He is a man with no enemies; I don’t believe he has one, and he himself hates no man, and in fact is always happy, jovial13, and scarcely ever disappointed with his calculations of things and people. Whatever the Col. does, he does well, but he always puts it off until it can be delayed no longer. If he makes up his mind that he must go up the river, and look in the affairs of his agents or debters, he will appoint next week, but four or five weeks will follow in succession, but as next week must eventually come, he battles with that until the last day. Saturday he leaves on the last boat, and, is his most interested partner abler than another man to tell when he will ever turn his face home, or whether he will stop at Natchez, or Memphis, for what convinced him at 2 o’clock Saturday that he had better get off that evening, was as much the departure of his friends on that boat, as the conviction that these affairs of his must be looked into. When he wants a partner in any of his various traffics, he never looks for a man with capital, but one that understands what his views are, and would feel an aspiring14 interest, so much so as to devote all his time and talent and scrutiny15 to its development of prosperity in the end, if not at first. His object seems more the perfection of the business than its profits; but at the end of the year of business, which is the first day of September, if there is no profit, and he is not very deeply in, he will not be inclined to risk much, but he sticks like a leech16, and this year must pay the loss of last. He will bleed some branch of this business before he lets go. The balance sheet of the firm of Messrs. Fellowes and Co., foots per annum about $140,000 to $170,000 profit; but if he lost by giving up some of his planters that have made a good crop, $10,000, he thinks that he managed badly, and goes about finding who they are connected with, and whether they wish to come back again. He will now furnish them with more means than he refused them when they left him. No man can get along with a planter better than Cornelius Fellowes; for he considers a planter, or slave holder17, his equal in every particular; consequently feels himself at home with them. A planter looks at a merchant as his agent until they become the leading houses in their community, then they are honored in having the great merchant to stay a few days and hunt. But when they go to New Orleans they expect to be waited on by the merchant, when to their great disgust, the merchant sends his clerk to look after their wants; and the merchant, instead of persuading them to come and put up at his house, or dine with him, has other friends more congenial to his taste and dignity, than the planter with his Sunday suit of store made clothes. But as Mr. Fellowes never cares much for looks or position, and as he is an old bachelor and never had a house, and a slave holder is his equal, he hesitates not to go to the ladies ordinary and order his seat at table, and call on the rustic18 gentleman and family to dine with him, where they drink such wine as they would most likely take at home for stump19 water and cider. But this familiarity will tell upon the nerves of Mr. Fellowes, for he does not like to feel himself obliged to do any thing, and they will, in this good mood, invite him to the opera, theatre, or most likely the circus. Now this stumps20 his benevolent feelings to those who need no benevolence21; he has his club mates, or the gaieties of Orleans to meet, where are to be found the very men he must touch glasses or whif a cigar with. He is now puzzled. He will let them know before dark, but will have their tickets for them already. He surely will be found missing; he says to himself “it will not do to refuse them without a good and plausable excuse,” therefore he plans in his mind. He calls on one of his numerous clerks, and requests him to take an amount of money and go and buy so many tickets, and requests him further to call on Mr. Brown, and make an excuse, and offer to accompany him and the ladies to the amusement in view. These rich, bustle-dressed, young girls are diamonds in the eyes of young clerks; and young clerks in the best houses are Adonises to what these girls are used to. They soon become agreeable, and when they return home, Sam Smith, their next neighbor, is treated as he deserves to be by civilized22 beings. Soon after a letter comes to Mr. Clerk from this plantation23, with a lady’s scrawl24, care Fellowes & Co., and Mr Fellowes delights to find that his suggestion of this young man met the entire approbation25 of the favorite of the old farmer. The fact is Mr. Fellowes can kill more birds with one stroke of his policy, than any other man that studies so little. Mr. Fellowes is never in so bad a humour as when he treats one kindly26, and it is unkindly returned, to illustrate27 this, I must drop this epitome28 of his history, and carry the reader to the Capitol of Holland, where Mr. Fellowes is trying to learn something of this slow and easy people. He was smoking his segar when the King of Wurtimburg went out, but took no notice of him, because he was engaged with a group of beggar boys, throwing stivers at them. An English gentleman that had lived in the Indies, was by us, and we had travelled on the Rhine together. “Let us go down to the sea, five miles off, and see the Dutch fisheries. I understand they are extensively engaged in fishing, Mr. Grant,” said Col. Fellowes. “I have been there, Mr. Fellowes,” said the Englishman, “but will go again with you, though I know you will be annoyed with these plagued beggars.” “O,” said Mr. Fellowes, “I like to see them, with their large wooden shoes, jumping after the grochens, and further, they are a great people, and I wish to find out a great deal about their habits and manners; I think I shall stay here a week.” The fame of the Col. had reached the remotest corner of the Hague, and squads30 of two and three were seen in all directions coming to the Bellevue House. Here our lacquey brought before the door a fine turnout, and he jumped in and drove away like a prince, whilst they followed on all sides, some hundreds of yards, like Fallstaff’s soldiers, ready to run from any one they found they were close to that knew them except their abject31 leader. In a few moments we were down on the North sea. It was very cold down on the beach, but fishermen were walking in the sea from their smacks32, with hamper33 baskets full of all kinds of fish. Their vessels34 that had been two days seining, was full of fish, but as these vessels could get no nearer than a quarter of a mile to land, they always fill their bushel basket, and shoulder it, and walk through the surging waves on the beach, on whose sand was pyramids of fish piled up, to be sold at a zwanzich bushels (about 25 cents). Sometimes they would disappear in the waves with the fish, but would appear soon again nearer shore, plodding35 on patiently.
