Part 12 (1/2)
[86 ADVENTURES OF MR VERDANT GREEN]
their stalls (being ”a complete realization of stalled Oxon!” as Charles Larkyns whispered to our hero), ere relieved in colour by their crimson or scarlet hoods; and then, ”upstairs,” in the north and the great west galleries, the black <vg086jpg> raduates; while a few ladies' bonnets and heads of male visitors peeped from the pews in the aisles, or looked out froallery, where, ”by the kind permission of Dr
Elvey,” they were accommodated with seats, and watched onder, while
”The izard's fingers, With ers, In -prayer, in which Mr Verdant Green was so list of founders
[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 87]
and benefactors, ”such as were, Philip Pluckton, Bishop of Iffley; King Edward the Seventh; Stephen de Henley, Earl of Bagley, and Maud his wife; Nunehah, as the preacher happened to be a Brazenface man, our hero found that he was ”don, Bishop of Jericho, and founder of the college of Brazenface; Richard Glover, Duke of Woodstock; Giles Peckwater, Abbot of Beney; and Binsey Green, Doctor of Music; - benefactors of the same”
Then there was the sermon itself; the abstrusely learned and classical character of which, at first, also astonished hihly practical advice which the rector, Mr Larkyns, kne to convey so well and so simply to his rustic hearers But as soon as he had reflected on the very different characters of the two congregations, Mr Verdant Green at once recognized the appropriateness of each class of serether drive away the thought, how the generality of those who had on previous Sundays been his felloorshi+ppers would open their blue Saxon eyes, and ransack their rustic brains, as to ”what ~could~ ha' coe in Greek and Latin quotations, - ~soh this interpretation may in these days be disputed, yet we shall find that it was once very generally received
For the learned St Chrysostom is very clear on this point, where he says, 'Ari'; of which the words of Irenaeus are a confirmation - {otototoio, papaperax, poluphloisboio thalassaes}”
Our hero, indeed, could not but help wondering what the fairer portion of the congregation made of these parts of the sermons, to whom, probably, the sentences just quoted would have sounded as full of lamps!” said the cheery voice of little Mr Bouncer, as he looked oneinto Verdant's rooms, followed by his two bull-terriers; ”why don't you sport so in the bloodhound or tarrier way Ain't you fond o' dogs?”
”Oh, very!” replied our hero ”I once had a very nice one, - a King Charles”
”Oh!” observed Mr Bouncer, ”one of theet up with curling tongs Ah!
they're all very well in their way, and do for wo!” and Mr Bouncer patted one of his villainous looking pets, who
[88 ADVENTURES OF MR VERDANT GREEN]
wagged his corkscrew tail in reply ”Now, these are beauties, and no mistake! What you call useful and ornaars are brothers; so I call them Huz and Buz:- Huz his first-born, you know, and Buz his brother”
”I should like a dog,” said Verdant; ”but where could I keep one?”
”Oh, anywhere!” replied Mr Bouncer confidently ”I keep these beggars in the little shop for coal, just outside the door It ain't the law, I know; but what's the odds as long as they're happy?
~They~ think it no end of a lark I once had a Newfunland, and tried ~him~ there; but the obstinate brute considered it too small for him, and barked hiot no wool on the top of his head, - just the place where the wool ought to grow, you know; so I swopped the beggar to a Skiular slap-up set of pets of the ballet, fralazed, petticoats and all, lamps: -that cupboard there would be just the ticket; you could put him under the wine-bottles, and then there'd be wine above and whine below
~Videsne puer~? D'ye twig, young 'un? But if you're squeamish about that, there are heaps of places in the tohere you could keep a beast”
So, when our hero had been persuaded that the possession of an animal of the terrier species was absolutely necessary to a Universitythe void filled up Money will in rant of ar if, in Oxford, such an every-day coh the -fancier and proprietor, whose surname was that of the rich substantive just mentioned, to which had been prefixed the ”filthy” adjective, probably for the sake of euphony As usual, Filthy Lucre was clu up and down the paveate, accompanied by his last ”new and extensive assortment” of terriers of every variety, which he now pulled up for the inspection of Mr Verdant Green
”Is it a long-aird dawg, or a smooth 'un, as you'd most fancy?”
inquired Mr Lucre ”Har, sir!” he continued, in a flattering tone, as he saw our hero's eye dwelling on a Skye terrier; ”I see you're a gent as ~does~ know a good style of dahen you see 'un! It ain't often as you see a Skye sich as that, sir! Look at his colour, sir, and the way he looks out of his 'air! He answers to the na for ”St Mary's Hall”