1 (of 3)
Egan, Pierce
Fiction
Of what restrains him, government and laws.
For what one likes, if others like as well,
What serves one will, when many wills rebel?
How shall he keep what, sleeping or awake,
A weaker may surprise, a stronger take?
--Pope.
Mr. Grahame’s dissertation upon the improvement of land and the general
economy and management of estates had been abruptly interrupted by the
entrance of his daughter into the room where the guests and family were
assembled. His apathetic and somewhat drowsy auditor, the young Duke,
immediately on observing the approach of Helen Grahame, with a slight
excuse to his host, emancipated himself from the dull topic droned into
his ears, and advanced hastily to meet her.
Almost at the same moment, Whelks entered the apartment, with a printed
card upon a silver salver. It was _not_ an elegant production--the
typography was bold and in effect smudgy, and the general get-up smacked
rather loudly of the Seven Dials’ press.
It was dingy, too, and nibbled at the corners, indicating cogitation on
the part of the person whom it represented, the pasteboard having been
used unconsciously instead of the grimy thumb-nail.
The quick eye of Mr. Grahame caught sight of it almost the instant
Whelks crossed the threshold of the door, carrying it very much with
the air of one who had a huge slug on a plate, which he was seeking the
earliest opportunity to dispose of.
Mr. Grahame’s eyes flashed fire. What could the idiot mean by bringing
to him such a dun, drabby bit of card at such a moment. He glared at
Whelks, who remained unaffected; his gaze was upon the soiled article he
carried, and his reflections far away into the future, resting upon the
rosy hour when, liberated from flunkeydom, he should, with Sarah the
cook, unite hands and savings, and go into business. It was not, he
thought, with such “a hinfamous fustian smelling objek” as that which
rested on the silver salver, as though it had no business there, that he
should make his business announcement to a British public, bursting
with a desire to deal with him. And as he dreamed thus, he reached his
master.
Mrs. Grahame and Margaret Claverhouse, both with an astonishment and
indignation which their indomitable pride could barely repress, saw upon
the silver salver, in the hands of Whelks, the offensively dusky, shabby
card, and if glances could slay, Whelks’ remains would have been spread
over the magnificently “Sang”-decorated walls. He was, however, as
we have said, all unconscious of the effect he was creating upon the
members of the household, and he reached Mr. Gra-hame only to perceive
him glowering upon him like a tiger, inflamed with most sanguinary
intentions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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