XVIII. "I'll shirk the Duke of A.; I'll cut his brother; I won't speak to his sister or his mother! That fellow's voice, which plagues me worse than any, Who sets down ev'ry sovereign as a zany,That vulgar commoner, Esquire Biancopany? XIX. "Monstrous affair! Pshaw! pah! what ugly minx Will they fetch from Imaus for my bride? Sweet Bertha! what crime can it be to glide About the fragrant plaitings of thy dress, Or kiss thine eye, or count thy locks, tress after tress?" XX. So said, one minute's while his eyes remain'd XXI. "At the same time, Eban,"-(this was his page, A fay of color, slave from top to toe, Sent as a present, while yet under age, From the Viceroy of Zanguebar,-wise, slow, His speech, his only words were "yes" and "no," But swift of look, and foot, and wing was he,)— "At the same time, Eban, this instant go To Hum the soothsayer, whose name I see Among the fresh arrivals in our empery. XXII. "Bring Hum to me! But stay here take my ring, XXIII. These orders given, the Prince, in half a pet, And for short cuts and turns, was nobody knew more. XXIV. It was the time when wholesale dealers close The gas (objected to on score of health), XXV. Eban, untempted by the pastry-cooks, His smelling-bottle ready for the allies; He pass'd the hurdy-gurdies with disdain, Vowing he'd have them sent on board the gallies; Just as he made his vow, it 'gan to rain, Therefore he call'd a coach, and bade it drive amain. XXVI. "I'll pull the string," said he, and further said, "Polluted jarvey! Ah, thou filthy hack! Whose springs of life are all dried up and dead, Whose linsey-woolsey lining hangs all slack, Whose rug is straw, whose wholeness is a orack; And evermore thy steps go clatter-clitter; Whose glass once up can never be got back, Who prov'st, with jolting arguments and bitter, That 'tis of modern use to travel in a litter. XXVII. "Thou inconvenience! thou hungry crop Of dowdies, for some dance or party drest, XXVIII. "By thy ungallant bearing and sad mien, An inch appears the utmost thou couldst budge: Round to the curb-stone patient dost thou trudge, XXIX. Philosophizing thus, he pull'd the check, When first for April honey into faint flowers they dive." XXX. Eban then paid his fare, and tiptoe went Tied in a burnish'd knot, their semblance took XXXI. He smiled at self, and, smiling, show'd his teeth, And seeing his white teeth, he smiled the more; Lifted his eyebrows, spurn'd the path beneath, Show'd teeth again, and smiled as heretofore, Until he knock'd at the magician's door; Where, till the porter answer'd, might be seen, In the clear panel more he could adore,— His turban wreath'd of gold, and white, and green, Mustachios, ear-ring, nose-ring, and his sabre keen. XXXII. "Does not your master give a rout to-night?" Quoth the dark page; "Oh, no!" return'd the Swiss, "Next door but one to us, upon the right, The Magazin des Modes now open is Against the Emperor's wedding ;—and sir, this My master finds a monstrous horrid bore; With his best beard and brimstone, to explore And cast a quiet figure in his second floor. |