Punch: Punch (101.1891)

196

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[October 24, 1891.

THE TRAVELLING COMPANIONS.

No. XL

ScEtfE—A Balcony outside the Mutik-Saal of the Insel Hotel, Con-
stance. Miss Prexdergast is seated; Cuechard is leaning
against the railing close by. It is about nine ; the moon has
risen, big and yellow, behind the mountains at the further end
of the lake ; small black boats are shooting in and out of her
track upon the water; the beat of the steamers' paddles is heard
as they come into harbour. Cuechard has just proposed.
Miss Prendergast {after a silence). I have always felt very strongly

with Rusei>t, that no girl should have the cruelty to refuse a

proposal-

Culchard [with alacrity). Ruskiw is always so right. And—er—
where there is such complete sympathy in tastes and ideas, as I
venture to think exists in our own case, the cruelty would

Culch. I—ah—suppose I have no choice. But you really must
allow me to say that it is not precisely the reception I anticipated.
Still, in your service, I am willing to endure even Podbury—for a
strictly limited period ; that I do stipulate for.

Miss P. That, as I have already said, is quite understood. Now
go and arrange with Mr. Podbury.

Culch. {to himself, as he retires). It is most unsatisfactory; hut
at least Podbury is disposed of !

The same Scene, a quarter of an hour later. Podbury and
Miss Prendergast.

Podbury {with a very long face). No, I say, though ! Pusses'
doesn't say all that ?

Miss P. I am not in the hahit of misquoting. If you wish to
verify the quotation, however, I daresay I could find you the refer-
ence in Fors Clavigera.

Podb. [ruefully). Thanks—I won't trouble you. Only it doos
seem rather rough on fellows, don't you know. If everyone went on
his plan—well, there wouldn't be many marriages ! Still, I never

Miss P. Pray allow me to finish ! " Refuse a proposal at once "
is Ruskin's expression. He also says (if my memory does not betray
me), that "no lover should have the insolence to think of being

accepted at once." thought vou'd say

You will find the __ " Yes" right off, "

passage som'ewhere in ^^^^^^g^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^grr^_ like my cheek, ^1

Culch. [whose jaw -\ *f ^ ^^llllllPll^^ all: you're so awfully

has visibly fallen). I ,■• y'.'- '''\ y- r^r'^I^^^^^p^^^B^^^^^^^^^ clever and that. And

cannot say 1 recall it ■ f ^|§^' " - ' *'-'^ T|fWEBH^/ if there's a chance

at this moment. Does tilPtsi^-';^'y '-^y.^' />' ' y^^w^f^^^ for me, I'm game for

he hold that a lover -C^^^^i^^Bk. ■ ' ' /' ■ > ' \ ■ ' anything in the way

should expect to be . .. - ^k^^a^^y' ■ ' ' / > . f <- of a trial. Don't

accepted by — er— ' •• 'L \ ■ ^Wm^P- '^'y%--X -' make it stiffer than

instalments, because, ■j^S^m^f^^^^^^spF.--, ■ 'y\' you can help, that's

Miss P. I think I ", ..i /^Bfc^S^^B^^ . >f ' ' Xtiw'flSL- Miss P. All I ask

can quote his exact / // ' ' .--^i^^iiC ^|of you is to leave me

words. " If she sim- '/M^MM4 '^mMmmMyW:^mm: ' V /-^j^'lf for a short time, and

ply doesn't like him, wm/mm ?0 and trayel vdth

she may send him away m ' //w£0*MNMMm I ~^T- Culchard again,

for seven years-"

'<MmMm^m7W% v "Jm) - - ' hSPjSMttLi Podb. Oh, I say,

Culch. {stiffly). No p : Jtt ''^s^^^^^^^^^^SmB Miss Pkendergast,

doubt that course is ,/■'»»■■,■ ' """' 'Wmm^^^^m^m^^-^^a^^^^^r^^^i^ 'W^^^SS^^ff you know. Make it

open to her. But why y^^MS^mm^^^^^Jk^lA'' TT ^dti$£&s^BBtisw something else. Do!

seven, and where is • rmc^^^^^l^l^^Kwr^^ ff 0-'\ ^-^—^^S^^B^BtSS^^ Miss P. That is the

he expected to go ? " '^^^^^^'"^V^^^HKk ft ^^^^^^^"^^M^^^w^^^^ ^as^ ^ require, and I

Miss P. {continuing """^ " C> \ "■ ■ 'fLvl^MSumKk I I ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^W can accept no other.

