The Argosy — page 151: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

136 A Day at Malta. ‘Are you? We are not at all glad,” replied Miss C-. straight- forwardly. ‘‘We much preferred our own table, and want to go back to it. I can’t think why they have moved us. Papa is furious.” Minerva was slightly deaf, and across the table heard all this @ tort et a travers. This no doubt accounted for her loud whispers to her husband. Deaf people shout and fancy they are using the most sub- | dued tones. ‘So glad you wanted to come,” cried Minerva. ‘‘We are now just as we should be.” And then she glared at us as much as to say that we had no part or lot in her congratulations and needn’t think it. | ‘* A most deleterious combination of circumstances,” added Miss Languish, determined to get in a word edgeways, and upsetting a small — jug of milk as she put it down with an air. ‘‘ Dear me! Look at that! We must be rolling on foamy billows again, as we were in . that meretricious bay !” And in this way and after this manner of conversation breakfast dragged its slow length to an end. We had certainly had a good deal of fun, but of a different sort from the pleasures and interest of © our own small table. — | The judge after breakfast spoke very decidedly upon our having been moved, but obtained no redress, and gave the thing up as hope- — less. This I felt would not do. We must have another struggle for victory. I ‘‘interviewed ” the chief-steward,’ and after a due repre- sentation of the matter, we were once more reinstated in our old and favourite quarters. After this, all went merry as a marriage bell. The days succeeded each other and brought little change with# them. We had the wide blue waste of waters beneath us, the wide blue sky above. Occasionally we caught sight of the African coast ; and here and there an ancient town, ruined and hoary looking | as if it had existed since the foundation of the world, seemed to rise, — phantom-like, from the hills. We passed successively the shores of | Morocco, Algeria and Tunis. The ancient town of Bizerta, once ‘ belonging to the Arabs, but now, I believe, a French penal settlement, - stood out conspicuously under the shelter of its rocky slopes. It, | too, might have belonged to the days of Noah. Banishment here | must indeed be a death in life. There cannot be a great variety of occupation at sea, power ingenious the human brain may be at inventing new pleasures. | was it on board the atavia. The days passed under the swale i in a pleasant, dreamy monotony. i One of the great amusements was in throwing rings into a) bucket, and if it was not particularly intellectual, it seemed to serve | the occasion, for it went on day after day, as regularly as luncheon or’ dinner. Cricket also went on at the farther end, apparently with | great success, considering the limited area of the field. In the saloon the piano was generally tinkling under more or less skilful ~~ COMIC OOOKS. CC an) |