THE DIARY OF A NOBODY.
My only consolation is, he takes no supper, so he is not an expensive guest, but I shall speak to Gowing about the matter. The Irving imitations and conversations occupied the whole evening, till I was sick of it. Once we had a rather heated discussion, which was commenced by Cummings saying that it appeared to him that Mr. Burwin-Fosselton was not only like Mr. Irving, but was in his judgment every way as good or even better. I ventured to remark that after all it was but an imitation of an original.
Cummings said surely some imitations were better than the originals. I made what I considered a very clever remark: "Without an original there can be no imitation." Mr. Burwin-Fosselton said quite impertinently: "Don't discuss me in my presence, if you please; and, Mr. Pooter, I should advise you to talk about what you understand;" to which that cad Padge replied: "That's right." Dear Carrie saved the whole thing by suddenly saying: "I'll be Ellen Terry." Dear Carrie's imitation wasn't a bit liked, but she was so spontaneous and so funny that the disagreeable discussion passed off. When they left, I very pointedly said to Mr. Burwin-Fosselton and Mr. Padge that we should be engaged to-morrow evening.
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