Part 54 (2/2)
”Eh! yes, I did the respectful when I first started, you know, but I soon dropped that sort of thing when I got warm; you'll see, I stepped out no end afterwards.”
”'Honoured Miss,'” continued Coleman, reading, ”'My sentiments, that is, your perfections, your splendid action, your high breeding, and the many slap-up points that may be discerned in you by any man that has an eye for a horse...'”
”Ah! that was where I spoiled it,” sighed Lawless.
”Here's a very pretty one,” resumed Freddy. ”'Adorable and adored Miss f.a.n.n.y Fairlegh, seeing you as I do with the eyes' (Why she would not think you saw her with your nose, would she?)' of fond affection, probably would induce me to overlook any unsoundness or disposition to vice...'”
”That one did not turn out civilly, you see,” said Lawless, ”or else it wasn't such a bad beginning.”
”Here's a better,” rejoined Coleman. ”'Exquisitely beautiful f.a.n.n.y, fairest of that lovely s.e.x, which to distinguish it from us rough-and-ready fox-hunters, who, when once we get our heads at any of the fences of life, go at it, never mind how stiff it may be (matrimony has always appeared to me one of the stiffest), and generally contrive to find ourselves on the other side, with our hind legs well under us;--a s.e.x, I say, which to distinguish it from our own, is called the fair s.e.x, a stock of which I never used to think any great things, reckoning them only fit to canter round the parks with, until I saw you brought out, when I at once perceived that your condition--that is, my feelings--were so inexpressible that...!'” ”Ah!” interposed Lawless, ”that's where I got bogged, sank in over the fetlocks, and had to give it up as a bad job.”
”In fact your feelings became too many for you,” returned Coleman; ”but what have we here?--verses, by all that's glorious!”
”No, no! I'm not going to let you read them,” exclaimed Lawless, attempting to wrest the paper out of his hand.
”Be quiet, Lawless,” rejoined Coleman, holding him off, ”sit down directly, sir, or I won't write a word for you: I _must see_ what all your ideas are in order to get some notion of what you want to say; besides, I've no doubt they'll be very original.”
-363--
I
”'Sweet f.a.n.n.y, there are moments When the heart is not one's own, When we fain would clip its wild wing's tip, But we find the bird has flown.
II
”'Dear f.a.n.n.y, there are moments When a loss may be a gain, And sorrow, joy--for the heart's a toy, And loving's such sweet pain.
III
”'Yes, f.a.n.n.y, there are moments When a smile is worth a throne, When a frown can prove the flower of love, Must fade, and die alone.'
--”Why, you never wrote those, Lawless?”
”Didn't I?” returned Lawless, ”but I know I did, though--copied them out of an old book I found up there, and wrote some more to 'em, because I thought there wasn't enough for the money, besides putting in f.a.n.n.y's name instead of--what, do you think?--Phillis!--there's a name for you; the fellow must have been a fool. Why, I would not give a dog such an ill name for fear somebody should hang him; but go on.”
”Ah, now we come to the original matter,” returned Coleman, ”and very original it seems.”
IV
”'Dear f.a.n.n.y, there are moments When love gets you in a fix, Takes the bit in his jaws, and, without any pause, Bolts away with you like bricks.
V
”'Yes, f.a.n.n.y, there are moments When affection knows no bounds, When I'd rather be talking with you out a-walking, Than rattling after the hounds.
VI
”'Dear f.a.n.n.y, there are moments When one feels that one's inspired, And... and...'
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