LOVE IN DISGUISE

Episode five: THE ARRIVAL AT AN OLD FASHIONED HOUSE

Later that day, Mr Williams enters the sitting room followed by two or three awkward servants.

Well,I hope you are perfect in the table exercise,I have been teaching you for these few days. You all know your post and your places, and can show that you have been used to good company, without stirring from home.

Ay! swift replied.

Yes, Mr Williams continues, when company comes, you are not to pop up and stare, and run in again like a frightened rabbit in warren.

"No no" swift replied.

You Roger whom I had taken from the barn, are to make a show at the side table, and Bully , whom I had advanced from the plough, are to placed your self behind my chair. But are not to stand so, with your hands in the pocket. Take your hands from your pockets, you block head! See how Rogers carries his hands, they are a little stiff, but not that bad.

"I learned to hold my hands this way,when I was working in the city restaurant Sir!" Roger exclaimed.

You must not be a talkative Roger, you must all be attentive to the guest. You must hear us talk and not think of talking, you must see us drink and not think of drinking, you must see us eating and not think of eating. I hope you understand?.

"Yes sir. But what if, I am very hungry, Roger asked?"

Block head!,is it not a belly full in the kitchen, as good as, a belly full in the parlour, stay with that reflection in your stomach.

'Thank you Sir, for this training, I think I will make a shift, stay with my stomach, with some slice of bread and a slice of fried beef '.

Roger!, block head! you are a talkative - then if I happen to say a good thing or tell a good story at the table, you must not all burst out laughing, like a stupid hyena in the zoo. as if you are part of the guest.

But Sir!, ( one of the servants interrupted)what if ,you tell a story about the old - frightened man in the dark room, we can't help laughing. he! he! he!(he laughed).

Hahaha!!....( Mr Williams laughed)

The story is a good one, well, you may laugh at that, but still remember to be attentive. Suppose one of the guest calls for a glass of wine, how will you hear or behave at that moment, while laughing blockhead!!, So you must all behave in a proper manner, when the guests arrive. I hope you all understand me, right?

Yes Sir!!, the servants replied.

Now everyone move to your duty post and behave well, not like a lazy tortoise with his cap full of a hot porridge.

Nike and his childhood friend Neman, arrived at Mr Williams house. The company of Mr. Neman with Mr. Nike was a well-made arrangement by Mr. Nike himself. He was to meet his fiancee Miss Mabel,for the first time and by his nature he was naturally shy over meeting or conversing with women especially this situation that called for wooing against marriage eventually. Looking tired, they knocked at the door , awaiting response.

"Good afternoon!! gentleman, The servant replied".

Welcome, very welcome,this way,we have been waiting for you.

After the disappointment of the day, welcome once more,Nike, to the comfort of a clean room and a good fire. Upon my word, a very well-looking house, antique but creditable (Neman muttered).

"Well, Mr Williams have done well, with a good housekeeping", if It were, in a hotel,we could have pay some dollars for this,I guess! Nike replied.

Yeah! Nike, as you say ,we travellers, has to be taxed to pay all this fineries, I have often seen a side-board and a piece of marble, though not actually put in the bill.

Travellers!!(Nike's exclaimed),must pay in all the places, the only difference is that, in a good hotels, you pay dearly for luxuries, but in the bad ones, you are fleeced and starved.

Well!, you have lived very much among them Nike, in truth, I have been often surprised, that you have seen so much of the world, with your natural good sense and your many opportunities.Could never yet acquire a requisite share of assurance.

Wow!, that's the Englishman mindset, but tell me Neman, where could i have learned that that assurance, you talk of? My life has been chiefly spent in college, or in hotels, in seclusion of that lovely part of the creation that usually teach men, confidence.I don't know, whether i was ever familiarly acquainted with a single modest woman- except my mother- But among females of another class, you now.......

(Nike's stammered)

Ay........ among them, you are impudent enough of all conscience, Neman teased.

"They are of US" , you know. Nike's replied.

But in the company of women of reputation, Nike!! I never saw, such an i***t like you, such a trembler, you look for all the world, as if you wanted an opportunity of running out of the room.

Why! man, Nike's replies, that's because I do want to run out of the room. An impudent fellow may counterfeit modesty, but I will be hanged if a modest man can ever counterfeit impudence'.

'if you could but say half the fine things I have heard you lavish upon the bar-maid in the hotel, or even the college bed-maker'.

Well!, Neman, I can't say fine things to them, they freeze, "they petrify me!!".

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! (Neman laugh).At this rate, man, "how can you ever expect to marry? "

'Never! unless for an arrange marriage like this'.

I pity you Nike, but how do you intend behaving to the lady, you have come down to meet at the request of your father? Neman's asked.

"As I behave to all other ladies, bow very low and answer yes or no to all her demands- But for the rest, I don't think I can venture to look into her face till I see my father again, Nike's replies".

Mr. Williams appears and deliberately cut them out of their conversation.

"You are both welcome gentleman!"

'Thank you sir',they replied.

Mr Williams started discussing his familiar old experiences with them, talking about prince Eugene and how the prince fought the Turks in the Battle of Belgrade.

Mr. Nike cut him short and said:

"Instead of the Battle of Belgrade,I believe it's almost time to talk of dinner. What have you got in the house for dinner?"

This was a big knock on the head for Mr. Williams who said: "Well, in all my life I have never come across such an impossible fellow". To worsen the whole matter, Mr. Neman calls for the list of what is in the menu by saying:

"Let's see what is in your menu,then I can tell how hungry I shall be until I know what I am going to eat".

When Mr. Williams called on Tony, one of the servants to present the "food menu" to them, Mr. Nike read it with utter surprise because it contains so many food items.

"Good heavens, Sir, do you think we brought down an army to eat such a dinner?"

The irony here, is that even the list does not contain the food items cherished by the visitors. At last they decided to make do with whatever, that was presented to them

Mrs. Williams entered the sitting room, as she was delighted to see them.

"Welcome! my sons",

thank you ma! they both replied

Mabel enters, dressed in a pretty plain clothing to her father's great approval.she have found Marlow shy and reserved.she walks towards her Dad to have her seat.

"On seeing Mabel, Nike lost his confidence"he bow, low and glanced at her, shyly, looking downward. Mr Williams introduce his wife,his daughter, to the gentlemen, and also instructed his servant to take them to the guest room.