Cucedicus, how did you manage to spend and owe so much? All day he was at work for his clients; at night he was occupied in the Public Council.He neither had wife nor children.The rewards which he received for his orations were enough to maintain twenty rhetoricians.Night after night I have seen him eating his frugal meal, consisting but of a fish, a small portion of mutton, and a small measure of Iberian or Trinacrian wine, largely diluted with the sparkling waters of Rhenish Gaul.And this was all he had; and this man earned and paid away talents upon talents; and fled, owing who knows how many more! Does a man earn fifteen thousand pounds a year, toiling by day, talking by night, having horrible unrest in his bed, ghastly terrors at waking, seeing an officer lurking at every corner, a sword of justice for ever hanging over his head--and have for his sole diversion a newspaper, a lonely mutton-chop, and a little sherry and seltzer-water? In the German stories we read how men sell themselves to--a certain Personage, and that Personage cheats them.He gives them wealth; yes, but the gold-pieces turn into worthless leaves.He sets them before splendid banquets yes, but what an awful grin that black footman has who lifts up the dish-cover; and don't you smell a peculiar sulphurous odor in the dish?
Faugh! take it away; I can't eat.He promises them splendors and triumphs.The conqueror's ear rolls glittering through the city, the multitude shout and huzza.Drive on, coachman.Yes, but who is that hanging on behind the carriage? Is this the reward of eloquence, talents, industry? Is this the end of a life's labor?
Don't you remember how, when the dragon was infesting the neighborhood of Babylon, the citizens used to walk dismally out of evenings, and look at the valleys round about strewed with the bones of the victims whom the monster had devoured? O insatiate brute, and most disgusting, brazen, and scaly reptile! Let us be thankful, children, that it has not gobbled us up too.Quick.Let us turn away, and pray that we may be kept out of the reach of his horrible maw, jaw, claw!
When I first came up to London, as innocent as Monsieur Gil Blas, Ialso fell in with some pretty acquaintances, found my way into several caverns, and delivered my purse to more than one gallant gentleman of the road.One I remember especially--one who never eased me personally of a single maravedi--one than whom I never met a bandit more gallant, courteous, and amiable.Rob me? Rolando feasted me; treated me to his dinner and his wine; kept a generous table for his friends, and I know was most liberal to many of them.
How well I remember one of his speculations! It was a great plan for smuggling tobacco.Revenue officers were to be bought off;silent ships were to ply on the Thames; cunning depots were to be established, and hundreds of thousands of pounds to be made by the coup.How his eyes kindled as he propounded the scheme to me! How easy and certain it seemed! It might have succeeded, I can't say:
but the bold and merry, the hearty and kindly Rolando came to grief--a little matter of imitated signatures occasioned a Bank persecution of Rolando the Brave.He walked about armed, and vowed he would never be taken alive: but taken he was; tried, condemned, sentenced to perpetual banishment; and I heard that for some time he was universally popular in the colony which had the honor to possess him.What a song he could sing! 'Twas when the cup was sparkling before us, and heaven gave a portion of its blue, boys, blue, that Iremember the song of Roland at the "Old Piazza Coffee-house." And now where is the "Old Piazza Coffee-house?" Where is Thebes? where is Troy? where is the Colossus of Rhodes? Ah, Rolando, Rolando!
thou wert a gallant captain, a cheery, a handsome, a merry.At MEthou never presentedst pistol.Thou badest the bumper of Burgundy fill, fill for me, giving those who preferred it champagne.Caelum non animum, &c.Do you think he has reformed now that he has crossed the sea, and changed the air? I have my own opinion.
Howbeit, Rolando, thou wert a most kind and hospitable bandit.
And I love not to think of thee with a chain at thy shin.
Do you know how all these memories of unfortunate men have come upon me? When they came to frighten me this morning by speaking of my robbed pears, my perforated garden wall, I was reading an article in the Saturday Review about Rupilius.I have sat near that young man at a public dinner, and beheld him in a gilded uniform.But yesterday he lived in splendor, had long hair, a flowing beard, a jewel at his neck, and a smart surtout.So attired, he stood but yesterday in court; and to-day he sits over a bowl of prison cocoa, with a shaved head, and in a felon's jerkin.
That beard and head shaved, that gaudy deputy-lieutenant's coat exchanged for felon uniform, and your daily bottle of champagne for prison cocoa, my poor Rupilius, what a comfort it must be to have the business brought to an end! Champagne was the honorable gentleman's drink in the House of Commons dining-room, as I am informed.What uncommonly dry champagne that must have been! When we saw him outwardly happy, how miserable he must have been! when we thought him prosperous, how dismally poor! When the great Mr.
Harker, at the public dinners, called out--"Gentlemen, charge your glasses, and please silence for the Honorable Member for Lambeth!"how that Honorable Member must have writhed inwardly! One day, when there was a talk of a gentleman's honor being questioned, Rupilius said, "If any man doubted mine, I would knock him down." But that speech was in the way of business.The Spartan boy, who stole the fox, smiled while the beast was gnawing him under his cloak: Ipromise you Rupilius had some sharp fangs gnashing under his.We have sat at the same feast, I say: we have paid our contribution to the same charity.Ah! when I ask this day for my daily bread, Ipray not to be led into temptation, and to be delivered from evil.