212520_The_Adve ... _Way_Through_The_World.pdf - OUDL Home

ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 271
scolds his wife about the dinner. All is vanity, look you: and so
the preacher is vanity, too.
Well, then, I must again say that Philip roared his griefs : he
shouted his laughter : he bellowed his applause: he was extravagant
in his humility as in his pride, in his admiration of his friends and
contempt for his enemies: I daresay not a just man, but I have
met juster men not half so honest ; and certainly not a faultless
man, though I know better men not near so good. So, I believe,
my wife thinks ; else why should she be so fond of him ? Did we
not know boys who never went out of bounds, and never were late
for school, and never made a false concord or quantity, and never
came under the ferule; and others who were always playing truant,
and blundering, and being whipped; and yet, somehow, was not
Master Naughtyboy better liked than Master Goodchild ? When
Master Naughtyboy came to dine with us on the first day of his
ruin, he bore a face of radiant happiness—he laughed, he bounced
about, he caressed the children; now he took a couple on his
knees; now he tossed the baby to the ceiling; now he sprawled
over a sofa, and now he rode upon a chair ; never was a penniless
gentleman more cheerful. As for his dinner, Phil's appetite was
always fine, but on this day an ogre could scarcely play a more
terrible knife and fork. He asked for more and more, until his
entertainers wondered to behold him. " Dine for to-day and tomorrow
too ; can't expect such fare as this every day, you know.
This claret, how good it is ! May I pack some up in paper, and
take it home with me ?" The children roared with laughter at this
admirable idea of carrying home wine in a sheet of paper. I don't
know that it is always at the best jokes that children laugh :—
children and wise men too.
When we three were by ourselves, and freed from the company
of servants and children, our friend told us the cause of his gaiety.
" By George!" he swore, " it is worth being ruined to find such
good people in the world. My dear kind Laura "—here the gentleman
brushes his eyes with his fist—" it was as much as I could do
this morning to prevent myself from hugging you in my arms, you
were so generous, and—and so kind, and so tender, and so good, by
George ! And after leaving you, where do you think I went ?"
" I think I can guess, Philip," says Laura.
" Well," says Philip, winking his eyes again, and tossing off a
great bumper of wine. " I went to her, of course. I think she is
the best friend I have in the world. The old man was out, and I
told her about everything that had happened. And what do you
think she has done? She says she has been expecting me—she
has ; and she has gone and fitted up a room with a nice little bed