Roundabout Papers - Penn State University

Roundabout Paperssea, and changed the air? I have my own opinion. Howbeit,Rolando, thou wert a most kind and hospitablebandit. And I love not to think of thee with a chain atthy shin.Do you know how all these memories of unfortunatemen have come upon me? When they came to frightenme this morning by speaking of my robbed pears, myperforated garden wall, I was reading an article in theSaturday Review about Rupilius. I have sat near thatyoung man at a public dinner, and beheld him in a gildeduniform. But yesterday he lived in splendor, had longhair, a flowing beard, a jewel at his neck, and a smartsurtout. So attired, he stood but yesterday in court;and to-day he sits over a bowl of prison cocoa, with ashaved head, and in a felon’s jerkin.That beard and head shaved, that gaudy deputylieutenant’scoat exchanged for felon uniform, and yourdaily bottle of champagne for prison cocoa, my poorRupilius, what a comfort it must be to have the businessbrought to an end! Champagne was the honorablegentleman’s drink in the House of Commons diningroom,as I am informed. What uncommonly dry champagnethat must have been! When we saw him outwardlyhappy, how miserable he must have been! whenwe thought him prosperous, how dismally poor! Whenthe great Mr. Harker, at the public dinners, called out—”Gentlemen, charge your glasses, and please silence forthe Honorable Member for Lambeth!” how that HonorableMember must have writhed inwardly! One day, whenthere was a talk of a gentleman’s honor being questioned,Rupilius said, “If any man doubted mine, I wouldknock him down.” But that speech was in the way ofbusiness. The Spartan boy, who stole the fox, smiledwhile the beast was gnawing him under his cloak: Ipromise you Rupilius had some sharp fangs gnashingunder his. We have sat at the same feast, I say: we havepaid our contribution to the same charity. Ah! when Iask this day for my daily bread, I pray not to be led intotemptation, and to be delivered from evil.260