Nasby in Exile: or, Six Months of Travel in England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, with many things not of travel — John Locke — John Shaqi
Nasby in Exile: or, Six Months of Travel in England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, with many things not of travel
John Locke · en
One evening at the _Jardin Bullier_ one young fellow, utterly and
entirely brainless, evidently the fop of his quarter, appeared dressed,
to his taste, gorgeously. He wore a pearl gray suit; the bottoms of his
trowsers were so absurdly wide that they covered his boot; his coat
sleeves were so wide that they made a fair match for his trowsers; his
cuffs (with a showy sham button) came down to his knuckles; his shirt
collar was cut half way down his breast, and his hat was the most
painful in shine that I had ever seen. He was, in short, gotten up
regardless of expense, and entirely for effect.
This young fellow offered some slight indignity to a girl with whom he
was dancing. Very promptly she cried out, and in an instant the dancing
was suspended. "Put him out!" cried those near them, who comprehended
the matter. "Put him out! Put him out!" was echoed from one side to the
other of the vast hall, and a rush of excited Frenchmen was made toward
that part of the room. The fellow attempted some sort of an explanation,
but it was of no avail. Out he went, guilty or not. In that place
everybody must be like Cæsar's wife--above suspicion. Out he went, and
the dancing was resumed with redoubled fury. A duty discharged, they
might abandon themselves to pleasure with increased zest. All the
difference was those who had yelled "Put him out" the loudest, kicked a
trifle higher than before, and went crab-like sideways with more
extraordinary contortions.
Tibbitts and the Professor had an awkward experience the first night
they were in Paris. The Professor had received a letter from Tibbitts'
father requesting him to look after the young man, and see that he
attended to legitimate matters and be not carried away with the
frivolities of Parisian life, which destroy so many inexperienced youth.
In fact, he gave the Professor authority in the matter, and made him a
sort of a guardian over him.
After dinner the Professor showed Tibbitts the letter and assumed
control at once.
"To-night, Lemuel, I have to meet the American delegates to the
International Science Congress, and I cannot be with you. But I must
exact a promise from you that you will not go to any of those public
balls, such as the Mabille. I have no objection to your visiting the
Opera, for I understand the building itself is a study, and it is
perhaps well that you should hear and enjoy the music of the masters.
This is as far as I can permit you to go. You promise?"
"Certainly," replied Tibbitts, "though it is not necessary. Without a
promise I should not go to those wicked places."
[Illustration: THE MEETING OF TIBBITTS AND THE PROFESSOR.]
Scene the second: The Jardin Mabille--music, lights, gaily dressed
women, little tables, wine, and all that sort of thing.