Letters from High Latitudes by Lord Dufferin
page 53 of 305 (17%)
page 53 of 305 (17%)
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Islandicam perpetuent in saecula saeculorum."
The last words mechanically rolled out, in the same "ore rotundo" with which the poor old Dean of Christchurch used to finish his Gloria, etc. in the Cathedral. Then followed more speeches,--a great chinking of glasses, --a Babel of conversation,--a kind of dance round the table, where we successively gave each alternate hand, as in the last figure of the Lancers,--a hearty embrace from the Governor,--and finally,--silence, daylight, and fresh air, as we stumbled forth into the street. Now what was to be done? To go to bed was impossible. It was eleven o'clock by our watches, and as bright as noon. Fitz said it was twenty-two o'clock; but by this time he had reached that point of enlargement of the mind, and development of the visual organs, which is expressed by the term "seeing double,"--though he now pretends he was only reckoning time in the Venetian manner. We were in the position of three fast young men about Reykjavik, determined to make a night of it, but without the wherewithal. There were neither knockers to steal, nor watchmen to bonnet. At last we remembered that the apothecary's wife had a conversazione, to which she had kindly invited us; and accordingly, off we went to her house. Here we found a number of French officers, a piano, and a young lady; in consequence of which the drum soon became a ball. Finally, it was proposed we should dance a reel; the second lieutenant of the "Artemise" |
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