Punch (102.1892)

16

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[January 9, 1892.

Bob. Yery likely—but I couldn't. I never interfere in my sister's
THE TRAVELLING COMPANIONS. affairs, and, to tell yon the honest truth, I don't feel particularly

jt0 yXTT inclined to make a beginning on your account. [Strolls away.

' Culch. {to himself). What a surly boor it is! But I don't care—

Scene—The Campo S.S. Giovanni e Paolo. Afternoon. Culchard i >u d0 bim a g00& turn, in spite of himself! (Miss T. returns.) Do
is leaning against the pedestal of the Colleoni Statue. ; y0U know, I've just been having a chat with poor young Prender-

Podbury {who has just come out of S. Giovanni, recognising gast. He seems quite cut up at being forced to side with his sister.
Culchard). Hullo! alone, eh ? Thought you were with Miss ; I undertook to—er—intercede for him. _ Now is it quite fair, or like
Trotter ? i your—er—usual good-nature, to visit his sister's offences—whatever

Culchard. So I am. That is, she is going over a metal-worker's they are—on him ? I—I only put it to you.
show-room close by, and I—er—preferred the open air. But didn't ! Miss T. Well, to think now! I guess you 're about the most
you say you were going out with the—er—Prendergasts again ? unselfish Saint on two legs! Now some folks would have felt jealous.

Podb. So I am. She's in the Church with Bob, so I said I'd Culch. Possibly—but I cannot accuse myself of such a failing as
come out and keep an eye on the gondola. Nothing much to see in that._

there, you know! ! Miss T. I'd just like to hear you accuse yourself of any failing !

Culch. {ivith a weary irony). Only the mausoleums of the Doges— I don't see however you manage to act so magnanimous and live. I
Ruskln's " Street of the Tombs "—and a few trifles of that sort! told you I wanted to study your character, and I believe it isn't

Podb. That's all. And I'm feeling a bit done, you know. Been going to take me vurry much longer to make up my mind about you.
doing the Correr Museum all You don't suppose I '11 have

the morning, and not lunched i » m '■ MMy I «4 Jt0?' ' I - a anT time for Mr. Prendergast

yet! So Miss Trotter's look- | I ,. [fK I t?'V ^4 gettin? glimpse

mg at ornamental metal-work ? t|j§\ ffj M »' ; I ^[ into your nature P There, help

Rather fun that, eh ? fllfS / ■W^^^^^^ir^^^=~ me into the gondola, and don't

Culch. For those who enjoy mm\ . f ' ^^^L'i, ^=~r---—" talk any more about it. Tell

it. She has only been in there f \V% ^/ .;. - fey^^pjSBK^ him to go to Salviati's right

an hour, so she is not likely to >$*w\ 1 t\ / f. ^S0m^h f^EsrWtt ' away.

come back just yet. What do mmmk\ " ■ I -jULjHf MfW -53.Jfffl Culch. {dejectedly, to him-

you say to coming into S.S. Gio- Mfiil /" / f IW fif ^^^SirS self). i've bungled it! i might

vanni e Paolo again, with me ? AW#llils1 > MMWmm' 1 W W — have known I should only make

Those tombs form a really re- WR\ ' f\ 11^31 1 IP Mil -"**" j'$ matters worse !

markable illustration, as Bus- ' \\ J| ' LlLlL MfflbteMgIJm^m n *i r>- » v •

K—°Ut' °f ^ gradUal W J^Piilfe^. — I XmJ^JJL anddZu

kiss Trotter {suddenly flutters^ J|| ^^M^^pj^^^K _ _ %iiZeMs^r^Tn7hZh

mrr^^fst^eThS^tai / ' - t ^M^^Bj: y^^^WT'----'^^'. gainst the steel-blue, sky

antique gondola-hook, and two , S^^Mmm^X^^ ■MJm^T^%^^ ° W° fnt'Z ^i1

copper water-buckets - all of 1» ?M^^P'''ii^SlCM^^¥r PoDBUllY and culchard are

"Mchare consigned to the disi \ \ ! ^^^M^^M ': \/|^ Tetween thetlo^limns'^

these a spell till I come back. ^^^^^^^^j^^^^^l'i I'm 'ifc-Ml 1 I M ff Culch. And so you went on

Thanks ever so much . . . Well, ' ||i IRME^WklM- mWM% li 1: « I I to S. Giovanni in Bragora, eh ?

