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counter with a pretty impatience； a pair of arch eyes were gazing
at the boy； admiring； perhaps； his manly proportions through the
homely and tightened garments he wore。
〃Ahem！ sir！ I say； young man！〃 the customer exclaimed。
〃Ton d'apameibomenos prosephe；〃 read on the student； his voice
choked with emotion。 〃What language！〃 he said； 〃how rich； how
noble； how sonorous！ prosephe podas〃
The customer burst out into a fit of laughter so shrill and cheery；
that the young Student could not but turn round； and blushing； for
the first time remarked her。 〃A pretty grocer's boy you are；〃 she
cried； 〃with your applepiebomenos and your French and lingo。 Am I
to be kept waiting for hever？〃
〃Pardon； fair Maiden；〃 said he； with high…bred courtesy： 〃'twas not
French I read； 'twas the Godlike language of the blind old bard。
In what can I be serviceable to ye； lady？〃 and to spring from his
desk； to smooth his apron； to stand before her the obedient Shop
Boy； the Poet no more； was the work of a moment。
〃I might have prigged this box of figs；〃 the damsel said good…
naturedly； 〃and you'd never have turned round。〃
〃They came from the country of Hector；〃 the boy said。 〃Would you
have currants； lady？ These once bloomed in the island gardens of
the blue Aegean。 They are uncommon fine ones； and the figure is
low； they're fourpence…halfpenny a pound。 Would ye mayhap make
trial of our teas？ We do not advertise； as some folks do： but sell
as low as any other house。〃
〃You're precious young to have all these good things；〃 the girl
exclaimed； not unwilling； seemingly； to prolong the conversation。
〃If I was you； and stood behind the counter； I should be eating
figs the whole day long。〃
〃Time was；〃 answered the lad； 〃and not long since I thought so too。
I thought I never should be tired of figs。 But my old uncle bade
me take my fill； and now in sooth I am aweary of them。〃
〃I think you gentlemen are always so；〃 the coquette said。
〃Nay； say not so； fair stranger！〃 the youth replied； his face
kindling as he spoke； and his eagle eyes flashing fire。 〃Figs
pall； but oh！ the Beautiful never does。 Figs rot； but oh！ the
Truthful is eternal。 I was born； lady； to grapple with the Lofty
and the Ideal。 My soul yearns for the Visionary。 I stand behind
the counter； it is true； but I ponder here upon the deeds of
heroes； and muse over the thoughts of sages。 What is grocery for
one who has ambition？ What sweetness hath Muscovada to him who
hath tasted of Poesy？ The Ideal； lady； I often think； is the true
Real； and the Actual； but a visionary hallucination。 But pardon
me； with what may I serve thee？〃
〃I came only for sixpenn'orth of tea…dust；〃 the girl said； with a
faltering voice； 〃but oh； I should like to hear you speak on for
ever！〃
Only for sixpenn'orth of tea…dust？ Girl； thou camest for other
things！ Thou lovedst his voice？ Siren！ what was the witchery of
thine own？ He deftly made up the packet； and placed it in the
little hand。 She paid for her small purchase； and with a farewell
glance of her lustrous eyes； she left him。 She passed slowly
through the portal； and in a moment was lost in the crowd。 It was
noon in Chepe。 And George de Barnwell was alone。
Vol。 II。
We have selected the following episodical chapter in preference to
anything relating to the mere story of George Barnwell； with which
most readers are familiar。
Up to this passage （extracted from the beginning of Vol。 II。） the
tale is briefly thus：
The rogue of a Millwood has come back every day to the grocer's
shop in Chepe； wanting some sugar； or some nutmeg； or some figs；
half a dozen times in the week。
She and George de Barnwell have vowed to each other an eternal
attachment。
This flame acts violently upon George。 His bosom swells with
ambition。 His genius breaks out prodigiously。 He talks about the
Good； the Beautiful； the Ideal； &c。； in and out of all season； and
is virtuous and eloquent almost beyond beliefin fact like
Devereux； or P。 Clifford； or E。 Aram； Esquires。
Inspired by Millwood and love； George robs the till； and mingles in
the world which he is destined to ornament。 He outdoes all the
dandies； all the wits； all the scholars； and all the voluptuaries
of the agean indefinite period of time between Queen Anne and
George II。dines with Curll at St。 John's Gate； pinks Colonel
Charteris in a duel behind Montague House； is initiated into the
