Roundabout Papers - Penn State University

Thackerayhim mine, which I am still old-fashioned enough to carry.It is a pretty old gold box enough, but valuable to meespecially as a relic of an old, old relative, whom I canjust remember as a child, when she was very kind tome. “Yes; a pretty box. I can remember when many ladies—mostladies, carried a box—nay, two boxes—tabatiere, and bonbonniere. What lady carries snuffboxnow, hey? Suppose your astonishment if a lady inan assembly were to offer you a prise? I can remember alady with such a box as this, with a tour, as we used tocall it then; with paniers, with a tortoise-shell cane,with the prettiest little high-heeled velvet shoes in theworld!—ah! that was a time, that was a time! Ah, Eliza,Eliza, I have thee now in my mind’s eye! At Bungay onthe Waveney, did I not walk with thee, Eliza? Aha, did Inot love thee? Did I not walk with thee then? Do I notsee thee still?”This was passing strange. My ancestress—but there isno need to publish her revered name—did indeed liveat Bungay St. Mary’s, where she lies buried. She used towalk with a tortoise-shell cane. She used to wear littleblack velvet shoes, with the prettiest high heels in theworld.“Did you—did you—know, then, my great gr-ndmther?”I said.He pulled up his coat-sleeve—”Is that her name?” hesaid.“Eliza ——”There, I declare, was the very name of the kind oldcreature written in red on his arm.“You knew her old,” he said, divining my thoughts(with his strange knack); “I knew her young and lovely.I danced with her at the Bury ball. Did I not, dear, dearMiss ——?”As I live, he here mentioned dear gr-nny’s maidenname. Her maiden name was ——. Her honored marriedname was ——.“She married your great gr-ndf-th-r the year Poseidonwon the Newmarket Plate,” Mr. Pinto dryly remarked.Merciful powers! I remember, over the old shagreenknife and spoon case on the sideboard in my gr-nny’sparlor, a print by Stubbs of that very horse. My grandsire,219