The Memoirs of Mr. Charles J. YellowplushThackeray, William Makepeace
General
The Memoirs of Mr. Charles J. Yellowplush
Thackeray, William Makepeace
Didactic fiction; England -- Fiction; Household employees -- Fiction; Humorous stories; Master and servant -- Fiction
“Well, well,” says Mr. Thomas Smith Dawkins, as pleased as if he had
gained a millium, “shall it be to-morrow? Blewitt, what say you?”
Mr. Blewitt agreed, in course. My master, after a little demurring,
consented too. “We'll meet,” says he, “at your chambers. But mind, my
dear fello, not too much wine: I can't stand it at any time, especially
when I have to play ecarte with YOU.”
Pore Dawkins left our rooms as happy as a prins. “Here, Charles,” says
he, and flung me a sovring. Pore fellow! pore fellow! I knew what was
a-comin!
But the best of it was, that these 13 sovrings which Dawkins won, MASTER
HAD BORROWED THEM FROM MR. BLEWITT! I brought 'em, with 7 more, from
that young genlmn's chambers that very morning: for, since his interview
with master, Blewitt had nothing to refuse him.
Well, shall I continue the tail? If Mr. Dawkins had been the least bit
wiser, it would have taken him six months befoar he lost his money; as
it was, he was such a confunded ninny, that it took him a very short
time to part with it.
Nex day (it was Thursday, and master's acquaintance with Mr. Dawkins
had only commenced on Tuesday), Mr. Dawkins, as I said, gev his
party,--dinner at 7. Mr. Blewitt and the two Mr. D.'s as befoar. Play
begins at 11. This time I knew the bisness was pretty serious, for
we suvvants was packed off to bed at 2 o'clock. On Friday, I went to
chambers--no master--he kem in for 5 minutes at about 12, made a little
toilit, ordered more devvles and soda-water, and back again he went to
Mr. Dawkins's.
They had dinner there at 7 again, but nobody seamed to eat, for all the
vittles came out to us genlmn: they had in more wine though, and must
have drunk at least two dozen in the 36 hours.
At ten o'clock, however, on Friday night, back my master came to his
chambers. I saw him as I never saw him before, namly reglar drunk. He
staggered about the room, he danced, he hickipd, he swoar, he flung me
a heap of silver, and, finely, he sunk down exosted on his bed; I pullin
off his boots and close, and making him comfrabble.
When I had removed his garmints, I did what it's the duty of every
servant to do--I emtied his pockits, and looked at his pockit-book and
all his letters: a number of axdents have been prevented that way.
I found there, among a heap of things, the following pretty dockyment--
I. O. U.
L 4700.
THOMAS SMITH DAWKINS.
Friday, 16th January.
There was another bit of paper of the same kind--“I. 0. U. four hundred
pounds: Richard Blewitt:” but this, in corse, ment nothink.
. . . . . .
Nex mornin, at nine, master was up, and as sober as a judg. He drest,
and was off to Mr. Dawkins. At ten, he ordered a cab, and the two
gentlmn went together.
“Where shall he drive, sir?” says I.
“Oh, tell him to drive to THE BANK.”
Pore Dawkins! his eyes red with remors and sleepliss drunkenniss, gave a
shudder and a sob, as he sunk back in the wehicle; and they drove on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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