Page:Cuthbert Bede--Little Mr Bouncer and Tales of College Life.djvu/102

82 progress. The light of the moon, streaming through the staircase-window, fell upon the white-dressed figure with ghostly effect; and Mr. Festoon might well be excused if, for a moment, he felt somewhat alarmed. That the ghost was brandishing a poker was also a circumstance that was not reassuring to Mr. Festoon's peace of mind.

"Shtop, sir!" cried Mr. Smirke. "You 're making a mosht dishgusting noishe. You 're toshicated, sir—beashly toshicated! 't will be my painful duty—mosht painful duty to tell the Principal." Mr. Smirke had a considerable difficulty in pronouncing the last word; and it gave Mr. Festoon time to recover himself.

"You had better go to bed, Smirke," he said, "and let me pass to my bed. I 'm tired, and I 've a long journey in the morning."

"All ri', F'stoon! all ri'! Give my love to Garland—noble shwell, and ornament of Upper Houshe." And Mr. Smirke made a profound bow, and allowed Mr. Festoon to pass; but, instead of taking his advice, and going to bed, he wandered downstairs into the Quad, from whence tea-tray and poker music was presently heard, as though Balliol was hiving its bees.

Mr. Bulpit also distinguished himself on the same night. The friends who had taken him to his rooms at the "Skimmery," had not undressed him and put him to bed; and, after they had left him he wandered forth and amused himself in the donkey-like fashion of "kicking up his heels." Being shod with heavy boots, he tried their strength against the panels of various doors, and succeeded in smashing four, oaks. When afterwards asked why he had done so, he gave, by way of a reason, the answer that he had smashed two because