intrigues of the Chevalier St。 George； whom he entertains at his
sumptuous pavilion at Hampstead； and likewise in disguise at the
shop in Cheapside。
His uncle； the owner of the shop； a surly curmudgeon with very
little taste for the True and Beautiful； has retired from business
to the pastoral village in Cambridgeshire from which the noble
Barnwells came。 George's cousin Annabel is； of course； consumed
with a secret passion for him。
Some trifling inaccuracies may be remarked in the ensuing brilliant
little chapter； but it must be remembered that the author wished to
present an age at a glance： and the dialogue is quite as fine and
correct as that in the 〃Last of the Barons；〃 or in 〃Eugene Aram；〃
or other works of our author； in which Sentiment and History； or
the True and Beautiful； are united。
CHAPTER XXIV。
BUTTON'S IN PALL MALL。
Those who frequent the dismal and enormous Mansions of Silence
which society has raised to Ennui in that Omphalos of town； Pall
Mall； and which； because they knock you down with their dulness；
are called Clubs no doubt； those who yawn from a bay…window in St。
James's Street； at a half…score of other dandies gaping from
another bay…window over the way； those who consult a dreary evening
paper for news； or satisfy themselves with the jokes of the
miserable Punch by way of wit； the men about town of the present
day； in a word； can have but little idea of London some six or
eight score years back。 Thou pudding…sided old dandy of St。
James's Street； with thy lacquered boots； thy dyed whiskers； and
thy suffocating waistband； what art thou to thy brilliant
predecessor in the same quarter？ The Brougham from which thou
descendest at the portal of the 〃Carlton〃 or the 〃Travellers'；〃 is
like everybody else's； thy black coat has no more plaits； nor
buttons； nor fancy in it than thy neighbor's； thy hat was made on
the very block on which Lord Addlepate's was cast； who has just
entered the Club before thee。 You and he yawn together out of the
same omnibus…box every night； you fancy yourselves men of pleasure；
you fancy yourselves men of fashion； you fancy yourselves men of
taste； in fancy； in taste； in opinion； in philosophy； the newspaper
legislates for you； it is there you get your jokes and your
thoughts； and your facts and your wisdompoor Pall Mall dullards。
Stupid slaves of the press； on that ground which you at present
occupy； there were men of wit and pleasure and fashion； some five…
and…twenty lustres ago。
We are at Button'sthe well…known sign of the 〃Turk's Head。〃 The
crowd of periwigged heads at the windowsthe swearing chairmen
round the steps （the blazoned and coronalled panels of whose
vehicles denote the lofty rank of their owners）；the throng of
embroidered beaux entering or departing； and rendering the air
fragrant with the odors of pulvillio and pomander； proclaim the
celebrated resort of London's Wit and Fashion。 It is the corner of
Regent Street。 Carlton House has not yet been taken down。
A stately gentleman in crimson velvet and gold is sipping chocolate
at one of the tables； in earnest converse with a friend whose suit
is likewise embroidered； but stained by time； or wine mayhap； or
wear。 A little deformed gentleman in iron…gray is reading the
Morning Chronicle newspaper by the fire； while a divine； with a
broad brogue and a shovel hat and cassock； is talking freely with a
gentleman； whose star and ribbon； as well as the unmistakable
beauty of his Phidian countenance； proclaims him to be a member of
Britain's aristocracy。
Two ragged youths； the one tall； gaunt； clumsy and scrofulous； the
other with a wild； careless； beautiful look； evidently indicating
Race； are gazing in at the window； not merely at the crowd in the
celebrated Club； but at Timothy the waiter； who is removing a plate
of that exquisite dish； the muffin （then newly invented）； at the
desire of some of the revellers within。
〃I would； Sam；〃 said the wild youth to his companion； 〃that I had
some of my mother Macclesfield's gold； to enable us to eat of those
cates and mingle with yon springalds and beaux。〃
〃To vaunt a knowledge of the stoical philosophy；〃 said the youth
addressed as Sam； 〃might elicit a smile of incredulity upon the
cheek of the parasite of pleasure； but there are moments in life
when History fortifies endurance： and past study renders present
deprivation more bearable