[Burlesques by William Makepeace Thackeray]@TWC D-Link book
Burlesques

CHAPTER IX
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The fair Castellane of T-gg-r-dgeville, whose splendid entertainments have so often been alluded to in this paper, has determined to give one, which shall exceed in splendor even the magnificence of the Middle Ages.

We are not at liberty to say more; but a tournament, at which His Ex-l-ncy B-r-n de P-nt-r and Thomas T-gr-g, Esq., eldest son of Sir Th--s T-gr-g, are to be the knights-defendants against all comers; a QUEEN OF BEAUTY, of whose loveliness every frequenter of fashion has felt the power; a banquet, unexampled in the annals of Gunter; and a ball, in which the recollections of ancient chivalry will blend sweetly with the soft tones of Weippert and Collinet, are among the entertainments which the Ladye of T-gg-ridgeville has prepared for her distinguished guests." The Baron was the life of the scheme; he longed to be on horseback, and in the field at Tuggeridgeville, where he, Tagrag, and a number of our friends practised: he was the very best tilter present; he vaulted over his horse, and played such wonderful antics, as never were done except at Ducrow's.
And now--oh that I had twenty pages, instead of this short chapter, to describe the wonders of the day!--Twenty-four knights came from Ashley's at two guineas a head.

We were in hopes to have had Miss Woolford in the character of Joan of Arc, but that lady did not appear.

We had a tent for the challengers, at each side of which hung what they called ESCOACHINGS, (like hatchments, which they put up when people die,) and underneath sat their pages, holding their helmets for the tournament.
Tagrag was in brass armor (my City connections got him that famous suit); his Excellency in polished steel.

My wife wore a coronet, modelled exactly after that of Queen Catharine, in "Henry V.;" a tight gilt jacket, which set off dear Jemmy's figure wonderfully, and a train of at least forty feet.


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