贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the book of snobs >

第15章

the book of snobs-第15章

小说: the book of snobs 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




Comedy; with no less than twenty emendations upon the

German text of Schnupfenius and Schnapsius。  These

Services to religion instantly pointed him out for

advancement in the Church; and he is now President of

Saint Boniface; and very narrowly escaped the bench。



Crump thinks Saint Boniface the centre of the world; and

his position as President the highest in England。  He

expects the fellows and tutors to pay him the same sort

of service that Cardinals pay to the Pope。  I am sure

Crawler would have no objection to carry his trencher; or

Page to hold up the skirts of his gown as he stalks into

chapel。  He roars out the responses there as if it were

an honour to heaven that the President of Saint Boniface

should take a part in the service; and in his own lodge

and college acknowledges the Sovereign only as his

superior。



When the allied monarchs came down; and were made Doctors

of the University; a breakfast was given at Saint

Boniface; on which occasion Crump allowed the Emperor

Alexander to walk before him; but took the PAS himself of

the King of Prussia and Prince Blucher。  He was going to

put the Hetman Platoff to breakfast at a side…table with

the under college tutors; but he was induced to relent;

and merely entertained that distinguished Cossack with a

discourse on his own language; in which he showed that

the Hetman knew nothing about it。



As for us undergraduates; we scarcely knew more about

Crump than about the Grand Llama。  A few favoured youths

are asked occasionally to tea at the lodge; but they do

not speak unless first addressed by the Doctor; and if

they venture to sit down; Crump's follower; Mr。 Toady;

whispers; 'Gentlemen; will you have the kindness to get

up?The President is passing;' or 'Gentlemen; the

President prefers that undergraduates should not sit

down;' or words to a similar effect。



To do Crump justice; he does not cringe now to great

people。  He rather patronizes them than otherwise; and;

in London; speaks quite affably to a Duke who has been

brought up at his college; or holds out a finger to a

Marquis。  He does not disguise his own origin; but brags

of it with considerable self…gratulation:'I was a

Charity…boy;' says he; 'see what I am now; the greatest

Greek scholar of the greatest College of the greatest

University of the greatest Empire in the world。'  The

argument being; that this is a capital world; for

beggars; because he; being a beggar; has managed to get

on horseback。



Hugby owes his eminence to patient merit and agreeable

perseverance。  He is a meek; mild; inoffensive creature;

with just enough of scholarship to fit him to hold a

lecture; or set an examination paper。  He rose by

kindness to the aristocracy。  It was wonderful to see the

way in which that poor creature grovelled before a

nobleman or a lord's nephew; or even some noisy and

disreputable commoner; the friend of a lord。  He used to

give the young noblemen the most painful and elaborate

breakfasts; and adopt a jaunty genteel air; and talk with

them (although he was decidedly serious) about the opera;

or the last run with the hounds。  It was good to watch

him in the midst of a circle of young tufts; with his

mean; smiling; eager; uneasy familiarity。  He used to

write home confidential letters to their parents; and

made it his duty to call upon them when in town; to

condole or rejoice with them when a death; birth; or

marriage took place in their family; and to feast them

whenever they came to the University。  I recollect a

letter lying on a desk in his lecture…room for a whole

term; beginning; 'My Lord Duke。'  It was to show us that

he corresponded with such dignities。



When the late lamented Lord Glenlivat; who broke his neck

at a hurdle…race; at the premature age of twenty…four;

was at the University; the amiable young fellow; passing

to his rooms in the early morning; and seeing Hugby's

boots at his door; on the same staircase; playfully

wadded the insides of the boots with cobbler's wax; which

caused excruciating pains to the Rev。 Mr。 Hugby; when he

came to take them off the same evening; before dining

with the Master of St。 Crispin's。



Everybody gave the credit of this admirable piece of fun

to Lord Glenlivat's friend; Bob Tizzy; who was famous for

such feats; and who had already made away with the

college pump…handle; filed St。 Boniface's nose smooth

with his face; carried off four images of nigger…boys

from the tobacconists; painted the senior proctor's horse

pea…green; &c。 &c。; and Bob (who was of the party

certainly; and would not peach;) was just on the point of

incurring expulsion; and so losing the family living

which was in store for him; when Glenlivat nobly stepped

forward; owned himself to be the author of the delightful

JEU…D'ESPRIT; apologized to the tutor; and accepted the

rustication。



Hugby cried when Glenlivat apologized; if the young

nobleman had kicked him round the court; I believe the

tutor would have been happy; so that an apology and a

reconciliation might subsequently ensue。  'My lord;' said

he; 'in your conduct on this and all other occasions; you

have acted as becomes a gentleman; you have been an

honour to the University; as you will be to the peerage;

I am sure; when the amiable vivacity of youth is calmed

down; and you are called upon to take your proper share

in the government of the nation。'  And when his lordship

took leave of the University; Hugby presented him with a

copy of his 'Sermons to a Nobleman's Family' (Hugby was

once private tutor to the Sons of the Earl of

Muffborough); which Glenlivat presented in return to Mr。

William Ramm; known to the fancy as the Tutbury Pet; and

the sermons now figure on the boudoir…table of Mrs。 Ramm;

behind the bar of her house of entertainment; 'The Game

Cock and Spurs;' near Woodstock; Oxon。



At the beginning of the long vacation; Hugby comes to

town; and puts up in handsome lodgings near St。 James's

Square; rides in the Park in the afternoon; and is

delighted to read his name in the morning papers among

the list of persons present at Muffborough House; and the

Marquis of Farintosh's evening…parties。  He is a member

of Sydney Scraper's Club; where; however; he drinks his

pint of claret。



Sometimes you may see him on Sundays; at the hour when

tavern doors open; whence issue little girls with great

jugs of porter; when charity…boys walk the streets;

bearing brown dishes of smoking shoulders of mutton and

baked 'taturs; when Sheeny and Moses are seen smoking

their pipes before their lazy shutters in Seven Dials;

when a crowd of smiling persons in clean outlandish

dresses; in monstrous bonnets and flaring printed gowns;

or in crumpled glossy coats and silks that bear the

creases of the drawers where they have lain all the week;

file down High Street;sometimes; I say; you may see

Hugby coming out of the Church of St。 Giles…in…the…

Fields; with a stout gentlewoman leaning on his arm;

whose old face bears an expression of supreme pride and

happiness as she glances round at all the neighbours; and

who faces the curate himself and marches into Holborn;

where she pulls the bell of a house over which is

inscribed; 'Hugby; Haberdasher。'  It is the mother of the

Rev。 F。 Hugby; as proud of her son in his white choker as

Cornelia of her jewels at Rome。  That is old Hugby

bringing up the rear with the Prayer…books; and Betsy

Hugby the old maid; his daughter;old Hugby; Haberdasher

and Church…warden。



In the front room upstairs; where the dinner is laid out;

there is a picture of Muffborough Castle; of the Earl of

Muffborough; K。X。; Lord…Lieutenant for Diddlesex; an

engraving; from an almanac; of Saint Boniface College;

Oxon; and a sticking…plaster portrait of Hugby when

young; in a cap and gown。  A copy of his 'Sermons to a

Nobleman's Family' is on the bookshelf; by the 'Whole

Duty of Man;' the Reports of the M

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 2

你可能喜欢的