Page:Cuthbert Bede--Little Mr Bouncer and Tales of College Life.djvu/257

Rh me; for, of course, it could not be me, because I was, at that very time, keeping an æger at Oxford."

"Of course not! but explain the riddle, Sir Ghost!" said Doctor Love.

The Ghost did so, in that jerky, Alfred Jingle style which he had before made use of at Hyde Park Corner; which style is a particularly useful one when you want to get over the ground quickly. In fact, it would be very advantageous to the devourers of the three-volume thirty-one-and-sixpence class of romantic novels, if the food of their imagination was drest up in this literary short-bread fashion, for it would save them the consumption of a great deal of unnecessary indigestible matter.

"So that 's the state of the case, my dear Fanny," said the Ghost, as he brought his rapid narrative to a conclusion. "And now, having gained my point in seeing you, and having been considerably refreshed thereby, and having had the excellent advice of Doctor Love on my distressing æger case, I must be off as quickly as possible to Oxford, before the Old Boy can get there."

"Decidedly the best thing you can do, Sir," said Doctor Love. "Don't let me keep you another minute; but, if you are really my patient, take my advice and go."

"And with your advice I should like to take thee! as Lover sings, and your lover says eh, Doctor Love?" said the patient, who appeared to be in a humour for composing impromptu parodies; for he immediately added, My cab is at the door, And my bark is on the sea, But before I go, Astore! I 've a double kiss for thee.' And," continued the Ghost, as he gave the young lady a practical illustration of the beauties of his parody,