CRINOLINE.
BY JE-MES PL-SH, ESQ.
I.
I"m not at libbaty to divulj the reel names of the 2 Eroes of the igstrawny Tail which I am abowt to relait to those unlightnd paytrons of letarature and true connyshures of merrit--the great Brittish public--But I pledj my varacity that this singlar story of rewmantic love, absobbing pashn, and likewise of GENTEEL LIFE, is, in the main fax, TREW. The suckmstanzas I elude to, ocurd in the rain of our presnt Gratious Madjisty and her beluvd and roil Concert Prince Halbert.
Welthen. Some time in the seazen of 18-- (mor I dar not rewheel) there arrived in this metropulus, per seknd cla.s.s of the London and Dover Railway, an ellygant young foring gentleman, whom I shall danomminate Munseer Jools De Chacabac.
Having read through "The Vicker of Wackfield" in the same oridga.n.a.l English tung in which this very harticle I write is wrote too, and halways been remarkyble, both at collidge and in the estamminy, for his aytred and orror of perfidgus Halbion, Munseer Jools was considered by the prapriretors of the newspaper in which he wrote, at Parris, the very man to come to this country, igsamin its manners and customs, cast an i upon the politticle and finalshle stat of the Hempire, and igspose the mackynations of the infyamous Palmerston, and the ebomminable Sir Pill--both enemies of France; as is every other Britten of that great, gloarus, libberal, and peasable country. In one word, Jools de Chacabac was a penny-a-liner.
"I will go see with my own I"s," he said, "that infimus hiland of which the innabitants are shopkeepers, gorged with roast beef and treason.
I will go and see the murderers of the Hirish, the pisoners of the Chynese, the villians who put the Hemperor to death in Saintyleany, the artful dodges who wish to smother Europe with their cotton, and can"t sleep or rest heasy for henvy and hatred of the great inwinsable French nation. I will igsammin, face to face, these hotty insularies; I will pennytrate into the secrets of their Jessywhittickle cabinet, and beard Palmerston in his denn." When he jumpt on shor at Foaxton (after having been tremenguously sick in the fourcabbing), he exclaimed, "Enfin je te tiens, Ile maudite! je te crache a la figure, vieille Angleterre! Je te foule a mes pieds an nom du monde outrage," and so proseaded to inwade the metropulus.
As he wisht to micks with the very chicest sosiaty, and git the best of infamation about this country, Munseer Jools of coa.r.s.e went and lodgd in Lester Square--Lester Squarr, as he calls it--which, as he was infommed in the printed suckular presented to him by a very greasy but polite comishner at the Custumus Stares, was in the scenter of the town, contiggus to the Ouses of Parlyment, the prinsple theayters, the parx, St. Jams Pallice, and the Corts of Lor. "I can surwhey them all at one cut of the eye," Jools thought; "the Sovring, the infamus Ministers plotting the destruction of my immortial country; the business and pleasure of these pusp.r.o.nd Londoners and aristoxy; I can look round and see all." So he took a three-pair back in a French hotel, the "Hotel de l"Ail," kep by Monsieur Gigotot, Cranbourne Street, Lester Squarr, London.
In this otell there"s a billiard-room on the first floor, and a tabble-doat at eighteenpence peredd at 5 o"clock; and the landlord, who kem into Jools"s room smoaking a segar, told the young gent that the house was friquented by all the Brittish n.o.billaty, who reglar took their dinners there. "They can"t ebide their own quiseen," he said.
"You"ll see what a dinner we"ll serve you to-day." Jools wrote off to his paper--
"The members of the haughty and luxurious English aristocracy, like all the rest of the world, are obliged to fly to France for the indulgence of their luxuries. The n.o.bles of England, quitting their homes, their wives, miladies and mistriss, so fair but so cold, dine universally at the tavern. That from which I write is frequented by Peel and Palmerston. I fremis to think that I may meet them at the board to-day."
Singlar to say, Peel and Palmerston didn"t dine at the "Hotel de l"Ail"
on that evening. "It"s quite igstronnary they don"t come," said Munseer de l"Ail.
"Peraps they"re ingaged at some boxing-match or some combaw de c.o.c.k,"
Munseer Jools sejested; and the landlord egreed that was very likely.
Instedd of English there was, however, plenty of foring sociaty, of every nation under the sun. Most of the n.o.blemen were great hamatures of hale and porter. The tablecloth was marked over with brown suckles, made by the pewter-pots on that and the previous days.
