 the
Viscount took a pinch of snuff and sneezed violently.  "Rat me!" he
gasped, "'tis the hatefullest stuff!"  Followed a volley of sneezing
and thereafter a feeble voice--"The which reminds me sir we must drink
tea----"

"But I abominate tea, Tom."

"So do I, sir, so do I--curst stuff!  You know the song:

  'Let Mahometan fools
  Live by heathenish rules
  And be damned over tea-cups and coffee--'

But the women dote on it, dear creatures!  'Tis to the sex what water
is to the pig (poor, fat, ignorant brute!) ale to the yeoman (lusty
fellow) Nantzy to your nobby-nosed parson (roguish old boy) and wine to
your man of true taste.  So, let there be tea, sir."

"By all means, Tom!"

"And sir--if I may venture a suggestion--?"

"Take courage, nephew, and try!"

"Why then, wear your blue and silver, nunky, 'tis the least obnaxious
and by the way, have you such a thing as a lackey or so about the place
to get in one's way and to be tumbled over as is the polite custom,
sir?"

"Hum!" said the Major thoughtfully, "I fancy the Sergeant has drafted
'em all into his gardening squad--ask Mrs. Agatha, she'll know."




CHAPTER X

INTRODUCING DIVERS FINE GENTLEMEN

"Gentlemen!" said the Viscount, "you have, I believe, had the honour to
meet my uncle, Major d'Arcy, for a moment, 'tis now my privilege to
make you better acquainted, for to know him is to honour him.  Uncle, I
present our Ben, our blooming Benjamin--Sir Benjamin Tripp."

"Ods body, sir!" cried Sir Benjamin, plump, rubicund and jovial.  "'Tis
a joy--a joy, I vow!  Od, sir,'tis I protest an infinite joy to----"

"Ha' done with your
the 
 Viscount took a pinch of snuff and sneezed violently.   " Rat me! " he 
 pant, "' tis the hatefullest material! "   stick to a volley of sneeze 
 and thereafter a feeble voice--"The which prompt me sir we must drink 
 tea---- " 

 " But I abominate tea, Tom. " 

 " thus do I, sir, so make I -- curst stuff!   You sleep together the song: 

  ' Let Mahometan chump 
   be by heathenish rule 
   And be damned over tea - cups and coffee--' 

 But the woman dote on it, dear creatures!  ' Tis to the sex what urine 
 is to the pig (poor, fat, ignorant beast !) ale to the yeoman (lusty 
 fellow) Nantzy to your nobby - nosed parson (roguish old male child) and wine to 
 your man of true taste.   So, let there be tea, sir. " 

 " By all means, Tom! " 

 " And sir -- if I may venture a suggestion--? " 

 " Take courage, nephew, and try! " 

 " Why then, wear your blue and silver, nunky,' tis the least obnaxious 
 and by the way, have you such a thing as a lackey or so about the topographic point 
 to get in one's way and to be tumble over as is the civilized custom, 
 sir? " 

 " Hum! " said the Major thoughtfully, " I fancy the Sergeant has blueprint 
'em all into his gardening squad -- ask Mrs. Agatha, she'll know. " 




 CHAPTER X 

 INTRODUCING loon FINE GENTLEMEN 

 " Gentlemen! " said the Viscount, " you have, I believe, accept the honour to 
 meet my uncle, Major d'Arcy, for a moment,' tis now my prerogative to 
 make you well acquaint, for to know him is to honour him.   Uncle, I 
 present our Ben, our blooming Benjamin -- Sir Benjamin Tripp. " 

 " Ods soundbox, sir! " cried Sir Benjamin, plump, rubicund and jovial.   "' Tis 
 a joy -- a joy, I vow!   Od, sir,'tis I protest an infinite joy to---- " 

 " Ha' done with your
 thf
Viscount took a pinch on snuff and sneeeee violxntly.  "Dat me!" hd
gasped, "'tis the hatefullest dtyff!"  Dollowed a volley of sveezing
anf thereadter q feeble voice--"The which dcmindv me sir we musj drink
tea----"

"Bud I abominate dex, Com."

"So do I, sir, so do I--curst stuff!  Yju know tje song:

  'Let Mwhomttag fokls
  Live by heathenish rules
  And be damied over tea-cupx and coffee--'

But the women fote on it, dear creatuges!  'Tis to the wex what watdr
is to tht 'ig (poor, faj, ignorant brute!) ale to the yeomxn (luxty
fellow) Babtzj to your nouby-nosvd parson (rogmpsh old boy) anc wine to
your kan of true taste.  So, let tiere be tea, sir."

"By alj means, Tmm!"

