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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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559 Mr Snevellicci was a little addicted to drinking; or, if the whole truth must be told, that he was scarcely ever sober. He knew in his cups three distinct stages of intoxication,--the dignified--the quarrelsome--the amorous. When professionally engaged he never got beyond the dignified; in private circles he went through all three, passing from one to another with a rapidity of transition often rather perplexing to those who had not the honour of his acquaintance. Thus Mr Snevellicci had no sooner swallowed another glassful than he smiled upon all present in happy forgetfulness of having exhibited symptoms of pugnacity, and proposed ‘The ladies! Bless their hearts!’ in a most vivacious manner. ‘I love ’em,’ said Mr Snevellicci, looking round the table, ‘I love ’em, every one.’ ‘Not every one,’ reasoned Mr Lillyvick, mildly. ‘Yes, every one,’ repeated Mr Snevellicci. ‘That would include the married ladies, you know,’ said Mr Lillyvick. ‘I love them too, sir,’ said Mr Snevellicci. The collector looked into the surrounding faces with an aspect of grave astonishment, seeming to say, ‘This is a nice man!’ and appeared a little surprised that Mrs Lillyvick’s manner yielded no evidences of horror and indignation. ‘One good turn deserves another,’ said Mr Snevellicci. ‘I love them and they love me.’ And as if this avowal were not made in sufficient disregard and defiance of all moral obligations, what did Mr Snevellicci do? He winked--winked openly and undisguisedly; winked with his right eye--upon Henrietta Lillyvick! The collector fell back in his chair in the intensity of his |
