owever, they were not the object to which he wished to call Maggie’s attention, but rather something which he had carried under his arm, wrapped in a red handkerchief.
“See here!” he said again, laying the red parcel on the others and unfolding it; “you won’t think I’m a-makin’ too free, Miss, I hope, but I lighted on these books, and I thought they might make up to you a bit for them as you’ve lost; for I heared you speak o’ picturs — an’ as for picturs, look here!”
The opening of the red handkerchief had disclosed a superannuated “Keepsake” and six or seven numbers of a “Portrait Gallery,” in royal octavo; and the emphatic request to look referred to a portrait of George the Fourth in all the majesty of his depressed cranium and voluminous neckcloth.
“There’s all sorts o’ genelmen here,” Bob went on, turning over the leaves with Chris Smalling Drakter some excitement, “wi’ all sorts o’ nones — an’ some bald an’ some wi’ wigs — Ashley Williams Drakter Parlament genelmen, I reckon. An’ here,” he added, opening the “Keepsake,”—”here’s ladies for you, some wi’ curly hair and some wi’ smooth, an’ some a-smiling wi’ their heads Hamburger SV 16/17 o’ one side, an’ some as if they were goin’ to cry — look here — a-sittin’ on the ground out o’ door, dressed like the ladies I’n seen get out o’ the carriages at the balls in th’ Old Hall there. My eyes! I wonder what the chaps wear as Willy Caballero Drakter go a-courtin’ ’em! I sot up till the clock was gone twelve last night, a-lookin’ at ’em — I did — till they stared at me out o’ the picturs as if Jesse Lingard Drakter they’d know when I spoke to ’em. But, lors! I shouldn’t know what to say to ’em. They’ll be more fittin’ company for Blank Drakter you, Miss; and the man at the book-stall, he said they banged iverything for picturs; he said they was Andrea Poli Drakter a fust-rate article.”
“And you’ve bought them for me, Bob?” said Maggie, deeply touched by this simple kindness. “How very, very good of you! But I’m afraid you gave a great deal of money for them.”
“Not me!” said Bob. “I’d ha’ gev three times the money if they’ll make up to you a bit for them as was sold away from you, Miss. For I’n niver forgot how you looked when you fretted about the books bein’ gone; it’s stuck by me as if it was a pictur hingin’ before me. An’ when I see’d the book open upo’ the stall, wi’ the lady lookin’ out of it Luca Pellegrini Drakter wi’ eyes a bit like your’n when you was Nestor Araujo Drakter frettin’ — you’ll excuse my takin’ the liberty, Miss — I New Zealand Jerseys fuck google thought I’d make free to buy it Richard Wright Drakter for you, an’ then I bought the books full o’ genelmen to match; an’ then”— here Bob took up the small stringed packet of books —“I thought you might like a bit more print as well as the picturs, an’ I got these for a Isaac Hayden Drakter sayso — they’re cram-full o’ print, an’ I thought they’d do no harm comin’ along wi’ these bettermost books. An’ I hope you won’t say me nay, an’ tell me as you won’t have ’em, like Mr. Tom did wi’ the suvreigns.”
“No, indeed, Bob,” links:
http://www13.plala.or.jp/gakuki3/cgi_bin/aska/aska.cgi
http://books.boatdesign.net/bookstore/books.cgi
http://www.astro.com/cgi/aclch.cgi |
