Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad with Tales and Miscellanies Now First Collected Volume III Part 12

Nay, that's true.

MARGERY.

Now let me help you on with your best coat. Pooh! what is the man about?--Why, you're putting the back to the front, and the front to the back, like Paddy from Cork, with his coat b.u.t.toned behind!

d.i.c.k.

My head do turn round, just for all the world like a peg-top.--A lady!

what _can_ a lady have to say to me, I wonder?

MARGERY.

May be, she's a customer.

d.i.c.k.

No, no, great gentlefolks like she never wears patched toes nor

heel-pieces, I reckon.

MARGERY.

Here's your hat. Now let me see how you can make a bow. (_He bows awkwardly._) Hold up your head--turn out your toes. That will do capital! (_She walks round him with admiration._) How nice you look!

there's ne'er a gentleman of them all can come up to my d.i.c.k.

d.i.c.k--(_hesitating._)

But--a--a--Meg, you'll come with me, won't you, and just see me safe in at the door, eh?

MARGERY.

Yes, to be sure; walk on before, and let me look at you. Hold up your head--there, that's it!

d.i.c.k--(_marching._)

Come along. Hang it, who's afraid?

[_They go out._

_Scene changes to a Drawing-room in the House of LADY AMARANTHE._

_Enter _Lady Amaranthe_, leaning upon her maid, MADEMOISELLE JUSTINE._

LADY AMARANTHE.

Avancez un fauteuil, ma chere! arrangez les coussins. (_JUSTINE settles the chair, and places a footstool. LADY AMARANTHE, sinking into the arm-chair with a languid air._) Justine, I shall die, I shall certainly die! I never can survive this!

JUSTINE.

Mon Dieu! madame, ne parlez pas comme ca! c'est m'enfoncer un poignard dans le coeur!

LADY AMARANTHE--(_despairingly._)

No rest--no possibility of sleeping--

JUSTINE.

Et le medecin de madame, qui a ordonne la plus grande tranquillite--qui a meme voulu que je me taisais--moi, par exemple!

LADY AMARANTHE.

After fatiguing myself to death with playing the agreeable to disagreeable people, and talking common-place to common-place acquaintance, I return home, to lay my aching head upon my pillow, and just as my eyes are closing, I start--I wake,--a voice that would rouse the dead out of their graves echoes in my ears! In vain I bury my head in the pillow--in vain draw the curtains close--multiply defences against my window--change from room to room--it haunts me! Ah! I think I hear it still! (_covering her ears_) it will certainly drive me distracted!

[_During this speech, JUSTINE has made sundry exclamations and gestures expressive of horror, sympathy, and commiseration._]

JUSTINE.

Vraiment, c'est affreux.

LADY AMARANTHE.

In any more civilized country it never could have been endured--I should have had him removed at once; but here the vulgar people talk of laws!

JUSTINE.

Ah, oui, madame, mais il faut avouer que c'est ici un pays bien barbare, ou tout le monde parle loi et metaphysique, et ou l'on ne fait point de difference entre les riches et les pauvres.

LADY AMARANTHE.

But what provokes me more than all the rest is this unheard-of insolence! (_rises and walks about the room_,)--a cobbler too--a cobbler who presumes to sing, and to sing when all the rest of the world is asleep! This is the march of intellect with a vengeance!

JUSTINE.

C'est vrai, il ne chante que des marches et de gros chansons a boire--s'il chantait bien doucement quelque joli roman par exemple--(_She sings_)--_dormez, dormez, mes chers amours_!

LADY AMARANTHE.

Justine, did you send the butler over to request civilly that he would not disturb me in the morning?

JUSTINE.

Oui, miladi, dat is, I have send John; de butler he was went out.

LADY AMARANTHE.

And his answer was, that he would sing in spite of me, and louder than ever?

JUSTINE.