Baerens, a lady of Teutonic extraction,
was distinguishable as of that sex; at least, she was not masculine. She
spoke with great respect of Lady Camper and her family, and seemed to
agree in the General's eulogies of Lady Camper's constitution. Still he
thought she eyed him strangely.
One April morning the General received a letter with the Italian
postmark. Opening it with his usual calm and happy curiosity, he
perceived that it was composed of pen-and-ink drawings. And suddenly his
heart sank like a scuttled ship. He saw himself the victim of a
caricature.
The first sketch had merely seemed picturesque, and he supposed it a
clever play of fancy by some travelling friend, or perhaps an actual
scene slightly exaggerated. Even on reading, 'A distant view of the city
of Wilsonople,' he was only slightly enlightened. His heart beat still
with befitting regularity. But the second and the third sketches betrayed
the terrible hand. The distant view of the city of Wilsonople was fair
with glittering domes, which, in the succeeding near view, proved to have
been soap-bubbles, for a place of extreme flatness, begirt with crazy
old-fashioned fortifications, was shown; and in the third view,
representing the interior, stood for sole place of habitation, a
sentry-box.
Pages:
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251