Щоденник незначної особи

           LupinthenobligeduswiththefollowingRadicalspeech:“IhateafamilygatheringatChristmas.Whatdoesitmean?Whysomeonesays:‘Ah!wemisspoorUncleJames,whowasherelastyear,’andweallbegintosnivel.Someoneelsesays:‘It’stwoyearssincepoorAuntLizusedtositinthatcorner.’Thenweallbegintosnivelagain.Thenanothergloomyrelationsays‘Ah!Iwonderwhoseturnitwillbenext?’Thenweallsnivelagain,andproceedtoeatanddrinktoomuch;andtheydon’tdiscoveruntilIgetupthatwehavebeenseatedthirteenatdinner.”

           December20.—WenttoSmirksons’,thedrapers,intheStrand,whothisyearhaveturnedouteverythingintheshopanddevotedthewholeplacetothesaleofChristmascards.Shopcrowdedwithpeople,whoseemedtotakeupthecardsratherroughly,and,afterahurriedglanceatthem,throwthemdownagain.Iremarkedtooneoftheyoungpersonsserving,thatcarelessnessappearedtobeadiseasewithsomepurchasers.Theobservationwasscarcelyoutofmymouth,whenmythickcoat-sleevecaughtagainstalargepileofexpensivecardsinboxesoneontopoftheother,andthrewthemdown.Themanagercameforward,lookingverymuchannoyed,andpickingupseveralcardsfromtheground,saidtooneoftheassistants,withapalpableside-glanceatme:“Puttheseamongstthesixpennygoods;theycan’tbesoldforashillingnow.”Theresultwas,Ifeltitmydutytobuysomeofthesedamagedcards.

           Ihadtobuymoreandpaymorethanintended.