Punch: Punch (101.1891)

52

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[August 1, 1891.

THE TRAVELLING COMPANIONS.

No. n.

Scene—Courtyard of the " Grand Hotel du Lion Belgique et
d"'Albion," at Brussels. It is just after Table d'hote; Pop-
bury and Cclchard are sitting on a covered terrace, with
coffee.

Podbury {producing a pipe). Not such a bad dinner! Expect
they '11 rook us a lot for it, though. Rather fun, seeing the waiters
all troop in "with a fresh course, when the proprietor rang his hell.
Like a ballet at the Empire—eh ?

Culchard {selecting a cigarette). I'm not in a position to say.
I don't affect those places of entertainment myself.

Podb. Oh! Where do you turn in when you want to kick up
your heels a bit? Madame Tussaud's? I say, why on earth didn't
you talk to that old bloke next to you at dinner ? He was trying all
he knew to be friendly.

C'ulch. Was he ? 1 daresay. But T rather understood we came

observes Miss T. with a sudden attention). That fellow Podbury has
better taste than I gave him credit for. She is pretty—in her peculiar
style—quite pretty! Pity she speaks with that deplorable accent.
[Writes—" Vermilion lips that sheathe a parrot tongue," and
runs over all the possible rhymes to " tongue."
Podb. {observing that his pencil is idle). Gas cut off again? Come
for a toddle. You don't mean to stick here all the evening, eh ?

Culch. Well, we might take a turn later on, and see the effect of
St. Gfudule in the moonlight.

Podb. Something like a rollick that! But what do you say to
dropping in quietly at the Eden for an hour or so, eh ? Variety
show and all that going on.

C'ulch. Thanks—variety shows are not much in my line; but
don't mind me if you want to go.

[Podbury wanders off, leaving culchaed free to observe
Miss Teottee.

Miss T. Charley writes he 's having a lovely time in Germany
going round. I guess he isn't feeling so cheap as he did. I wish
he'd come along right here.

out with the idea of keeping out of . ,.t/m Mr. T. I presume he's put in all

all that.

Podb. Of course. I'm not keen
about getting to know people. He
had no end of a pretty daughter,

though. Mean to say you didn't iSCEfJSEUR.

spot her ?

the time he had for Belgium—likely
I j|F we '11 fetch up against him some-

where before he's through.

Miss T. Well, and I don't care how
soon we do, either. Charley's a
bright man, and real cultivated. I'm

Culch. If by " spotting" you (%ti^p|ra3Ktfiffi™/MW fffflT always telling him that he's purr-
mean—was I aware of the existence 1: ,f j" \ fectly splendid company, considering
of a very exuberant young person, , * i-Iw^raPiliffltiNwf I / 3P\ i he's only a cousin,
with a most distressing American •^yfMNMfhiJ 1 ,4 3/r. T. That's so every time,
accent? I can only say that she ii^P^Wjfffif aI like Chaeley Van Boodeler
made her presence sufficiently evi- ifmw-- ~ '^relfPN "Osls first-rate myself,
dent. I confess she did not interest .^.ss^slii* ^V~Vjiih '^H^MK Culch. {to himself). If Chaeley
me to the point of speculating upon <7 —^ ^'/w&l^p }f;M MMttifflh Van Boodeler was engaged to her,
her relationship to anybody else. d&A ! \%tw , k njk^f''^V I M&0ffi ''y'M\ I suppose he'd be here. Pshaw!

Podb. Well—if you come to that, ^^^M^>0 ' J/l/'P ' WKBmVi What does it matter? Somehow,

I don't know that I—still, she was ^^^^^^rlPd YJiMw I r WwWm$Mw\ I rather wish now that 1 'd—but

uncommonly- {Happens to glance ^^^§S^^^^^^wlBIIl a II m^^B^M. perhaps we shall get into conversa-

round, and lowers his voice.) Jove! ^y\^^^^^^m^^m!^\ ■ 'SmWmSmmh tion presently. Hang it, here's that

she's in the Reading-room, just be- kgC ]P^^^^/S|f|f| Ml >'<11 Wm^fmmm fellow Podbury back again! Wish

hind us. [Hums, tvith elaborate ^^^^v^yfM Sj MPM!!} fMWMwM^j^^^- to goodness he'd-• {to podbttry.)

carelessness.) La di deedle-lumpty Hip ^Sta^, uj|ftwit ^|, m^mMg^m^^^k^ Hallo, so you haven't started yet ?