Mr. Podburt! Aren't you iMM W^^Bm^\Kl'H\ IW'-KJ f M then over the Arsenal, and

going to admire my purchases ? " 1 'lir'ii^^JlJ^^^H'^^^^^^a^^' It T~ " '^^^ -^h^t:- Is""! f s I rowed across the lagoons to see

They're real antique — or if UjM^cSSMKm mfaWi Wmmm • i ^m^WMmA I I the Armenian convent ? A de-

they aren't, they'll wear all ', U^^ftfjflHE^ Wli f |^^^Bi 1 lightful day, my dear Podbury !

the better . . . There, I believe .<-<^mm9^^^' ^/^^fefeIt--k'^^jP^^'W')/™l\£ ULT 1 hope you—er—appreciate the

I'll just have to run back a wME^-W-' ^LfX"!/;, * 7,Im& ^estimable privileges of —of

minute—don't you put those ""^^ffiif IH^^S^^ w^p^^-1-^-''-^-- WmUv — seeing Yenice so thoroughly r

things in the gondola yet, Mr. jfi vra^f^^fe^^a | 1 mBmgf^i} nW\ Podb. Oh, of course it's very

Cclchard, or they '11 get stolen. M'W^^^^^^fl lf«p\ S mHmwIi W1 f\\ jolly. Find I get a trifle mixed

[She flatters off. ^WKSBa^Bfir^ I WSKWm% afterwards, though. And, be-

Culch. {helplessly, as he holds j^BBB^nSolHPf"'Iffi!' "•'^m Ji mBU'l'WiV^ A il tween ourselves, 1 wouldn't

/At- halberd, $c). I suppose 1 ^ l^fflfflEPiiWiT iR ''lil ^Vfl0^^'iwlfllw it mind—now and then, you know

shall have to stay Aere now. ' wl| mK;4- ,f wfr^MMmMfh^]m\^ —just dawdling about among

You're not going ? IpMllMWf^^'^ l»™HWwfP?'i HI ll the shops and people, as you

Podb. {consulting his watch) liwif\llMl mWHUlmMilU 1 || and the Trotters do !

Must. Promised old Bob I'd llWlHlf BllHMfliiflS 1 If I'1 Culch' That has its Sarins,

relieve guard in ten minutes. l^^pfli;! ^mH^Fmim Ifffjl no doubt. But don't you find

[He goes; presently Bob Vken- . ^M^;^"^ #^^r ^ Hi' l m!'' information on Italian Art and

Culch'. li I could only make | fjlll il^p1''.-'too' </t>e/) for me, y' know! I

a friend of him! {To Bob.) ~~=^^^^^MMxJ^^^^^ ' ?y say, isn't Miss Trotter immense

Ah, Prestdergast ! lovelv after- £(T ? w **i t \. a • + + i i»> sport in the shops and that!

^ -rv v • i. CA , "I guess you're about the most unselfish Saint on two legs !" °L ~ 7 7 Qr ^ .„* ^ •__•

noon, isn't it ? Delicious breeze J Culch. She is—er—vivacious,

Bob. {shortly). Can't say. Not had much of it, at present.
Culeh. You find these old churches rather oppressive, I daresay.
Er—will vou have a cigarette ? [Tenders case.

Bob. Thanks; got a pipe. {lie Ugh ts it.) Where's Miss Trotter ?
Culch. She will be here presently. By the way, my dear
Prendergast, this—er—misunderstanding between your sister and
her is very unfortunate.

Bob. I know that well enough. It's none of my doing! And
you've no reason to complain, at all events !

Culch. Quite so. Only, you see, we used to be good friends at

Constance, and—er—until recently--

Bob. Used we ? Of course, if you say so, it's all right. But
what are you driving at exactly ?

Culch. All I am driving at is this : Couldn't we two—er—agree to
effect a reconciliation between the two ladies ? So much pleasanter
for—er—all parties !

1 daresay. But how are you going to set about it ? Jcan't begin.
Culch. Couldn't you induce your sister to lay aside her—er—
prejudice against me ? Then I could easily-

certainly. (Podbtjry sighs.) You seem rather dull to-night, my
dear fellow ?

Podb. Not dull—a triile out of sorts, that's all. Fact is, I don't
think Yenice agrees with me. All this messing about down beastly
back-courts and canals and in stuffy churches—it can't be healthy,
you know! And they've no drainage. I only hope I haven't
caught something, as it is. I've that kind of sinking feeling, and
a general lowness—She says I lunch too heavily—but I swear it's
more than that!

Culch. Nonsense, you re well enough. And why you should feel
low, with all your advantages—in Yenice as you are, and in constant
intercourse with a mind adorned with every feminine gift!

Podb. Hul-lo! why, I thought you called her a pedantic prig ?

Culch. If I used such a term at all, it was in no disparaging sense.
Every earnest nature presents an—er—priggish side at times. I
know that even I myself have occasionally, and by people who didn't
knotc me^of course, been charged with priggishness.

Podb. Have you, though? But of course there's nothing of that
about her. Only—well, it don't signify. [He sighs.