"Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time, Some that will evermore peep through their eyes, And laugh like parrots at a bagpiper, And others of such a vinegar aspect, That they'll not show their teeth by way of smile, And now," continued he, addressing me, "What's your name, sir? Of what condition are you-and of what place, I pray ?" Amused with what had passed, I replied, "That my name was Jacob- that I was a waterman, and born on the river." "I find thee apt; but tell me, art thou perfect that our ship hath touched upon the deserts of Bohemia ?" "Do you land at Westminster, sir?" "No; at Blackfriars,---there attend my coming. "Base is the slave who pays; nevertheless, what is your fare, my lad? "What money's in my purse?---Seven groats and two-pence. By Jove, I am not covetous of gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost. "But, "I can get no remedy for this consumption of the purse. “Here, my lad, is that enough ?” "Yes, sir, I thank you." "Remember poor Jack, sir," said the usual attendant at the landing-place, catching his arm as he careened the wherry on getting out. "If he fall in, good night---or sink or swim. "Jack, there is a penny for you. Jacob, farewell-we meet again ;" and away he went, taking three of the stone steps at each spring. This gentleman's name was, as I afterwards found out, Tinfoil, an actor of second-rate merit on the London boards. The Haymarket Theatre was where he principally performed, and as we became better acquainted, he offered to procure me orders to see the play, when I should wish to go there. CHAPTER XI. The pic-nic party---Sufferings by oil, ice, fire, and water---Upon the whole, the "divarting vagabonds," as the Thespian heroes and heroines are classically termed, are very happy, excepting Mr. Winterbottom, whose feelings are, by sitting down, down to zero. ONE morning he came down to the hard, and, as usual, I expected that he would go down the river. I ran to my boat, and hauled in close. "No, Jacob, no; this day you will not carry Cæsar and his fortunes, but I have an order for you." "Thank you, sir; what is the play ?” "The play-pooh! no play; but I hope it will prove a farce, nevertheless, before it's over. We are to have a pic-nic party upon one of those little islands up the river by Kew. All sock and buskin, all theatricals; if the wherries upset, the Haymarket may shut up, for it will be exeunt omnes' with all its best performers. Look you, Jacob, we shall want three wherries, and I leave you to pick out the other two-oars in each, of course. You must be at Whitehall steps exactly at nine o'clock, and I dare say the ladies won't make you wait more than an hour or two, which, for them, is tolerably punctual." Mr. Tinfoil then entered into the arrangement for remuneration, and walked away; and I was conning over in my mind whom I should select from my brother watermen, and whether I should ask old Stapleton to take the other oar in my boat, when I heard a voice never to be mistaken by me :— |