DOI article:
Harland, Henry: When I am king
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27812#0081
By Henry Harland yy
people were dead ; his father had been a younger son ; he had
no money of his own. But his father's eider brother, a squire
in Hampshire, made him rather a liberal allowance, something like
six hundred a year, I believe, which was opulence in the Latin
Quarter. Now, the squire had been aware of Pair's relation with
Godelinette from its inception, and had not disapproved. On his
visits to Paris he had dined with them, given them dinners, and
treated her with the utmost complaisance. But when, one fine
morning, her tailor died, and my quixotic friend announced his
intention of marrying her, the squire
protested. I think I read the whole correspondence, and I
remember that in the beginning the elder man took the tone of
paradox and banter. " Behave dishonourably, my dear fellow. I
have winked at your mistress heretofore, because boys will be
boys ; but it is the 77MM who marries. And, anyhow, a woman is
so much more interesting in a false position." But he soon
became serious, presently furious, and, when the marriage was an
accomplished fact, cut off the funds.
"Never mind, my dear," said Pair. "We will go to London
and seek our fortune. We will write the songs of the people,
and let who will make the laws. We will grow rich and famous,
and
' When I am king, diddle-diddle,
You shall be queen ! ' "
So they went to London to seek their fortune, and—that was the
last I ever saw of them, nearly the last I heard. I had two letters
from Pair, written within a month of their hegira—gossipy,
light-hearted letters, describing the people they were meeting,
reporting Godelinette's quaint observations upon England and
English things, explaining his hopes, his intentions, all very
The Yellow Book—Vol. III. E conAdently
people were dead ; his father had been a younger son ; he had
no money of his own. But his father's eider brother, a squire
in Hampshire, made him rather a liberal allowance, something like
six hundred a year, I believe, which was opulence in the Latin
Quarter. Now, the squire had been aware of Pair's relation with
Godelinette from its inception, and had not disapproved. On his
visits to Paris he had dined with them, given them dinners, and
treated her with the utmost complaisance. But when, one fine
morning, her tailor died, and my quixotic friend announced his
intention of marrying her, the squire
protested. I think I read the whole correspondence, and I
remember that in the beginning the elder man took the tone of
paradox and banter. " Behave dishonourably, my dear fellow. I
have winked at your mistress heretofore, because boys will be
boys ; but it is the 77MM who marries. And, anyhow, a woman is
so much more interesting in a false position." But he soon
became serious, presently furious, and, when the marriage was an
accomplished fact, cut off the funds.
"Never mind, my dear," said Pair. "We will go to London
and seek our fortune. We will write the songs of the people,
and let who will make the laws. We will grow rich and famous,
and
' When I am king, diddle-diddle,
You shall be queen ! ' "
So they went to London to seek their fortune, and—that was the
last I ever saw of them, nearly the last I heard. I had two letters
from Pair, written within a month of their hegira—gossipy,
light-hearted letters, describing the people they were meeting,
reporting Godelinette's quaint observations upon England and
English things, explaining his hopes, his intentions, all very
The Yellow Book—Vol. III. E conAdently