Boxen: Childhood Chronicles Before Narnia. Walter Hooper

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      Any sailor who has been to Murry knows the Murryman’s rest. This servicable inn stands on the Royal Wharf & is a spacious building whose architecture presents a hetrogenious appearance as fresh wings have been built on from time to time through the 2 last centuries. On a certain morning about three days after Quicksteppes abortive attempt to catch the Bosphorus, Polonius Green sat in its cosy Inner.¹ He was seated on a high-backed oaken bench, beside a Foreigner. The latter was a clean shaven man with flowing red hair.

      ‘Well,’ the captain was saying, ‘what is the do?’

      ‘The “do” is,’ said the other coldly, ‘that you have made a fool of yourself.’

      The bird bristled.

      ‘What do you mean, Sir?’

      ‘Just this. You have told Goose that our leader was bribing.’

      ‘Yes. But –’

      ‘Well? –’

      ‘Our Leader declared that he would not give me a place in the new Clique. So I naturally –’

      ‘Yes. Because you can set no bounds to your insatiable ambition you overthrow the whole party?’

      ‘I do!’ said the angry bird.

      ‘Animal-lander! Sparrow!’

      ‘Prussian!’

      ‘How was it you fell out with our leader?’

      ‘Mind your own business.’ With that, the bird, with ruffled feathers, paid his bill & went out. The Prussian gazed after him with angry eyes, & sank back on his bench.

      ‘D––n the bird!!’ he muttered. At that moment the doors of the Inner were thrown open & another customer entered. He was a short, fairly stout bear. His fur was of a rich hock-brown color, & well oiled on the top of his round head. His expression was humurous, self satisfied, & intelligent. A cigarette was grasped between his tightly pursed lips. He was clad in a steward’s uniform and his cap bore the legend, ‘H.M.S. THRUSH’. The Prussian looked up.

      ‘’morning Mr Bar.’

      ‘Delighted to see you my dear Glohenman.’

      ‘Where have you sprung from?’

      ‘Oh the Thrush is at the Lord Wharf.’

      ‘Never! And captain Murry on board?’

      ‘Oh yes.’

      ‘And Hogge, the mate?’

      ‘Ist officer,’ corrected R.N. [Bar, of the Royal Navy], ‘but how is business?’

      The foreigner looked round. They were alone.

      ‘Clique business?’

      ‘Yes.’

      Then the two drew close together & for a long time sat in close confabulation. The Bear seemed to give instructions, & the other now & then made notes in a large pocket book. Occasionally he offered suggestions: suddenly, after about a quarter of an hour, to one of these suggestions the steward rose, & said loudly ‘No we will never do that. And don’t get beyond yourself either, my friend.’ Then he went out banging the door.

      Left alone the Prussian took another glass & reflected that these cursed Boxonians were all fools.

      IV

      The manager’s room of the offices of Pig & Bradley Shipowner & Carriers Ltd in D Street Murry, betrayed by its appurtenances the tastes & character of its owner. One wall was almost entirely filled up by three huge windows which brilliantly illumined the apartment. The floor was covered by a well worn oilcloth of the conventional light brown. To the СКАЧАТЬ