—loodle-oodle-loo- ■ "W> ~\*jf* mlliKlfi Podb. Been having a talk with the

Culch. {who detests humming). By '§| -^m^ Y^^^^m^3^^ - % " porter. He says there's a big fair

the way, I wash you hadn't been in / veT" mmM^WK^^Vi 0Ter ^ ^e Station ^u NlicliT and

such a hurry to come straight on. I . • 1 | /fSBI met Vr— -~Z it's worth seeing. Are you game to

particularly wanted to stop at Bruges, f^,^,\ I \t jNf'P fwk ^F??0f^v^ come along and sample it, eh ?
and see the Mendings. '^/\%\ I % \ J"W' limit Culch. {tvith an easy indifference
Podb. I do like that! For a fellow / aTM V ^ / W W W X intended for Miss T.'s benefit). Kd,
who wants to keep out of people's f J>f /( r ( I M Ml j j|| \ I think not, thanks. I'm very corn-
way! They'd have wanted you to ' / 11 \ \ ft| i/M i\W \ for table where I am.
stay to lunch and dinner, most likely. Ej ' |l \vM ^ ^ilivM 111 \He resumes his writing.

Culch. {raising his eyebrows). iV| ^ || >g\ ( f'Jn Jmh Podb. Well, it's poor fun having

Hardly, my dear fellow — they're § J' §§ si I f»il 1 to go alone!

pictures, as it happens. W H^- ) iHlll'^i • ^\ \_He is just going, when Mr. Trotter

Podb. {unabashed). Oh, are they? '/ \ wkbhr' l> W-!^^' I$7 rises and comes towards him.

Any way, you've fetched up your f J -^^J^^^^M Ify/ ' t /:Jj '/ Mr. T. You'll excuse me, Sir, but

average here. Weren't there enough -~.se* m^%E3t ' c^ ^ overhear you remark that

in the Museum for you ? "^^Qgj WSsS^' there was a festivity in progress in

Culch. {pityingly). You surely >& this city ?

wotddn't call the collection here ^ss^j5|3§i^='T Podb. So I'm told : a fair, down in

exactly representative of the best « tt^^^^j i . -f , „ .„ w ,,, r rj„ the new part. I coidd tell you how

■ j j tfl • t. a j. o " anted to know 11 vou were mv tutor! \±Le roars. , , , -r, . . /

period oi r lemish Art ? • - L to get to it, it you thought ot gotng.

Podb. If you ask me, I should call it a simply footling show—but ( Mr. T. Well, I don't see how I should ever strike that fair for my-

you were long enough over it. (Cdlchard shudders slightly, and' self, and I guess if there's anything to be seen we 're bound to see it, so

presently pats his pockets.) What's up now? Nothing gone wrong me and my darter—allow me to introduce my darter to you—Maud,

with the works, eh ? this gentleman is Mr.—I don't think I 'ye caught your name, Sir—

Culch. {with dignity). No—I was merely feeling for my note- > Podbury?—Mr. Podbley who's kindly volunteered to conduct us

book. I had a sudden idea for a sonnet, that's all.

round.

Podb. Ah, you shouldn't have touched those mussels they gave us Miss T. /should have thought you'd want to leave the gentleman
with the sole. Have a nip of this cognac, and you '11 soon be : some say in the matter, Father—not to mention me '

all right

[Culchard scribbles in lofty abstraction ; Podbtjey hums ; Mr. Cyrus
K. Teottee, and his daughter, Maud S. Teottee, come out by

Podb. {eagerly). But won't you come ? Do. I shall be awfully
glad if you will!

Miss T. If it makes you so glad as all that, I believe I '11 come.
the glass door of the Salon de Lecture, and seat themselves at an Though what you could say different, after Father had put it up so
adjoining table. ^ | steep on you, J don't know. 1 '11 just go and fix myself first.

[She goes.

Mr. T. {to Podbtjey). My only darter, Sir, and a real good girl.
We come over from the States, crossed a month ago to-day, and seen
a heap already. Been runnin' all over Scotland and England, and
kind of looked round Ireland and Wales, and now what we 're got to

3Iiss 'Trotter. AY ell, I guess it's gayer out here, anyway. That
Reading Saloon is just about as lively as a burying lot with all the
tombs unlet. I want the address of that man wdio said that Brussels
was a second Parrus.

Mr. Trotter. Maybe we ain't been long enough off the cars to

jedge yet. I)o you feel like putting on jour hat and sack, and | do is to see as much as we can of Germany and Switzerland and
sorter smellin' round this capital ? It'ly, and get some idea of France before we start home this fall. I

Miss T. Not any. I expect the old city will have to curb its ; guess we 're both of us gettin' pretty considerable homesick already,
impatience to see me till to-morrow. I'm tired some. My darter was sayin' to me on'y this evening at table d'hute,

Culch. {to himself). Confound it, how can I-! {Looks up, and j " Father," she sez,~ "the vurry first thing we '11 do when we get