Page:Kickerbocker Feb 1833 vol 1 no 2.djvu/35
FANNY;
In Seven Chapters.
"Fanny was younger once."—Halleck.
Chapter First.
A Hero.
"Ανδρα μοι εννεπε, Μουσα, πολύτροπον."—Homer.
"Well," said Mr. Egerton Winthrop, as he was sipping his coffee one fine morning at about eleven o'clock, "I think I am done—done!"—
"Who is there?—Oh, Lupin, it is you.—Come in—come in; and shut that cursed door."—
"Did you see the Pedrotti last night?"
"Damn the Pedrotti"—
"Damn the Pedrotti!—Damn the Pedrotti!!!"
"Lupin, sit down. You are not quite a fool, I believe, and"—
Mr. Lupin smiled with an air of conscious greatness.
"Well, well—and you can hold your tongue sometimes—Besides—in short, I am—ruined."
"Hum!—Well," (slowly) "I did suppose it must be pretty nearly so."
"Here," turning out a pair of empty pockets, "are my means—And here," taking up a paper, "is my credit—'Narr' (reading) 'de bene esse—Please to take notice'—and so forth—'To Mr. E. Winthrop"—Last night at the club I lost ———; that must be paid"—
"Why, Egerton, you know"—
"Yes, yes, I know perfectly well that you will not lend money when you are not sure of getting it back again—But what shall I do?"
"There—is—one—thing"—
"Matrimony—I suppose; it can be nothing else that you drag forth with such funereal solemnity."
"Yes;—'Farewell forever hence, &c.'—But really, I am told, it is not so very bad."
"But—my life has not been quite that of which parents and guardians approve—And something must be done so soon"—
"There are difficulties—no doubt. Dine with me to-day—I have something in my head—alone, at five."—
"At five!—And let us have the Brahmin."
Chapter Second.
A Heroine.
"Dum moliuntur dum comuntur."—Terence.
It was done—Toussaint had given the finishing touch. And the dress had been pulled, and pinned, and tucked, and—the Lord knows what—In short there was nothing more to do.