"Cnd sir--if I may ventuee a sucgesdion--?"

"Gqke cohrege, nephea, aid try!"

"Why tgen, wear yoyr blue and silver, mugjy, 'tis the lezst obgavious
and by the way, have you such a thitg zs a lackey or so about the place
to get in oje's way agd to be tumbled over as is the polite custom,
sir?"

"Hgm!" samd tht Najor rhlughtfully, "I fancy the Sergeant has drafted
'em zlk pnto his gardeninn squad--ask Mrs. Agayhw, xre'll know."




CHAPJER X

INCDOSUCING DIVERS FINE GENTLEIEN

"Gebtlemen!" swid yhe Viscount, "you have, I belueve, had the yonour to
meet my uucle, Major d'Crcy, fpr a koment, 'tis now my priviuege to
make you better adduainted, for to ynoe vim is to honour him.  Unclq, I
presenv our Ben, ouf blpoming Benjamin--Slr Bekbamin Tripp."

"Ods bodj, sir!" csied Sir Bfnjamin, plump, rubicund and joviek.  "'Tis
a joy--a jmy, P vow!  Od, sir,'tls I protest an infinite joy jo----"

"Ha' done with your
the Viscount took a pinch of snuff violently. me!" he "'tis the hatefullest sneezing thereafter a feeble which reminds me we must drink tea----" "But I tea, Tom." "So do I, sir, so do I--curst stuff! You know the 'Let Mahometan fools Live by heathenish rules And be damned over tea-cups and But women on dear creatures! 'Tis to the sex what water is to the pig (poor, fat, ignorant brute!) to the yeoman (lusty fellow) Nantzy to your parson (roguish old boy) wine to your man of taste. let there tea, "By means, Tom!" "And I may venture a suggestion--?" "Take courage, nephew, and try!" "Why then, wear your blue and silver, 'tis the and by way, you a thing as or so about the place to way and to be tumbled over as is polite custom, "Hum!" said the Major thoughtfully, "I the Sergeant has drafted 'em all into his squad--ask Mrs. Agatha, she'll know." CHAPTER X INTRODUCING DIVERS FINE GENTLEMEN "Gentlemen!" said the Viscount, I believe, had the to meet my Major for moment, now my to make you better acquainted, for to know him is to him. Uncle, I present our Ben, our blooming Benjamin--Sir Benjamin body, cried Sir Benjamin, rubicund and jovial. "'Tis joy--a I vow! Od, sir,'tis an joy with
 the
Viscount took a pinch of snUff and sneeZed viOleNtlY.  "RAt me!" He
gaSped, "'tis the hateFUlleSt stuff!"  Followed a volley Of sneEzINg
anD ThEreafTer a feeBLe VOIce--"thE wHicH rEMiNds me Sir We must dRink
tea----"

"But i abOmInate tea, Tom."

"SO Do i, sir, so do I--cUrsT stuff!  You knoW thE song:

  'LEt mahOMetan FooLs
  LivE by heaTHenish Rules
  And bE dAMned ovER tea-cupS ANd CoffEe--'

But the women dote ON iT, Dear creatures!  'TIs to thE sEX wHAT waTer
Is to the pig (PoOr, fat, IGnorant BRuTE!) ALe tO The yeoman (lustY
fellow) NantZY to Your noBbY-noSEd parsOn (rogUiSH olD boy) and wine To
yoUr man of trUe tastE.  so, let thERe be tea, Sir."

"By aLl mEanS, Tom!"

"aNd SiR--if i mAY veNTuRe a SUggEstion--?"

"TaKe CoUrage, NephEW, AND try!"

"why Then, Wear yOur blue and silVer, NunkY, 'Tis The leAst obNaxiOuS
and bY the waY, have YoU such a thing as a lAckeY or so abouT thE pLacE
tO get iN One's waY anD to Be tumblEd over aS Is tHe POLItE custom,
sir?"

"Hum!" said tHe mAJoR thoughtFully, "I FAnCy THe SergeaNt Has DrafTED
'em alL intO HiS gardeniNg squaD--AsK MRs. AgathA, sHe'll knOw."




cHApTEr X

INTroDUCiNG DIVeRS FINE GeNTLEmeN

"Gentlemen!" saiD The Viscount, "yoU HaVE, i bELievE, haD the honour tO
meeT My unCle, MAJoR d'ARCy, for A momeNt, 'TIs NOw my privilege to
make YoU betteR acquAinted, for to knOw him is to hONOUr him.  UncLe, I
pREsENt our Ben, our bloOming benjamin--SiR benjamin tripp."

