United States or New Zealand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
A hint of this escaping him when Mr Pleggit was attending him on the third day after his accident, the latter, who knew the value of the locale, also hinted that if Mr Cophagus was inclined so to do, that he would be most happy to enter into an arrangement with him. Self-interest will not only change friendship into enmity, in this rascally world, but also turn enmity into friendship.
"Legacy humph can't tell silver tea-pot suit of black, and so on. Long journey won't pay can't be helped old women always troublesome alive or dead bury her, come back and so on." I deny my master. Although Mr Cophagus was very communicative in his own way, he had no curiosity with regard to others, and the conversation dropped.
I was not yet weaned from the world, but I was fast advancing to that state, when a very smart young Quaker came on a visit to Reading. He was introduced to Mr and Mrs Cophagus, and was soon, as might be expected, an admirer of Susannah, but he received no encouragement.
I was tired with talking so much, and having taken some nourishment, again fell asleep. When I awoke in the evening, friend Cophagus and his wife were not in the room; but Susannah Temple, whom I had first seen, and of whom I had made inquiry of Ephraim, who was Cophagus's servant.
He told me he would leave his address for me at the Foundling Hospital, and shaking me heartily by the hand, we parted. Timothy was then summoned. Mr Cophagus gave him five guineas, and wished him good fortune. "And now, Japhet, what are you about to do?" said Timothy, as he descended into the shop. "To do," replied I; "I am about to leave you, which is the only thing I am sorry for.
"Japhet," replied Mr Cophagus; "um, scriptural Shem, Ham, um and so on. Boy reads?" "Very well, and writes a very good hand. He is a very good boy, Mr Cophagus." "Read write spell good, and so on.
At the end of that period Mr Brookes left us, and I took the whole of his department upon myself, giving great satisfaction to Mr Cophagus. And now that I have announced my promotion, it will perhaps be as well that I give the reader some idea of my personal appearance, upon which I have hitherto been silent.
Mr Cophagus could not keep his eyes off me he peered into my face then he would fall back in the coach. "Odd very odd must be no says not um." In about another half hour, he would repeat his examination, and mutter to himself. At last, as if tormented with his doubts, he exclaimed, "Beg pardon but you have a name?" "Yes," replied I, "I have a name." "Well, then not ashamed. What is it?"
The great doctor was not there at the time, having been sent for to consult with the king's physicians upon the queen's case, of Cophagus, or intermitting mortification of the great toe; but fortunately, just as they were putting me into a shell, my master came back, and immediately applying his sovereign plaster to my back, in five days I was able to sit up, and in ten days I returned to my duty."
So saying, Mr O'Donaghan put his hat on with a firm cock, pulled on his gloves, manoeuvred his stick, and, with a flourishing bow, took his departure. I had hardly dismissed this gentleman, and was laughing to myself at the ridiculous occurrence, when Mr Cophagus returned, first putting his cane up to his nose with an arch look, and then laying it down on the table and rubbing his hands.
Word Of The Day