- end_line
- 1028
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:52.918Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 983
- text
- officer of you--look!" and she pointed to two foam-flakes epauletting
his shoulders. "Bravissimo again! I called you my recruit, when you left
my window this morning, and here you are promoted."
"Very prettily conceited, Lucy. But see, you don't admire their coats;
they wear nothing but the finest Genoa velvet, Lucy. See! did you ever
see such well-groomed horses?"
"Never!"
"Then what say you to have them for my groomsmen, Lucy? Glorious
groomsmen they would make, I declare. They should have a hundred ells of
white favors all over their manes and tails; and when they drew us to
church, they would be still all the time scattering white favors from
their mouths, just as they did here on me. Upon my soul, they shall be
my groomsmen, Lucy. Stately stags! playful dogs! heroes, Lucy. We shall
have no marriage bells; they shall neigh for us, Lucy; we shall be
wedded to the martial sound of Job's trumpeters, Lucy. Hark! they are
neighing now to think of it."
"Neighing at your lyrics, Pierre. Come, let us be off. Here, the shawl,
the parasol, the basket: what are you looking at them so for?"
"I was thinking, Lucy, of the sad state I am in. Not six months ago, I
saw a poor affianced fellow, an old comrade of mine, trudging along with
his Lucy Tartan, a hillock of bundles under either arm; and I said to
myself--There goes a sumpter, now; poor devil, he's a lover. And now
look at me! Well, life's a burden, they say; why not be burdened
cheerily? But look ye, Lucy, I am going to enter a formal declaration
and protest before matters go further with us. When we are married, I
am not to carry any bundles, unless in cases of real need; and what is
more, when there are any of your young lady acquaintances in sight, I am
not to be unnecessarily called upon to back up, and load for their
particular edification."
"Now I am really vexed with you, Pierre; that is the first ill-natured
innuendo I ever heard from you. Are there any of my young lady
acquaintances in sight now, I should like to know?"
"Six of them, right over the way," said Pierre; "but they keep behind
the curtains. I never trust your solitary village streets, Lucy.
Sharp-shooters behind every clap-board, Lucy."
"Pray, then, dear Pierre, do let us be off!"
- title
- Chunk 2