"It is the usage here," wrote Jools to his newspaper, "among the Anglais of the fashonne to absorb immense quant.i.ties of ale and porter during their meals. These stupefying, but cheap, and not unpalatable liquors are served in shining pewter vessels. A mug of foaming hafanaf (so a certain sort of beer is called) was placed by the side of most of the convives. I was disappointed of seeing Sir Peel: he was engaged to a combat of c.o.c.ks which occurs at Windsor."
Not one word of English was spoke during this dinner, excep when the gentlemen said "Garsong de l"afanaf," but Jool was very much pleased to meet the eleet of the foringers in town, and ask their opinion about the reel state of thinx. Was it likely that the bishops were to be turned out of the Chambre des Communes? Was it true that Lor Palmerston had boxed with Lor Broghamm in the House of Lords, until they were sepparayted by the Lor Maire? Who was the Lor Maire? Wasn"t he Premier Minister? and wasn"t the Archeveque de Cantorbery a Quaker? He got answers to these questions from the various gents round about during the dinner--which, he remarked, was very much like a French dinner, only dirtier. And he wrote off all the infamation he got to his newspaper.
"The Lord Maire, Lord Lansdowne, is Premier Ministre. His Grace has his dwelling in the City. The Archbishop of Cantabery is not turned Quaker, as some people stated. Quakers may not marry, nor sit in the Chamber of Peers. The minor bishops have seats in the House of Commons, where they are attacked by the bitter pleasantries of Lord Brougham. A boxer is in the house; he taught Palmerston the science of the pugilate, who conferred upon him the seat," &c. &c.
His writing hover, Jools came down and ad a gaym at pool with two Poles, a Bulgian, and 2 of his own countrymen. This being done amidst more hafanaf, without which nothink is done in England, and as there was no French play that night, he & the two French gents walked round and round Lester Squarr smoking segaws in the faces of other French gents who were smoaking 2. And they talked about the granjer of France and the perfidgusness of England, and looked at the aluminated pictur of Madame Wharton as Haryadney till bedtime. But befor he slep, he finished his letter you may be sure, and called it his "Fust Imprestiuns of Anglyterre."
"Mind and wake me early," he said to Boots, the ony Brittish subject in the "Hotel de l"Ail," and who therefore didn"t understand him. "I wish to be at Smithfield at 6 hours to see THE MEN SELL THEIR WIVES." And the young roag fell asleep, thinking what sort of a one he"d buy.
This was the way Jools pa.s.sed his days, and got infamation about Hengland and the Henglish--walking round and round Lester Squarr all day, and every day with the same company, occasionally dewussified by an Oprer Chorus-singer or a Jew or two, and every afternoon in the Quadrant admiring the genteal sosiaty there. Munseer Jools was not over well funnisht with pocket-money, and so his pleasure was of the gratis sort cheafly.
Well, one day as he and a friend was taking their turn among the aristoxy under the Quadrant--they were struck all of a heap by seeing--But, stop! who WAS Jools"s friend? Here you have pictures of both--but the Istory of Jools"s friend must be kep for another innings.
II.
Not fur from that knowble and cheerflie Squear which Munseer Jools de Chacabac had selacted for his eboad in London--not fur, I say, from Lester Squarr, is a rainje of bildings called Pipping"s Buildings, leading to Blue Lion Court, leading to St. Martin"s Lane. You know Pipping"s Buildings by its greatest ornament, an am and beefouce (where Jools has often stood admiring the degstaraty of the carver a-cuttin the varous jints), and by the little fishmungur"s, where you remark the mouldy lobsters, the fly-blown picklesammon, the playbills, and the gingybear bottles in the window--above all, by the "Constantinople"
Divan, kep by the Misses Mordeky, and well known to every lover of "a prime sigaw and an exlent cup of reel Moky Coffy for 6d."
The Constantinople Divann is greatly used by the foring gents of Lester Squar. I never ad the good fortn to pa.s.s down Pipping"s Buildings without seeing a haf a duzen of "em on the threshole of the extablishment, giving the street an oppertunity of testing the odar of the Misses Mordeky"s prime Avannas. Two or three mor may be visable inside, settn on the counter or the chestis, indulging in their fav"rit whead, the rich and spisy Pickwhick, the ripe Manilly, or the flagrant and arheumatic Qby.
"These Divanns are, as is very well known, the knightly resott of the young Henglish n.o.billaty. It is ear a young Pier, after an arjus day at the House of Commons, solazes himself with a glas of gin-and-water (the national beveridge), with cheerful conversation on the ewents of the day, or with an armless gaym of baggytell in the back-parlor."
