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Article PENCILLINGS PROM THE SKETCH-BOOK OE A MA... ← Page 6 of 7 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pencillings Prom The Sketch-Book Oe A Ma...
At this moment the sound of a horse ' s hoofs advancing at a rapid pace was heard , and a burly-looking officer , with a good-natured visage , arrayed in undress infantry uniform , galloped up to the house , and in a sonorous voice shouted out " Bhaee ! " to one of the
black menials standing in the verandah . Then lowering its pitch , and saying something in Hindustani , the servant ran out to the cadets , and placed a card in the hand of Mr . Eitzallan . On it was printed " Captain Lucifer Hoaxwell . "
" Why , this is the gentleman to whom I brought out an introduction from Sir Harvey Greenhorn , and sent it him only this morning , " exclaimed Eitzallan , as he rose to meet the visitor . Captain Hoaxwell was a very lively , loquacious fellow of about thirty years of age , brusque , but free and easy in his manners , and full of fun . He dismounted , and , unlike the terms of distant civility on which persons in England usually meet on a first introduction , at once offered his hand to Eitzallan , and afterwards to St . George ,
saying" Welcome , young men , to this land of promise ! Well , how are you getting on ? Let me see ! Grog , eh ? ( looking at the little table and glasses . ) That ' s right ! Thanks for your letter , Mr . Eitzallan , from the old knight my uncle . I wish it had contained an order , however , on Eiggs and Co ., for 1 , 000 rupees ! Well , how are they all down in Devonshire ? ages since I saw them ! ten years at least ! "
All this was said with but little breathing-time , and Eitzallan having given the captain all the news he could recollect , and insisted on his joining them in taking some brandy panee , to which the latter seemed nothing loath , — "Ton know , I suppose , " said Hoaxwell , laughing boisterously ,
" why I call this the land of promise , my lads , don't your " "No , " answered both the gentlemen . " Well , I'll tell you ; because such a lot of fellows get in debt here—promise to pay ; and then you see , though , till they get staif appointments or money from home , they can't pay ; so they ' re promising young men d ' ye see ? D ' ye twig , eh ?"
After an hour ' s conversation of this sort , winch gave the captain in . society generally the name of an agreeable rattle , he rose to return home to his bungalow , his regiment—a native infantry onebeing at this time located at Perambore , on the outskirts of Madras . " To-morrow , gentlemen , " said the worthy captain , with great volubility , " you will like to see Black Town , You shall go with me . We will have palanquins . I will show you the lions of the
presidency . I've nothing to do to-morrow , and we will afterwards go to Preston ' s Hotel , on the esplanade , have a bottle of Champagne and a game at billiards . Do you play ? Oh , of course , you do ! Tell that old fellow , the butler , Sir John , as we call him , that piece of animated bronze-work , to have the palanquins and bearers at the quarters by eleven o ' clock ; and , now , good night ! Expect me soon after breakfast ;'' and the captain , vaulting into his saddle , cantered off to his quarters .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pencillings Prom The Sketch-Book Oe A Ma...
At this moment the sound of a horse ' s hoofs advancing at a rapid pace was heard , and a burly-looking officer , with a good-natured visage , arrayed in undress infantry uniform , galloped up to the house , and in a sonorous voice shouted out " Bhaee ! " to one of the
black menials standing in the verandah . Then lowering its pitch , and saying something in Hindustani , the servant ran out to the cadets , and placed a card in the hand of Mr . Eitzallan . On it was printed " Captain Lucifer Hoaxwell . "
" Why , this is the gentleman to whom I brought out an introduction from Sir Harvey Greenhorn , and sent it him only this morning , " exclaimed Eitzallan , as he rose to meet the visitor . Captain Hoaxwell was a very lively , loquacious fellow of about thirty years of age , brusque , but free and easy in his manners , and full of fun . He dismounted , and , unlike the terms of distant civility on which persons in England usually meet on a first introduction , at once offered his hand to Eitzallan , and afterwards to St . George ,
saying" Welcome , young men , to this land of promise ! Well , how are you getting on ? Let me see ! Grog , eh ? ( looking at the little table and glasses . ) That ' s right ! Thanks for your letter , Mr . Eitzallan , from the old knight my uncle . I wish it had contained an order , however , on Eiggs and Co ., for 1 , 000 rupees ! Well , how are they all down in Devonshire ? ages since I saw them ! ten years at least ! "
All this was said with but little breathing-time , and Eitzallan having given the captain all the news he could recollect , and insisted on his joining them in taking some brandy panee , to which the latter seemed nothing loath , — "Ton know , I suppose , " said Hoaxwell , laughing boisterously ,
" why I call this the land of promise , my lads , don't your " "No , " answered both the gentlemen . " Well , I'll tell you ; because such a lot of fellows get in debt here—promise to pay ; and then you see , though , till they get staif appointments or money from home , they can't pay ; so they ' re promising young men d ' ye see ? D ' ye twig , eh ?"
After an hour ' s conversation of this sort , winch gave the captain in . society generally the name of an agreeable rattle , he rose to return home to his bungalow , his regiment—a native infantry onebeing at this time located at Perambore , on the outskirts of Madras . " To-morrow , gentlemen , " said the worthy captain , with great volubility , " you will like to see Black Town , You shall go with me . We will have palanquins . I will show you the lions of the
presidency . I've nothing to do to-morrow , and we will afterwards go to Preston ' s Hotel , on the esplanade , have a bottle of Champagne and a game at billiards . Do you play ? Oh , of course , you do ! Tell that old fellow , the butler , Sir John , as we call him , that piece of animated bronze-work , to have the palanquins and bearers at the quarters by eleven o ' clock ; and , now , good night ! Expect me soon after breakfast ;'' and the captain , vaulting into his saddle , cantered off to his quarters .