Tedes-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-cho!"
The end of it was that Meinheer Schatt was tied in a singularly uncomfortable position and left there. He thought he had been there about five hours. He was faint and hungry.
They took him home.
CHAPTER x.x.xII.
ANOTHER DISCOVERY MADE BY b.u.t.tONS.
On the evening after this adventure the Don turned the conversation into a new channel. They all grew communicative. b.u.t.tons told them that his father was an extensive merchant and ship-owner in Boston.
His business extended over many parts of the world. He thought he might have done something in Cadiz.
"Your father a ship-owner in Boston! I thought you belonged to New York," said the Don, in surprise.
"Oh," said b.u.t.tons, "I said I came from there. The fact is, I lived there four years at college, and will live there when I return."
"And your father lives in Boston," said the Don, with an interest that surprised b.u.t.tons.
"Yes."
"Is his name Hiram b.u.t.tons?"
"Yes," cried b.u.t.tons, eagerly. "How do you know?"
"My dear Sir," cried the Don, "Hiram b.u.t.tons and I are not only old business correspondents, but I hope I can add personal friends."
The Don rose and grasped b.u.t.tons cordially by the hand. The young man was overcome by surprise, delight, and triumph.
"I liked you from the first," said the Don. "You bear your character in your face. I was happy to receive you into our society. But now I feel a still higher pleasure, for I find you are the son of a man for whom I a.s.sure you I entertain an infinite respect."
The sisters were evidently delighted at the scene. As to b.u.t.tons, he was overcome.
Thus far he often felt delicacy about his position among them, and fears of intruding occasionally interfered with his enjoyment. His footing now was totally different; and the most punctilious Spaniard could find no fault with his continued intimacy.
"Hurrah for that abominable old office, and that horrible business to which the old gentleman tried to bring me! It has turned out the best thing for me. What a capital idea it was for the governor to trade with Cadiz!"
Such were the thoughts of b.u.t.tons as he went home.
CHAPTER x.x.xIII.
[Transcriber"s Note: Transliteration of Greek.] Brekekek koax koax koax. [TN: /end Greek.]
In his explorations of the nooks and corners of Rome the Senator was compelled for some time to make his journeys alone. He sometimes felt regret that he had not some interpreter with him on these occasions; but on the whole he thought he was well paid for his trouble, and he stored up in his memory an incredible number of those items which are usually known as "useful facts."
On one of these occasions he entered a very common cafe near one of the gates, and as he felt hungry he determined to get his dinner. He had long felt a desire to taste those "frogs" of which he had heard so much, and which to his great surprise he had never yet seen. On coming to France he of course felt confident that he would find frogs as common as potatoes on every dinner-table. To his amazement he had not yet seen one.
He determined to have some now. But how could he get them? How ask for them?
"Pooh! easy enough!" said the Senator to himself, with a smile of superiority. "I wish I could ask for every thing else as easily."
So he took his seat at one of the tables, and gave a thundering rap to summon the waiter. All the cafe had been startled by the advent of the large foreigner. And evidently a rich man, for he was an Englishman, as they thought. So up came the waiter with a very low bow, and a very dirty jacket; and all the rest of the people in the cafe looked at the Senator out of the corner of their eyes, and stopped talking. The Senator gazed with a calm, serene face and steady eye upon the waiter.
"Signore?" said the waiter, interrogatively.
"_Gunk_! _gung_!" said the Senator, solemnly, without moving a muscle.
The waiter stared.
"_Che vuol ella_?" he repeated, in a faint voice.
"_Gunk_! _gung_!" said the Senator, as solemnly as before.
"Non capisco."
"_Gunk gung_! _gunkety gunk gung_!"
The waiter shrugged his shoulders till they reached the upper part of his ears. The Senator looked for a moment at him, and saw that he did not understand him. He looked at the floor involved in deep thought. At last he raised his eyes once more to meet those of the waiter, which still were fixed upon him, and placing the palms of his hands on his hips, threw back his head, and with his eyes still fixed steadfastly upon the waiter he gave utterance to a long shrill gurgle such as he thought the frogs might give:
[Transcriber"s Note: Transliteration of Greek.] Brekekekek koax koax, Brekekekek koax koax. [TN: /end Greek.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: Brekekekek koax koax!]
(Recurrence must be made to Aristophanes, who alone of articulate speaking men has written down the utterance of the common frog.)
The waiter started back. All the men in the cafe jumped to their feet.
"[Transcriber"s Note: Transliteration of Greek.] Brekekekek koax koax [TN: /end Greek.]," continued the Senator, quite patiently. The waiter looked frightened.
"Will you give me some or not?" cried the Senator, indignantly.
"Signore," faltered the waiter. Then he ran for the cafe-keeper.
The cafe-keeper came. The Senator repeated the words mentioned above, though somewhat angrily. The keeper brought forward every customer in the house to see if any one could understand the language.
"It"s German," said one.
"It"s English," said another.