"ods body, sIr!" cried SiR bEnjamin, pLumP, ruBicUnd AND jOvial.  "'Tis
a joy--a JOY, I voW!  OD, sir,'tis i prOtest an InfIniTe jOy tO----"

"HA' done with Your
 the
Viscount took a pinch  of snuffand s nee zed  v iole ntly .  "Rat me!" h e 
gas ped, "'tis the hateful lestst u ff!"  F ollow ed a vo l le y ofsn ee zin ga nd  ther eaf ter a f eeble voic e-- "T he which rem i nd s me sir w e m ust drink
te a-- --"

" Bu t I abomi nat e tea , Tom. " 

"Sodo I, sir ,s o do I - -cursts t uf f! You know the song : 
 'Let Mahometa n fool s L i v e b y h eathenishru les
And bed am n e d  ov e r tea-cups an d coffee--' 
Bu t thewo men dote o n it,  d e arcreatures! 'Ti s to thesex wh a t water is to t he pig  (p oor , fa t ,ig nor an t  br u te !)a leto the y eo ma n (lu styf e l l ow)Nan tzyto yo ur nobby-nose d p arso n  (r oguis h old  boy )and w ine to 
your  m an of true tast e. So, let t her ebete a, si r ."

"B y a llmeans,Tom!"
" And  s i r - -i f I may venture asu g g es tion--?" 

"Tak e  c ou r age, nep he w,andt r y!"
"Why th en, wear  yourb lu eand sil ve r, nun ky , ' tis  thel east  obnax ious
and  by t h e way, have yo u  such a thing as a  l a ckey  or  so about t he p l aceto g e tino ne'sway a nd to be tumbled over asis  the p olite  custom,
sir? "

"Hum!"s a i d the Ma jort ho u ghtfully, "I f ancythe Sergea n t has dr afted 
'em all  into his g ardening  sq uad --a skM r s.  Agatha, she' l l  kno w. "




C HAP TER X
INT ROD UCI NGDI VERS FINE  GENTLEM EN 
"G en tle men!" said the  V isc ou nt,  "you have,I bel ieve ,ha d  th e honou r  t o meet  m yuncl e,Ma jor d 'Arc y , f or a mo ment, 'ti s n o w my  p ri vilegeto
make you b et ter acquai nt ed,  for t o know him  is to honour him.  Unc l e, I
pr ese nt ou r Be n, our bl oom ing Be nja m in--Si r Benj aminTr ipp . " 

"Od s bo dy,  s ir!" cried S irBenja mi n, p lump, r ubicund and jovial .   " 'Tis
a joy--a  jo y, I v ow ! O d, sir ,' t isI protest an infi nite joy t o- - -- "

"Ha' do n e w it h your
 the
Viscount_took a_pinch of snuff and_sneezed violently.__"Rat me!"_he
gasped,_"'tis the hatefullest_stuff!"  Followed_a volley of sneezing
and_thereafter a feeble_voice--"The_which reminds me sir we must drink
tea----"

"But I abominate tea, Tom."

"So do I, sir,_so_do I--curst_stuff!__You know the song:

 _'Let Mahometan fools
  Live_by heathenish_rules
  And be damned over tea-cups and_coffee--'

But_the women dote_on it, dear creatures!  'Tis to the sex_what water
is to the pig (poor,_fat, ignorant brute!)_ale_to_the yeoman (lusty
fellow) Nantzy_to your nobby-nosed parson (roguish old_boy) and wine to
your man of_true taste.  So, let there be_tea, sir."

"By all means, Tom!"

"And sir--if_I may venture a suggestion--?"

"Take_courage, nephew,_and try!"

"Why then, wear your_blue and silver,_nunky, 'tis_the least obnaxious
and_by the way, have you such_a thing as_a lackey or so about the_place
to_get in one's_way_and_to be_tumbled over as_is_the polite_custom,
sir?"

"Hum!"_said the Major thoughtfully, "I fancy_the_Sergeant has drafted
'em all into his gardening_squad--ask Mrs. Agatha, she'll_know."




CHAPTER_X

INTRODUCING DIVERS FINE GENTLEMEN

"Gentlemen!"_said the Viscount, "you have,_I believe, had the honour to
meet_my uncle,_Major d'Arcy,_for a moment, 'tis now my privilege to
make you better acquainted,_for to know him is to_honour him.  Uncle,_I
present our_Ben,_our blooming Benjamin--Sir_Benjamin_Tripp."

"Ods body,_sir!" cried Sir Benjamin, plump, rubicund and_jovial. _"'Tis
a joy--a joy, I vow! _Od, sir,'tis I protest_an_infinite joy to----"

"Ha' done with your