So wrote at least our friend Jools to his newspaper, the Horriflam; and of this back-parlor and baggytell-bord, of this counter, of this "Constantinople" Divan, he became almost as reglar a frequenter as the plaster of Parish Turk who sits smoking a hookey between the two blue coffee-cups in the winder.
I have oftin, smokin my own shroot in silents in a corner of the Diwann, listened to Jools and his friends inwaying aginst Hingland, and boastin of their own immortial country. How they did go on about Wellintun, and what an arty contamp they ad for him!--how they used to prove that France was the Light, the Scenter-pint, the Igsample and hadmiration of the whole world! And though I scarcely take a French paper now-a-days (I lived in early days as groom in a French famly three years, and therefore knows the languidg), though, I say, you can"t take up Jools"s paper, the Orriflam, without readin that a minister has committed bribery and perjury, or that a littery man has committed perjury and murder, or that a Duke has stabbed his wife in fifty places, or some story equally horrible; yet for all that it"s admiral to see how the French gents will swagger--how they will be the scenters of civilization--how they will be the Igsamples of Europ, and nothink shall prevent "em--knowing they will have it, I say I listen, smokin my pip in silence. But to our tail.
Reglar every evening there came to the "Constantanople" a young gent etired in the igth of fashn; and indead presenting by the cleanlyness of his appearants and linning (which was generally a pink or blew shurt, with a cricketer or a dansuse pattern) rather a contrast to the dinjy and whistkcard sosaity of the Diwann. As for wiskars, this young mann had none beyond a little yallow tought to his chin, which you woodn notas, only he was always pulling at it. His statue was diminnative, but his coschume supubb, for he had the tippiest Jane boots, the ivoryheadest canes, the most gawjus scarlick Jonville ties, and the most Scotch-plaidest trowseys, of any customer of that establishment. He was univusaly called Milord.
"Que est ce jeune seigneur? Who is this young hurl who comes knightly to the "Constantanople," who is so proddigl of his gold (for indeed the young gent would frequinly propoase gininwater to the company), and who drinks so much gin?" asked Munseer Chacabac of a friend from the "Hotel de l"Ail."
"His name is Lord Yardham," answered that friend. "He never comes here but at night--and why?"
"Y?" igsclaimed Jools, istonisht.
"Why? because he is engaygd all day--and do you know where he is engaygd all day?"
"Where?" asked Jools.
"At the Foring Office--NOW do you begin to understand?"--Jools trembled.
He speaks of his uncle, the head of that office.--"Who IS the head of that offis?--Palmerston."
"The nephew of Palmerston!" said Jools, almost in a fit.
"Lor Yardham pretends not to speak French," the other went on. "He pretends he can only say wee and commong porty voo. Shallow humbug!--I have marked him during our conversations.--When we have spoken of the glory of France among the nations, I have seen his eye kindle, and his perfidious lip curl with rage. When they have discussed before him, the Imprudents! the affairs of Europe, and Raggybritchovich has shown us the next Circa.s.sian Campaign, or Sapousne has laid hare the plan of the Calabrian patriots for the next insurrection, I have marked this stranger--this Lor Yardham. He smokes, "tis to conceal his countenance; he drinks gin, "tis to hide his face in the goblet. And be sure, he carries every word of our conversation to the perfidious Palmerston, his uncle."
"I will beard him in his den," thought Jools. "I will meet him corps-a-corps--the tyrant of Europe shall suffer through his nephew, and I will shoot him as dead as Dujarrier."
When Lor Yardham came to the "Constantanople" that night, Jools i"d him savidgely from edd to foot, while Lord Yardham replied the same.
It wasn"t much for either to do--neyther being more than 4 foot ten hi--Jools was a grannydear in his company of the Nashnal Gard, and was as brayv as a lion.
"Ah, l"Angleterre, l"Angleterre, tu nous dois une revanche," said Jools, crossing his arms and grinding his teeth at Lord Yardham.
"Wee," said Lord Yardham; "wee."
"Delenda est Carthago!" howled out Jools.
"Oh, wee," said the Erl of Yardham, and at the same moment his glas of ginawater coming in, he took a drink, saying, "A voternsanty, Munseer:"
and then he offered it like a man of fashn to Jools.
A light broak on Jools"s mind as he igsepted the refreshmint.
"Sapoase," he said, "instedd of slaughtering this nephew of the infamous Palmerston, I extract his secrets from him; suppose I pump him--suppose I unveil his schemes and send them to my paper? La France may hear the name of Jools de Chacabac, and the star of honor may glitter on my bosom."