Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - Chapter XXVII. Misfortune upon misfortune.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
TItE SKJUTS-BOY. 227
spice; but ît was a horrible aspect fo behold the lieutenant-
colonel and his lady, their countenances dimly illumined by the
light of the candle, and deathly pale, when they drew forth from
the well-closed straw covered basket, nothing but mere pieces of
broken black glass, as dry as though they had never seen any
por# wine, arrack, or whisky. /kmid the mute, but expressive
silence, they drew alternately struw and pieces of glass, untfl the
basket was eml#ty. O, night of grief and tears! ]V[adame de
Dressen wrung ber hands in anxiety, the lieutenant-colonel stood
there rigid, his countenance as pale as deathl and his lips,
trembling and blue with rage, were only able to stammer broken
curses. The two girls, Amelia and Mina, did hot know whether
fo laugh or fo cry.
" We are shamed for ever," said the lieutenant-colonel, ai
len#h, in atone of desperate composure, which signified that he
was prepared fo defy this stroke of çate. "1)ut fo shame,
eternally; why do we stand here staxing af each other. ]V[y
supper will be a laughing-stock to the whole neighbourhood.
:Peasant’s tea with honey, no punch, no toddy, hot even wine on
the table i hot a drop of anything proper fo drink; but Nicholas,
he shall be greased for if, I swear it by . ]:n the meantime,
dear wife," he continued, turning toward his spouse, " it will
now be your duty fo acquaint our guests, in as frank and easy a
manner as po#ible, what a misfortune bas happened #o us i but
do hot forger to modulate your tone fo such a degree, that the
affair will create mir#h and hot ridicule, when you state fo them
that a drunken lout of a servant had thrown overboard three
great baskets filled with wine, arrack, rum, cognac, &c."
" The deuce; there axe then two more baskets #" exclaimed
#Iina, in surprise; " perhaps we may find whole bottles in the
others."
" Oh, no, they are all smashed fo atoms," replied the lieutenant-
colonel, turnh#g rather angrily toward his daughter. " W#nat do
you think our guests will say about the marrer # I hope that you
#2
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