calmly). "He vowing ' "Jr'n' lltlMmHBlffl I I ' ' '^^'d^'/^'^^SS^a It is nothing, after

to live on cresses and _ \u|lffiP!HRml S ^^^-'•;'^rr''r^^^^K^^^^^HP^ all, but what you

wear sackcloth mean- I, «Ifinjlrlil J <yf ''^^^^m WK^^^^^sS came out here to do.

while, or the like I HHHI ft Xm^// • ^jf^^^m^^^S^SKm Podb. 1 didn't

penance." ~% iHHHfl In M" / ' / '■''''^^^^^Rw^&SmSKrm know him then, you

Culch. I feel bound j iRIIiBW v//-' -^^^^^^li /Wk\\k If see" And what made

to state at once that, | \IRlflll 1 ^ ff*f^^i^--^nfi me a?'rce to come

in my own case, my lllmMM'11 ^ fy$M #B^^^R^^1 away with him at all

position at Somerset \ mxMMm ^, /F/I^l^ l^^S_-s£_-- is bevond me. It was

House would render l^f^ flisfc^ - ^^^^^fl^^^^^^&^^^^P"" a11 SrGHlE Rose's

anything of that sort x'V^vWf^ill^^xj^:' "^^^^b^S^^^^^^^^R-^^^"'"' doing — he said we

utterly impracticable. ^nT^^^^^^^^^^^t!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^1^^ should get on together

Miss P. Wait, t.-^'^J^^^^m^mm^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ f-'i.^P ^e ^azes< ^° we

please, — you are so ^^^^^^S^^^affliffl^fc^^s^^^^^^^s--- have — 'cry like

impetuous. "If she ^g^^P^^^^"^Pli^^^pa5^^^^8^^^^=" blazes!

likes him a little,"— ^j^^^^'^^^^^^^^^gEsrs; Miss P. Never

(Cuechard's brow —- ^^S^^"^ mind that. Are you

relaxes)—-"or thinks '< ... . „ willing to accept the

she might come to seem rather rough, on ieilowa, don t you know." trial or not?

like him in time, she may let him stay near her,"—(Cuechard
makes a movement of relief and gratitude)—" putting him always on
sharp trial, and requiring, figuratively, as many lion-skins or giants'
heads as she thinks herself worth."

Culch. {grimly). "Figuratively" is a distinct concession on
Rusken's part. Still, I should be glad to know-

Miss P. If you will have a little more patience, I will make my-
self clear. _ I have always determined that when the—ah—occasion
presented itself, I would deal with it on Ruskinian principles. I
propose in your case—presuming of course that you are willing to be
under vow for me—to adopt a middle course.

Culch. You are extremely good. And what precise form of—er—
penance did you think of ?

Miss P. The trial I impose is, that you leave Constance to-morrow
—with Mr. Podbury.

Culch. {firmly). If you expect me to travel for seven years with
him, permit me to mention that I simply cannot do it. My leave
expires in three weeks.

Miss P. I mentioned no term, I believe. Long before three weeks
are over we shall meet again, and I shall be able to see how you
have borne the test. I wish you to correct, if possible, a cei'tain
intolerance in your attitude towards Mr. Podbury. Do you accept
this probation, or not ?

' Podb. If you only knew what he's like when he's nasty, you'd let
me off—you would, really. But there, to please you, I '11 do it. I '11
stand him as long as ever I can—'pon my honour I will. Only you '11
make it up to me afterwards, won't you now ?

Miss P. I will make no promises—a true knight should expect no
reward for his service, Mr. Podbury.
Podb. {blankly). Shouldn't he ? I'm a little new to the business,

you see, and it does strike me-but never mind. "When am I to

trot him off ?

Miss P. As soon as you can induce him to go — to-morrow, if
possible.

Podb. I don't believe he '11 go, you know, for one thing !

3fiss P. {demurely). I think you will find him open to persuasion.
But go and try, Mr. Podbury.

Podb. {to himself, as he withdraws). Well, I've let myself in for
a nice thing ! Rummest way of treating a proposal I ever heard of.
I should just like to tell that fellow Ruskix what I think of his
precious ideas. But there's one thing, though—she can't care about
Cuechard, or she wouldn't want him carted off like this . . . Hooray,
I never thought of that before ! Why, there he is, dodging about to
find out how i" 've got on. I '11 tackle him straight off.

[Culchard and Podbury meet at the head of the staircase, and
speak at the same moment.