Whilst Col. Fellowes was reading a description of this fish point, the lacquey explained a conversation he had with six or seven beggars off a rod from us. He said they were anxious to know who we three fellows were, and had dubbed36 Mr. Fellowes “Count of New York.” I was son of the Count, and would eventually become Count of the Amsterdam, of the Empire state. Mr. Grant was dignified37 with the royal appellation38 of “Duke of Brunswick.” They certainly found more curious matter in the polish of our glazed39 boots, than we did at their large wooden trotters, that at every step rattled40 against the others, who stood so close together as to form a bouquet41 of dirty Dutch heads of various colors.
Having informed Mr. Fellowes of his new made honor, he laughed heartily, and called them nearer to corroborate42 the information that they had been so lucky to find out, by throwing among them some of his revenue of the city named after their great Amsterdam. The Col. threw stavers and grochens until he astonished the natives. Some jumped clear over other’s heads. Now the Col. was in his glory. This was Friday, and they had’nt eaten anything, but from their movements and agility43, you would swear “they would make hay while the sun shines.” Their strange movements was not only a signal for miles up the beach, but the fishermen had abandoned their smacks, and were coming through the surf, and under it. The Col. here run out of money, and called on my money bag, which was hanging under my arm like a bird bag, and was full of various coins, from Louis d’ Or’s of twenty franc pieces, to the smallest denominations44. I gave small coin until I thought he had thrown away enough, and then cried broke. Mr. Grant and myself drew back from the Col., and he was beseiged. He told them he was broke, at the same time feeling all his pockets, whilst they was looking all around him for pockets he might overlook. About sixty or seventy had circled him, and we were laughing to ourselves because we saw he was vexed45 and felt himself in a dilemma46. The little Dutch had almost fell down in the sand by his feet, and was feeling up his pantaloons leg to see if some was not dropping. One old honest Dutchman that had been carefully examining Mr. Fellowes coat tail, had come across his white handkerchief, and took it round in front and returned it. Here Mr. Fellowes showed tokens of fear, and he hallowed out, “Lacquey, why don’t you take a stick and beat them off, don’t you see they are robbing me?” "No sir, that handkerchief he thought was something that you had overlooked sticking to your clothes, and he brought it to your notice," said the lacquey. “Then tell them I am broke and drive them off.” “Yes, sir, if I can.” Here he went to work in earnest, explaining that the Count had run out of money but he had a plenty in the Bank, and they could get no more to-day. Then they went away about a rod and seemed buried in reflection. They started to come again, but the Col. backed, while the lacquey appealed to their reason by informing them that were it the king himself, he could not carry all his money with him. Mr. Fellowes shook himself and tried to put on a pleasing countenance47, but we could not for our lives maintain our gravity at his lesson of familiarity while learning Dutch.
We walked up the beach, and conversed48 on the subject of the North Sea and Sir John Franklin, when all of a sudden Mr. Fellowes called to the coachman to drive up. I looked around and saw the beggars coming. We lost no time in retreating. While passing through the gates of the city, I noticed a bronze lion placed in the position of a guardian49 over it. I said, what an awful condition Daniel must have been in when in the lion’s den29. “No worse,” said the Col. “than I was in with the Dutch!” Here a boy opened a door on the Col.’s side, that he might descend. As the Col. stepped out, he alighted on the Dutchman’s wooden shoe, and tripped himself up. As he picked himself up and moved towards the hotel door, he exclaimed in an under tone, d——n the Dutch.
It must not be supposed that Mr. Fellowes meant any harm to the Dutch, but, they were not in his opinion, as agreeable as they might be. He left next day, although he intended staying a week “learning Dutch.”
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1
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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8
evade
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| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
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9
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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aspiring
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| adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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leech
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| n.水蛭，吸血鬼，榨取他人利益的人；vt.以水蛭吸血；vi.依附于别人 | |
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17
holder
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| n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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20
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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scrawl
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| vt.潦草地书写；n.潦草的笔记，涂写 | |
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approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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illustrate
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| v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图 | |
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epitome
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| n.典型，梗概 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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squads
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| n.（军队中的）班( squad的名词复数 )；（暗杀）小组；体育运动的运动（代表）队；（对付某类犯罪活动的）警察队伍 | |
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abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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32
smacks
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| 掌掴（声）( smack的名词复数 )； 海洛因； （打的）一拳； 打巴掌 | |
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33
hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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plodding
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| a.proceeding in a slow or dull way | |
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dubbed
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| v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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appellation
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| n.名称，称呼 | |
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glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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40
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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41
bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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42
corroborate
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| v.支持，证实，确定 | |
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43
agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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44
denominations
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| n.宗派( denomination的名词复数 )；教派；面额；名称 | |
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45
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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46
dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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47
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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48
conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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49
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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