Part 45 (1/2)

[306 ADVENTURES OF MR. VERDANT GREEN]

Town and Gown let slip. And, if any rabbit was nimble and <vg306-1.jpg> fortunate enough to run this gauntlet with the loss of only a tail or ear, and, Galatea-like,

”fugit ad salices,”

and rushed into the willow-girt ditches, it speedily fell before the clubs of the ”cads,” who were there to watch, and profit by the sports of their more aristocratic neighbours.*

Mr. Verdant Green would also study the news of the day, in the floating reading-room of the University Barge; and, from these comfortable quarters, indite a letter to Miss Patty, and look out upon the picturesque river with its moving life of eights and four-oars sweeping past with measured stroke. A great feature of the river picture, just about this time, was the crowd of newly introduced canoes; their occupants, in every variety of bright-coloured s.h.i.+rts and caps, flas.h.i.+ng up and down a double paddle, the ends of which were painted in gay colours, or emblazoned with the owner's crest. But Mr. Verdant Green, with a due regard for his own preservation from drowning, was content with looking at these cranky canoes, as they flitted, like gaudy dragon-flies, over the surface of the water.

Fain would the writer of these pages linger over these memoirs of Mr.

Verdant Green. Fain would he tell how his hero <vg306-2.jpg> did many things that might be thought worthy of mention, besides those which have been already chronicled; but, this narrative has already reached its a.s.signed limits, and, even a historian must submit to be kept within reasonable bounds. The Dramatist has the privilege of escaping many difficulties, and pa.s.sing swiftly over confusing details, by the simple intimation that ”An interval of twenty years is supposed to take place between the

--- * ”The Vice-Chancellor, by the direction of the Hebdomadal Council, has issued a notice against the practice of pigeon-shooting, &c., in the neighbourhood of the University.” - ~Oxford Intelligence~, Decr.

1854.

[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 307]

Acts.” Suffice it, therefore, for Mr. Verdant Green's historian, to avail himself of this dramatic art, and, in a very few sentences, to pa.s.s over the varied events of two years, in order that he may arrive at a most important pa.s.sage in his hero's career.

The Grind came off without Mr. Verdant Green being enabled to communicate to Miss Patty Honeywood, that he was the winner of a silver cup. Indeed, he did not arrive at the winning post until half an hour after it had been first reached by Mr. Four-in-hand Fosbrooke on his horse ~Tearaway~; for, after narrowly escaping a blow from the hatchet of an irate agriculturist who professed great displeasure at any one presuming to come a galloperin' and a tromplin' over his fences, Mr. Verdant Green finally ”came to grief,” by being flung into a disagreeably-moist ditch. And though, for that evening, he forgot his troubles, in the jovial dinner that took place at ~the Red Lion~, yet, the next morning, they were immensely aggravated, when the Tutor told them that he had heard of the steeple-chase, and should expel every gentleman who had taken part in it. The Tutor, however, relented, and did not carry out his threat; though Mr.

Verdant Green suffered almost as much as if he had really kept it.

The infatuated Mr. Bouncer madly persisted (despite the entreaties and remonstrances of his friends) in going into the Schools clad in his examination coat, and padded over with a host of crams. His fate was a warning that similar offenders should lay to heart, and profit by; for the little gentleman was again plucked. Although he was grieved at this on ”the Mum's” account, his mercurial temperament enabled him to thoroughly enjoy the Christmas vacation at the Manor Green, where were again gathered together the same party who had met there the previous Christmas. The cheerful society of Miss f.a.n.n.y Green did much, probably, towards restoring Mr. Bouncer to his usual happy frame of mind; and, after Christmas, he gladly returned to his beloved Oxford, leaving Brazenface, and migrating (”through circ.u.mstances over which he had no control,” as he said) to ”the Tavern.” But when the time for his examination drew on, the little gentleman was seized with such trepidation, and ”funked” so greatly, that he came to the resolution not to trouble the Examiners again, and to dispense with the honours of a Degree. And so, at length, greatly to Mr. Verdant Green's sorrow, and ”regretted by all that knew him,” Mr. Bouncer sounded his final octaves and went the complete unicorn for the last time in a College quad, and gave his last Wine (wherein he produced some ”very old port, my teacakes! - I've had it since last term!”) and then, as an undergraduate, bade his last farewell to Oxford, with the parting declaration, that, though he had not taken his

[308 ADVENTURES OF MR. VERDANT GREEN]

Degree, yet that he had got through with great ~credit~, for that he had left behind him a heap of unpaid bills.

By this time, or shortly after, many of Mr. Verdant Green's earliest friends had taken their Degrees, and had left College; and their places were occupied by a new set of men, among whom our hero found many pleasant companions, whose names and t.i.tles need not be recorded here.

When June had come, there was a ”grand Commemoration,” and this was quite a sufficient reason that the Miss Honeywoods should take their first peep at Oxford, at so favourable an opportunity. Accordingly there they came, together with the Squire, and were met by a portion of Mr. Verdant Green's family, and by Mr. Bouncer; and there were they duly taken to all the lions, and initiated into some of the mysteries of College life. Miss Patty was enchanted with everything that she saw - even carrying her admiration to Verdant's undergraduate's gown - and was proudly escorted from College to College by her enamoured swain.

”Pleasant it was, when woods were green, And winds were soft and low,”

when in a House-boat, and in four-oars, they made an expedition (”a wine and water party,” as Mr. Bouncer called it) to Nuneham, and, after safely pa.s.sing through the perils of the pound-locks of Iffley and Sandford, arrived at the pretty thatched cottage, and pic-nic'd in the round-house, and strolled through the nut plantations up to Carfax hill, to see the glorious view of Oxford, and looked at the Conduit, and Bab's-tree, and <vg308.jpg> paced over the little rustic bridge to the island, where Verdant and Patty talked as lovers love to talk.

Then did Mr. Verdant Green accompany his lady-love to Northumberland; from whence, after spending a pleasant month that, all too quickly, came to an end, he departed (~via~ Warwicks.h.i.+re) for a continental tour, which he took in the company of Mr. and

[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 309]

Mrs. Charles Larkyns (~nee~ Mary Green), who were there for the honeymoon.

Then he returned to Oxford; and when the month of May had again come round, he went in for his Degree examination. He pa.s.sed with flying colours, and was duly presented with that much-prized shabby piece of paper, on which was printed and written the following brief form:-

Green Verdant e Coll. AEn. Fac.