[The History of Samuel Titmarsh by William Makepeace Thackeray]@TWC D-Link book
The History of Samuel Titmarsh

CHAPTER IV
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I had twice as many force-meat balls as Hoskins in my mock-turtle, and pretty nearly all the oysters out of the sauce-boat.

Once, Roundhand was going to help Gus before me; when his wife, who was seated at the head of the table, looking very big and fierce in red crape and a turban, shouted out, "ANTONY!" and poor R.
dropped the plate, and blushed as red as anything.

How Mrs.R.did talk to me about the West End to be sure! She had a "Peerage," as you may be certain, and knew everything about the Drum family in a manner that quite astonished me.

She asked me how much Lord Drum had a year; whether I thought he had twenty, thirty, forty, or a hundred and fifty thousand a year; whether I was invited to Drum Castle; what the young ladies wore, and if they had those odious _gigot_ sleeves which were just coming in then; and here Mrs.R.looked at a pair of large mottled arms that she was very proud of.
"I say, Sam my boy!" cried, in the midst of our talk, Mr.Roundhand, who had been passing the port-wine round pretty freely, "I hope you looked to the main chance, and put in a few shares of the West Diddlesex,--hey ?" "Mr.Roundhand, have you put up the decanters downstairs ?" cries the lady, quite angry, and wishing to stop the conversation.
"No, Milly, I've emptied 'em," says R.
"Don't Milly me, sir! and have the goodness to go down and tell Lancy my maid" (_a look at me_) "to make the tea in the study.

We have a gentleman here who is not _used_ to Pentonville ways" (_another look_); "but he won't mind the ways of _friends_." And here Mrs.Roundhand heaved her very large chest, and gave me a third look that was so severe, that I declare to goodness it made me look quite foolish.


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