This eBook was produced by Tapio Riikonen
and David Widger
Mrs. Trinket. What d'ye buy, what d'ye lack, gentlemen? Gloves,ribbons, and essences,—ribbons, gloves, and essences. ETHEREGE.
"And so, my love," said Mr. Copperas, one morning at breakfast, to hiswife, his right leg being turned over his left, and his dexter handconveying to his mouth a huge morsel of buttered cake,—"and, so mylove, they say that the old fool is going to leave the jackanapes allhis fortune?"
"They do say so, Mr. C.; for my part I am quite out of patience withthe art of the young man; I dare say he is no better than he shouldbe; he always had a sharp look, and for aught I know there may be morein that robbery than you or I dreamed of, Mr. Copperas. It was apity," continued Mrs. Copperas, upbraiding her lord with truematrimonial tenderness and justice, for the consequences of his havingacted from her advice,—"it was a pity, Mr. C., that you should haverefused to lend him the pistols to go to the old fellow's assistance,for then who knows but—"
"I might have converted them into pocket pistols," interrupted Mr. C.,"and not have overshot the mark, my dear—ha, ha, ha!"
"Lord, Mr. Copperas, you are always making a joke of everything."
"No, my dear, for once I am making a joke of nothing."
"Well, I declare it's shameful," cried Mrs. Copperas, still followingup her own indignant meditations, "and after taking such notice ofAdolphus, too, and all!"
"Notice, my dear! mere words," returned Mr. Copperas, "mere words,like ventilators, which make a great deal of air, but never raise thewind; but don't put yourself in a stew, my love, for the doctors saythat copperas in a stew is poison!"
At this moment Mr. de Warens, throwing open the door, announced Mr.Brown; that gentleman entered, with a sedate but cheerful air. "Well,Mrs. Copperas, your servant; any table-linen wanted? Mr. Copperas,how do you do? I can give you a hint about the stocks. MasterCopperas, you are looking bravely; don't you think he wants some newpinbefores, ma'am? But Mr. Clarence Linden, where is he? Not up yet,I dare say. Ah, the present generation is a generation of sluggards,as his worthy aunt, Mrs. Minden, used to say."
"I am sure," said Mrs. Copperas, with a disdainful toss of the head,"I know nothing about the young man. He has left us; a verymysterious piece of business indeed, Mr. Brown; and now I think of it,I can't help saying that we were by no means pleased with yourintroduction: and, by the by, the chairs you bought for us at the salewere a mere take-in, so slight that Mr. Walruss broke two of them byonly sitting down."
"Indeed, ma'am?" said Mr. Brown, with expostulating gravity; "but thenMr. Walruss is so very corpulent. But the young gentleman, what ofhim?" continued the broker, artfully turning from the point indispute.
"Lord, Mr. Brown, don't ask me: it was the unluckiest step we evermade to admit him into the bosom of our family; quite a viper, Iassure you; absolutely robbed poor Adolphus."
"Lord help us!" said Mr. Brown, with a look which "cast a brownerhorror" o'er the room, "who would have thought it? and such a prettyyoung man!"
"Well," said Mr. Copperas, who, occupied in finishing the butteredcake, had hitherto kept silence, "I must be off. Tom—I mean deWarens—have you stopped the coach?"
"Yees, sir."
And what coach is it?"
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