The Project Gutenberg EBook of Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 101.
Sep. 12, 1891, by Various

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Title: Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 101. Sep. 12, 1891

Author: Various

Release Date: October 11, 2004 [EBook #13710]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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PUNCH,

OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

VOL. 101.

September 12, 1891.

SOME CIRCULAR NOTES.

CHAPTER IV.

_REIMS--SOLEMNITY--RELIEF--EN
VOITURE--POLITENESS--CALLING--CALVES--CAVES--STARTING--COCHER--DUET._

Seen the Cathedral. Grand. As I am not making notes for a Guide-book,
shall say nothing about it. "Don't mention it." I shan't. Much
struck by the calm air of repose about Reims. So silent is it, that
DAUBINET's irrepressible singing in the solemn court-yard of the
Hotel comes quite as a relief. It is an evidence of life. This Hotel's
exceptional quietude suggests the idea of its being conducted like a
prison on the silent system, with, of course, dumbwaiters to assist in
the peculiarly clean and tidy _salle a manger_.

"Petzikoff! Blass the Prince of WAILES!" sings out DAUBINET, whose
_Mark-Tapley_-like spirits would probably be only exhilarated by a
lonely night in the Catacombs. Then he shakes hands with me violently.
In France he insists upon shaking hands on every possible occasion
with anybody, in order to convey to his own countrymen the idea of
what a thorough Briton he is.

"_Vous avez eu votre cafe? Eh bien alors--allons! pour passer chez
mon ami_ VESQUIER," says DAUBINET, at the same time signalling a
meandering fly-driver who, having pulled up near the Cathedral, is
sitting lazily on his box perusing a newspaper. He looks up, catches
sight of DAUBINET, nods, folds up the paper, sits on it, gives the
reins one shake to wake up the horse, and another, with a crack of
his whip, to set the sleepy animal in motion, and, the animal being
partially roused, he drives across the street to us. DAUBINET directs
him, and on we go, lumbering and rattling through the town, meeting
only one other _voiture_, whose dri