Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/279

 He has slipped and fallen upon the floor, and makes an obstruction; his companions treat him like a horse that is “down” in the street.

“Look out for his ‘eels!” cries one; and another, “Sit on his ’ed!” If this doesn’t come to an end we shall die of laughter. Lo! one of the funniest of the party is wearing a gigantic cardboard nose and flame-coloured whiskers. There, the stumbler is on his feet again. “‘Ere he comes up smilin’!” cries his friend of the cardboard nose, and we shake our diaphragms with mirth. One of the party is an unusually tall man. “When are you comin’ down to have a look at us?” cries a pert lass as she skips by him.

A great review of the People. Since man came into being, did the world ever exhibit a sadder spectacle?

Evening advances; the great ugly building will presently be lighted with innumerable lamps. Away to the west yonder the heavens are afire with sunset, but at that we do not care to look; never in our lives did we regard it. We know not what is meant by beauty