He mimicked Sir Henry's cockneyisms
more than my father's chivalry approved towards his recent host, as
he described the complaints he had heard against 'my Lady being
refused the hentry at Halmack's, but treated like the wery canal;'
and how the devoted husband 'wowed he would get up a still more
hexclusive circle, and shut hout these himpertinent fashionables who
regarded Halmack's as the seventh 'eaven.'
My mother shook her head at his audacious fun about Paradise and the
Peri, but he was so brilliant and good-humoured that no one was ever
long displeased with him. At night he followed when Clarence helped
me to my room, and carefully shutting the door, Griff began. 'Now,
Teddy, you're always as rich as a Jew, and I told Bill you'd help
him to set it straight. I'd do it myself, but that I'm cleaned out.
I'd give ten times the cash rather than see him with that hang-dog
look again for just nothing at all, if he would only believe so and
be rational.'
Clarence did look indescribably miserable while it was explained
that he had been commissioned to receive about 20 pounds which was
owing to my father, and to discharge therewith some small debts to
London tradesmen. All except the last, for a little more than four
pounds, had been paid, when Clarence met in the street an old
messmate, a good-natured rattle-pated youth,--one of those who had
thought him harshly treated.
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