the book of snobs-第25章

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！



through　Europe；　and　are　to　be　found　at　the　right　places

at　the　right　time。　　Last　year　I　heard　how　my　young

acquaintance；　Mr。　Muff；　from　Oxford；　going　to　see　a

little　life　at　a　Carnival　ball　at　Paris；　was　accosted　by

an　Englishman　who　did　not　know　a　word　of　the　d

language；　and　hearing　Muff　speak　it　so　admirably；　begged

him　to　interpret　to　a　waiter　with　whom　there　was　a

dispute　about　refreshments。　　It　was　quite　a　comfort；　the

stranger　said；　to　see　an　honest　English　face；　and　did

Muff　know　where　there　was　a　good　place　for　supper？　　So

those　two　went　to　supper；　and　who　should　come　in；　of　all

men　in　the　world；　but　Major　Macer？　　And　so　Legg

introduced　Macer；　and　so　there　came　on　a　little　intimacy；

and　three…card　loo；　&c。　&c。。　　Year　after　year　scores　of

Muffs；　in　various　places　in　the　world；　are　victimised　by

Legg　and　Macer。　　The　story　is　so　stale；　the　trick　of

seduction　so　entirely　old　and　clumsy；　that　it　is　only　a

wonder　people　can　be　taken　in　any　more：　but　the

temptations　of　vice　and　gentility　together　are　too　much

for　young　English　Snobs；　and　those　simple　young　victims

are　caught　fresh　every　day。　　Though　it　is　only　to　be

kicked　and　cheated　by　men　of　fashion；　your　true　British

Snob　will　present　himself　for　the　honour。



I　need　not　allude　here　to　that　very　common　British　Snob；

who　makes　desperate　efforts　at　becoming　intimate　with　the

great　Continental　aristocracy；　such　as　old　Rolls；　the

baker；　who　has　set　up　his　quarters　in　the　Faubourg　Saint

Germain；　and　will　receive　none　but　Carlists；　and　no

French　gentleman　under　the　rank　of　a　Marquis。　　We　can　all

of　us　laugh　at　THAT　fellow's　pretensions　well　enoughwe

who　tremble　before　a　great　man　of　our　own　nation。　　But；

as　you　say；　my　brave　and　honest　John　Bull　of　a　Snob；　a

French　Marquis　of　twenty　descents　is　very　different　from

an　English　Peer；　and　a　pack　of　beggarly　German　and

Italian　Fuersten　and　Principi　awaken　the　scorn　of　an

honest…minded　Briton。　　But　our　aristocracy！that's　a

very　different　matter。　　They　are　the　real　leaders　of　the

worldthe　real　old　original　and…no…mistake　nobility。



Off　with　your　cap；　Snob；　down　on　your　knees；　Snob；　and

truckle。







CHAPTER　XXIV



ON　SOME　COUNTRY　SNOBS



Tired　of　the　town；　where　the　sight　of　the　closed　shutters

of　the　nobility；　my　friends；　makes　my　heart　sick　in　my

walks；　afraid　almost　to　sit　in　those　vast　Pall　Mall

solitudes；　the　Clubs；　and　of　annoying　the　Club　waiters；

who　might；　I　thought；　be　going　to　shoot　in　the　country；

but　for　me；　I　determined　on　a　brief　tour　in　the

provinces；　and　paying　some　visits　in　the　country　which

were　long　due。



My　first　visit　was　to　my　friend　Major　Ponto　（H。P。　of　the

Horse　Marines）；　in　Mangelwurzelshire。　　The　Major；　in　his

little　phaeton；　was　in　waiting　to　take　me　up　at　the

station。　　The　vehicle　was　not　certainly　splendid；　but

such　a　carriage　as　would　accommodate　a　plain　man　（as

Ponto　said　he　was）　and　a　numerous　family。　　We　drove　by

beautiful　fresh　fields　and　green　hedges；　through　a

cheerful　English　landscape；　the　high…road；　as　smooth　and

trim　as　the　way　in　a　nobleman's　park；　was　charmingly

chequered　with　cool　shade　and　golden　sunshine。　　Rustics

in　snowy　smock…frocks　jerked　their　hats　off　smiling　as　we

passed。　　Children；　with　cheeks　as　red　as　the　apples　in

the　orchards；　bobbed　curtsies　to　us　at　the　cottage…doors。

Blue　church　spires　rose　here　and　there　in　the　distance：

and　as　the　buxom　gardener's　wife　opened　the　white　gate　at

the　Major's　little　ivy…covered　lodge；　and　we　drove

through　the　neat　plantations　of　firs　and　evergreens；　up

to　the　house；　my　bosom　felt　a　joy　and　elation　which　I

thought　it　was　impossible　to　experience　in　the　smoky

atmosphere　of　a　town。　　'Here；'　I　mentally　exclaimed；　'is

all　peace；　plenty；　happiness。　　Here；　I　shall　be　rid　of

Snobs。　　There　can　be　none　in　this　charming　Arcadian

spot。'



