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
. . . . . .
I did as I was ordered; and on coming back found master in what's
called, I think, the greffe of the prisn. The officer in waiting had
out a great register, and was talking to master in the French tongue, in
coarse; a number of poar prisners were looking eagerly on.
“Let us see, my lor,” says he; “the debt is 98,700 francs; there are
capture expenses, interest so much; and the whole sum amounts to a
hundred thousand francs, moins 13.”
Deuceace, in a very myjestic way, takes out of his pocketbook four
thowsnd pun notes. “This is not French money, but I presume that you
know it, M. Greffier,” says he.
The greffier turned round to old Solomon, a money-changer, who had one
or two clients in the prisn, and hapnd luckily to be there. “Les billets
sont bons,” says he. “Je les prendrai pour cent mille douze cent francs,
et j'espere, my lor, de vous revoir.”
“Good,” says the greffier; “I know them to be good, and I will give my
lor the difference, and make out his release.”
Which was done. The poar debtors gave a feeble cheer, as the great
dubble iron gates swung open and clang to again, and Deuceace stept out
and me after him, to breathe the fresh hair.
He had been in the place but six hours, and was now free again--free,
and to be married to ten thousand a year nex day. But, for all that, he
lookt very faint and pale. He HAD put down his great stake; and when he
came out of Sainte Pelagie, he had but fifty pounds left in the world!
Never mind--when onst the money's down, make your mind easy; and so
Deuceace did. He drove back to the Hotel Mirabew, where he ordered
apartmince infinately more splendid than befor; and I pretty soon told
Toinette, and the rest of the suvvants, how nobly he behayved, and how
he valyoud four thousnd pound no more than ditch water. And such was the
consquincies of my praises, and the poplarity I got for us boath, that
the delighted landlady immediantly charged him dubble what she would
have done, if it hadn been for my stoaries.
He ordered splendid apartmince, then, for the nex week; a
carridge-and-four for Fontainebleau to-morrow at 12 precisely; and
having settled all these things, went quietly to the “Roshy de Cancale,”
where he dined: as well he might, for it was now eight o'clock. I
didn't spare the shompang neither that night, I can tell you; for when
I carried the note he gave me for Miss Griffin in the evening, informing
her of his freedom, that young lady remarked my hagitated manner of
walking and speaking, and said, “Honest Charles! he is flusht with the
events of the day. Here, Charles, is a napoleon; take it and drink to
your mistress.”
I pockitid it; but, I must say, I didn't like the money--it went against
my stomick to take it.
CHAPTER IX.
THE MARRIAGE.
Well, the nex day came: at 12 the carridge-and-four was waiting at the
ambasdor's doar; and Miss Griffin and the faithfle Kicksey were punctial
to the apintment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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