Page:The Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray Vol.20.pdf/255

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THE ROSE AND THE RING.
227

The landlady came up, looking—looking like this—

“What are you a-hollaring and a-bellaring for here, young man?” says she.

“There’s no warm water—no servants; my boots are not even cleaned.”

“He! he! Clean ’em yourself,” says the landlady. “You young students give yourselves pretty airs. I never heard such impudence.”

“I’ll quit this house this instant,” says Giglio.

“The sooner the better, young man. Pay your bill and be off. All my rooms is wanted for gentlefolks, and not for such as you.”

“You may well keep the ‘Bear Inn,’ ” says Giglio. “You should have yourself painted as the sign.”

The landlady of the “Bear” went away growling. And Giglio returned to his room, where the first thing he saw was the fairy bag lying on the table, which seemed to give a little hop as he came in. “I hope it has some breakfast in it,” says Giglio, “for I have only a very little money left.” But on opening the bag, what do you think was there? A blanking brush and a pot of Warren’s jet, and on the pot was written,

“Poor young men their boots must black:
Use me and cork me and put me back.”

So Giglio laughed, and blacked his boots, and put back the brush and the bottle into the bag.

When he had done dressing himself, the bag gave another little hop, and he went to it and took out—