Stripes；　the　Major's　man　（formerly　corporal　in　his

gallant　corps）；　received　my　portmanteau；　and　an　elegant

little　present；　which　I　had　brought　from　town　as　a　peace…

offering　to　Mrs。　Ponto；　viz。；　a　cod　and　oysters　from

Grove's；　in　a　hamper　about　the　size　of　a　coffin。



Ponto's　house　（'The　Evergreens'　Mrs。　P。　has　christened

it）　is　a　perfect　Paradise　of　a　place。　　It　is　all　over

creepers；　and　bow…windows；　and　verandahs。　　A　wavy　lawn

tumbles　up　and　down　all　round　it；　with　flower…beds　of

wonderful　shapes；　and　zigzag　gravel　walks；　and　beautiful

but　damp　shrubberies　of　myrtles　and　glistening

laurustines；　which　have　procured　it　its　change　of　name。

It　was　called　Little　Bullock's　Pound　in　old　Doctor

Ponto's　time。　　I　had　a　view　of　the　pretty　grounds；　and

the　stable；　and　the　adjoining　village　and　church；　and　a

great　park　beyond；　from　the　windows　of　the　bedroom

whither　Ponto　conducted　me。　　It　was　the　yellow　bedroom；

the　freshest　and　pleasantest　of　bed…chambers；　the　air　was

fragrant　with　a　large　bouquet　that　was　placed　on　the

writing…table；　the　linen　was　fragrant　with　the　lavender

in　which　it　had　been　laid；　the　chintz　hangings　of　the　bed

and　the　big　sofa　were；　if　not　fragrant　with　flowers；　at

least　painted　all　over　with　them；　the　pen…wiper　on　the

table　was　the　imitation　of　a　double　dahlia；　and　there　was

accommodation　for　my　watch　in　a　sun…flower　on　the

mantelpiece。　　A　scarlet…leaved　creeper　came　curling　over

the　windows；　through　which　the　setting　sun　was　pouring　a

flood　of　golden　light。　　It　was　all　flowers　and　freshness。

Oh；　how　unlike　those　black　chimney…pots　in　St。　Alban's

Place；　London；　on　which　these　weary　eyes　are　accustomed

to　look。



'It　must　be　all　happiness　here；　Ponto；'　said　I；　flinging

myself　down　into　the　snug　BERGERE；　and　inhaling　such　a

delicious　draught　of　country　air　as　all　the　MILLEFLEURS

of　Mr。　Atkinson's　shop　cannot　impart　to　any　the　most

expensive　pocket…handkerchief。



'Nice　place；　isn't　it？'　said　Ponto。　　'Quiet　and

unpretending。　　I　like　everything　quiet。　　You've　not

brought　your　valet　with　you？　　Stripes　will　arrange　your

dressing　things；'　and　that　functionary；　entering　at　the

same　time；　proceeded　to　gut　my　portmanteau；　and　to　lay

out　the　black　kerseymeres；　'the　rich　cut　velvet　Genoa

waistcoat；'　the　white　choker；　and　other　polite　articles

of　evening　costume；　with　great　gravity　and　despatch。　　'A

great　dinner…party；'　thinks　I　to　myself；　seeing　these

preparations　（and　not；　perhaps；　displeased　at　the　idea

that　some　of　the　best　people　in　the　neighbourhood　were

coming　to　see　me）。　　'Hark；　theres　the　first　bell　ringing！

'said　Ponto；　moving　away；　and；　in　fact；　a　clamorous

harbinger　of　victuals　began　clanging　from　the　stable

turret；　and　announced　the　agreeable　fact　that　dinner

would　appear　in　half…an…hour。　　'If　the　dinner　is　as　grand

as　the　dinner…bell；'　thought　I；　'faith；　I'm　in　good

quarters！'　and　had　leisure；　during　the　half…hour's

interval；　not　only　to　advance　my　own　person　to　the　utmost

polish　of　elegance　which　it　is　capable　of　receiving；　to

admire　the　pedigree　of　the　Pontos　hanging　over　the

chimney；　and　the　Ponto　crest　and　arms　emblazoned　on　the

wash…hand　basin　and　jug；　but　to　make　a　thousand

reflections　on　the　happiness　of　a　country　lifeupon　the

innocent　friendliness　and　cordiality　of　rustic

intercourse；　and　to　sigh　for　an　opportunity　of　retiring；

like　Ponto；　to　my　own　fields；　to　my　own　vine　and　fig…

tree；　with　a　placens　uxor　in　my　domus；　and　a　half…score

of　sweet　young　pledges　of　affection　sporting　round　my

paternal　knee。



Clang！　　At　the　end　of　thirty　minutes；　dinner…bell　number

two　pealed　from　the　adjacent　turret。　　I　hastened

downstairs；　expecting　to　find　a　score　of　healthy　country

folk　in　the　drawing…room。　　There　was　only　one　person

there；　a　tall　and　Roman…nosed　lady；　glistering　over　with

bugles；　in　deep　mourning。　　She　rose；　advanced　two　steps；

made　a　majestic　curtsey；　during　which　all　the　bugles　in

her　awful　head…dress　began　to　twiddle　and　quiverand

then　said；　'Mr。　Snob；　we　are　very　happy　to　see　you　at　the

Evergreens；'　and　heaved　a　great　sigh。



Thi