Part 96 (1/2)

This prognostication proved true, for before they reached Blackfriars Bridge, a smart shower came on, which nearly wetted them through before they could reach land. When this was accomplished, they proceeded to the Horn Tavern, Doctors Commons, where they partook of an excellent repast, and the weather clearing up, they again joined Barney.

By this time the promising fineness of the evening had induced many to venture forth to the rowing match, and the river was all gaiety and delight. Boats of every description were seen filled with well dressed persons, both male and female: the smiling countenances of the lads and la.s.ses were in unison with the laughing sun, that darted his brilliant beams upon the dimpled wave, which seemed to leap in return with grateful animation. The sh.o.r.es were lined with spectators, anxiously waiting the moment for the commencement of this trial of skill. Our friends were highly delighted with the prospect before them, and at the appointed time, having rested on their oars near the place of starting, they saw with pleasure the active preparations on the part of the compet.i.tors, and upon the signal being given for the start, the river appeared to consist of nothing but moving conveyances of happy faces, all guided in one direction. The 'shouts of the various friends of the occasionally successful candidates for the honour of victory, and the skill and dexterity with which they manoeuvred against each other, were subjects of continued admiration; while bands of music were heard from boats that intermingled with the throng. The lads of the Funny Club were in high glee--numerous cutters and sailing boats, with their owners and visiting friends, were also in the throng. Barney pulled away like a good one, and for a considerable distance kept nearly up with the princ.i.p.al actors in this gay and animated scene of aquatic diversion, and arrived off c.u.mberland gardens just in time to have an excellent view of the winner coming in at the appointed spot, in prime style, amidst the loud and reiterated plaudits of his friends.

~~297~~~ The intention of visiting Vauxhall Gardens was, however, for the present evening relinquished; and our party, feeling fatigued by their excursion, repaired homeward, where for the present we shall leave them to their quiet and repose.

CHAPTER XXII

”I hate that drum's discordant sound, Still rolling round and round and round,”

--298~~~ Exclaimed Dashall, as he advanced from the breakfast table towards the window, when a pleasing and singular street-exhibition presented itself, which had attracted around a numerous audience, of all ages and conditions.

An itinerant purveyor of novelties was in the act of showing forth to an admiring crowd, the docility of a tame hare. On a table in the street, on which was placed a drum, the little animal stood, in an erect posture, and with surprising tractableness obeyed the commands of its exhibiter, delivered in very broken English, with which, nevertheless, it seemed perfectly conversant.

”Vat mattiere now, dat you be so solky, and no take notice of your goot friends?--Come, Sare, shew your politesse, and salute de genteelmens at de window, who so kind as come to look at you.--Make way dere, goot peoples and leetel childer, dat de genteelmens sail see,--dat vill do.

Now, sare, begin;--do your beisance all round.”

The animal, without any apparent instruction to whom to give the precedency of obeisance, immediately faced ”de genteelmens at de window,” and saluted them with a conge of particular respect; which being acknowledged with a motion of the hand by Dashall, the intelligent animal expressed its sense of his complacency, by a second obeisance, more profound than the first.

The spectators applauded, and the performer testified its grat.i.tude by a bow, all round.

”Dat all goot. Now, sare, tree role on de drom for _le Roi d'Angletterre:--Vive le Roi d'Anglettere!_”

This command the animal very promptly obeyed, by subst.i.tuting its fore feet for sticks, and giving three prolonged rolls of the drum, each in distinct succession.

”Now den for Messieurs.”

~~299~~~ With equal alacrity this hint was attended to, and as _le Roi d'Angletterre_ had three, so de genteelmens at de window were honoured with two rolls of the drum.

The like compliment was paid to all de Englise peoples; and the minor salute of one roll was given to the surrounding spectators.

The indefatigable drummer was next required to give a token of regard for the Cook; but this he declined to do, and the order, though frequently given, was as frequently uncomplied with.

”Vill you take notice of me, den?”

This question was instantly answered by the accustomed mark of respect.

”Genteelmans at de window, and peoples on de street, my leetel drommer no love de cook,--no show her de respect dat he show you--he know dat de cook be no friend of de pauvre hare; ”--then turning towards the animal, --”Vat,” said he, ”must I speak all de tanks mineself?”

In deficiency of speech, the animal reiterated its obeisances-- ”Diable!” exclaimed the exhibiter--”here comes de cook, to kill and spit you!”

The hare instantly hastened to its hiding place, and thus terminated the exhibition.

”This epitome of the world,” observed Tallyho, ”lacks nothing to gratify every sense of man! Here industry is on the alert to acc.u.mulate wealth, and dissipation in haste to spend it. Here riot and licentiousness roll triumphantly in gilded state, while merit pines in penury and obscurity;--and here ingenuity roams the streets for a scanty and precarious subsistence, exhibiting learned pigs, dogs, and so forth, that will cast accounts with the precision of an experienced arithmetician; and a tame hare that will beat a drum, and make a bow more gracefully than a dancing-master. This last instance of human ingeniousness, by which the poor Frenchman picks up a living, would almost induce a belief that the power of art is unlimitable, and that apparently insurmountable difficulties may be overcome by diligent perseverance!--Who, besides this foreigner, would have thought of divesting a hare of its natural timidity, and rendering it subservient, by a display of intelligence, to the acquirement of his subsistence?”

~~300~~~ ”And who,” said Dashall, ”would have thought, but a German, of training canary-birds to imitate military evolution,--make a prisoner of one of their fellows as a deserter,--try and condemn him to death,--apparently execute the sentence, by shooting him with a small gun,--and finally, bear away the motionless and seemingly lifeless body on a wheel-barrow, for interment!--Nay, who would think of inverting the order of nature, by creating and cementing a union of friends.h.i.+p between cats and birds and mice, a.s.sociating them together, within the confines of a cage, in the utmost harmony of social intercourse?--And who shall presume to set bounds to the human art, that from a deal board has constructed the figure of a man that will beat at the difficult game of chess, the first players in Europe;{1} and created a wooden musician, that in a solo from the trumpet, will excel the best living performers on that instrument!”

1 It appears by the following letter from Presburg, in Hungary, that this wonderful automaton was originally invented and exhibited there:--