Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 16, July 16, 1870
THE MYSTERY OF MR. E. DROOD.
AN ADAPTATION.
BY ORPHEUS C. KERR.
CHAPTER X.—(Continued.)
The Pond at Bumsteadville is sufficiently near the turnpike to bereadily reached from the latter, and, if mentioned in the advertisementof a summer boarding-house, would be called Lake Duckingham, on accountof the fashionable ducks resorting thither for bathing and flirtation inthe season. When July's sun turns its tranquil mirror to hues of amberand gold, the slender mosquito sings Hum, sweet Hum, along its margin;and when Autumn hangs his livery of motley on the trees, the glassysurface breathes out a mist wherefrom arises a spectre, with one hand ofice and the other of flame, to scatter Chills and Fever. Strollingbeside this picturesque watering-place in the dusk, the Gospelersuddenly caught the clatter of a female voice, and, in a moment, cameface to face with MONTGOMERY and MAGNOLIA PENDRAGON.
"A cold and frog-like place, this, for a lady's walk, Miss PENDRAGON,"he said, hastily swallowing a bronchial troche to neutralize the dampair admitted in speaking. "I hope you have on your overshoes."
"My sister brings me here," explained the brother, "so that her constanttalking to me, may not cause other people's heads to pain them."
"I believe," continued the Reverend OCTAVIUS, walking slowly on withthem, "I believe, Mr. PENDRAGON, your sister finds out from youeverything that you learn, or say, or do?"
"Everything," assented the young man, who seemed greatly exhausted. "Sheaverages one question a minute."
"Consequently," went on Mr. SIMPSON, "she knows that I have advised youto make some kind of apology to EDWIN DROOD, for the editorial remarkspassing between you on a certain important occasion?" He looked at thesister as he spoke, and took that opportunity to quickly swallow aquinine powder as a protection from the chills.
"My brother, sir," said MAGNOLIA, "because, like the Lesbian Alcaeus,fighting for the liberty of his native Mitylene, he has sympathized withhis native South, finds himself treated by Mr. DROOD with a lack ofmagnanimity of which even the renegade PITTACUS would have beenashamed."
"But even at that," returned the Gospeler, much educated by her remark,"would it not be better for us all, to have this haplessmisunderstanding manfully explained away, and a reconciliationachieved?"
"Did AESCHYLUS explain to the Areopagus, after he had been unjustlyabused?" asked the young female student, eagerly. "Or did he, rather,nobly prefer to remain silent, even until AMEINIAS reminded hisprejudiced Yankee judges that he had fought at Salamis?"
"Dear me," ejaculated the Gospeler, gasping, "I only meant—"
"I defend my brother," continued MAGNOLIA, passionately, "as in theAntigone of SOPHOCLES, ELECTRA defends ORESTES; and even if he has noPYLADES, he shall still be not without a friend in the habitation of thePylopidae."
"Upon my soul!" murmured the Reverend Mr. SIMPSON, "this is a dreadfulstate of things."
"I may as well confess to you, sir," said MONTGOMERY, temporarilyremoving his fingers from his ears, "that I admire Miss POTTS as much asI'm down on DROOD."
"He admires her," struck in h