The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, page 39 by Cuthbert Bede
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ttention by saying, "You can have that name took out, sir, and your own name painted in. Mr. Smalls has just moved hisself to the other quad, and that's why the rooms is vacant, sir."
Mr. Filcher then went on to point out the properties and capabilities of the rooms, and also their mechanical contrivances.
"This is the hoak, this 'ere outer door is, sir, which the gentlemen sports, that is to say, shuts, sir, when they're a readin'. Not as Mr. Smalls ever hinterfered with his constitootion by too much 'ard study, sir; he only sported his hoak when people used to get troublesome about their little bills. Here's a place for coals, sir, though Mr. Smalls, he kept his bull-terrier there, which was agin the regulations, as ~you~ know, sir." (Verdant nodded his head, as though he were perfectly aware of the fact.) "This ere's your bed-room, sir. Very small, did you say, sir? Oh no, sir; not by no means! ~We~ thinks that in college reether a biggish bed-room, sir. Mr. Smalls thought so, sir, and he's in his second year, ~he~ is." (Mr. Filcher thoroughly understood the science of "flooring" a freshman.)
"This is ~my~ room, sir, this is, for keepin' your cups and saucers, and wine-glasses and tumblers, and them sort o' things, and washin' 'em up when you wants 'em. If you likes to keep
[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 39]
your wine and sperrits here, sir - Mr. Smalls always did - you'll find it a nice cool place, sir: or else here's this 'ere winder-seat; you see, sir, it opens with a lid, 'andy for the purpose."
"If you act upon that suggestion, Verdant," remarked Mr. Green aside to his son, "I trust that a lock will be added."
There was not a superfluity of furniture in the room; and Mr. Smalls having conveyed away the luxurious part of it, that which was left had more of the useful than the ornamental character; but as Mr. Verdant Green was no Sybarite, this <VG039.JPG> point was but of little consequence. The window looked with a sunny aspect down upon the quad,