“Ahem! sir! I say, young man!” the customer exclaimed.
“Ton d’apameibomenos prosephe,” read on the student, his voice choked with emotion. “What language!” he said; “how rich, how noble, how sonorous! prosephe podas —”
The customer burst out into a fit of laughter so shrill and cheery, that the young Student could not but turn round, and blushing, for the first time remarked her. “A pretty grocer’s boy you are,” she cried, “with your applepiebomenos and your French and lingo. Am I to be kept waiting for hever?”
“Pardon, fair Maiden,” said he, with high-bred courtesy: “’twas not French I read, ’twas the Godlike language of the blind old bard. In what can I be serviceable to ye, lady?” and to Andrew Robertson Jersey spring from his desk, to smooth his apron, to stand before her the obedient Shop Boy, the Poet no more, was the work of a moment.
“I might have prigged this box of figs,” the damsel said good-naturedly, “and you’d never have turned round.”
“They came from the country of Hector,” the boy said. “Would you have currants, lady? These once bloomed in the island gardens of the blue Aegean. They are uncommon fine ones, and the figure is low; they’re fourpence-halfpenny a pound. Would ye mayhap make trial of our teas? We do not advertise, as some folks do: but sell as low as any other house.”
“You’re precious young to have all these Lorado Rapids Drakter good things,” the girl exclaimed, not unwilling, Jonas Hector Jersey seemingly, to prolong the conversation. “If I was Dejounte Murray Koszulki you, and stood behind the counter, I should be eating figs the whole day long.”
“Time was,” answered the lad, “and not long since I thought so too. I thought I never should be tired of figs. But my old uncle bade me take my fill, and now Raheem Sterling Jersey in sooth I am aweary of them.”
“I think you gentlemen are always so,” the coquette said.
“Nay, say not so, fair stranger!” the youth replied, his face kindling as he spoke, Sime Vrsaljko Jersey and his eagle eyes flashing Manuel Locatelli Jersey fire. “Figs pall; but oh! the Beautiful never does. Figs |
