Diary Of A Nobody, Chapters 7 And 8

Welcome back to this gently satirical story of London life in Victorian England, written by brothers George and Weedon Grossmith. Don't worry if you haven't heard previous chapters - it's fine to join the story at any point.

Transcript

Hello again,

Mandy here.

It's lovely to have you with me for chapters 7 and 8 of The Diary of a Nobody,

A gently comic novel written in 1888 by brothers Charles and Weedon Grosmith.

Thank you so much if you've been following the story and have already listened to earlier chapters.

I really appreciate your company on this journey.

But if you're new to the story,

It really doesn't matter.

You can join in at any point.

So please feel free to settle down and make yourself really comfortable.

And we'll begin.

Chapter 7.

August the 22nd.

Home sweet home again.

Carrie bought some pretty blue wool mats to stand vases on.

Fripps,

Janus and Co.

Write to say they are sorry they have no vacancy among their staff of clerks for looping.

August the 23rd.

I bought a pair of Stag's heads made of plaster of Paris and coloured brown.

They will look just the thing for our little hall and give it style.

The heads are excellent imitations.

Poulas and Smith are sorry they have nothing to offer looping.

August the 24th.

Simply to please Lupin and make things cheerful for him as he is a little down.

Carrie invited Mrs.

James to come up from Sutton and spend two or three days with us.

We haven't said a word to Lupin but mean to keep it as a surprise.

August the 25th.

Mrs.

James of Sutton arrived in the afternoon bringing with her an enormous bunch of wild flowers.

The more I see of Mrs.

James the nicer I think she is and she is devoted to Carrie.

She went into Carrie's room to take off her bonnet and remained there nearly an hour talking about dress.

Lupin said he was not a bit surprised at Mrs.

James's visit but was surprised at her.

August the 26th.

Sunday.

Nearly late for church Mrs.

James having talked considerably about what to wear all morning.

Lupin doesn't seem to get on very well with Mrs.

James.

I am afraid we shall have some trouble with our next door neighbours who came in last Wednesday.

Several of their friends who drive up in dog carts have already made themselves objectionable.

An evening or two ago I had put on a white waistcoat for coolness.

And while walking past with my thumbs in my waistcoat pockets,

A habit I have,

One man seated in the cart and looking like an American commenced singing some vulgar nonsense about I had $13 in my waistcoat pocket.

I fancied it was meant for me and my suspicions were confirmed for while walking around the garden in my tall hat this afternoon,

A throw-down cracker was deliberately aimed at my hat and exploded on it like a percussion cap.

I turned sharply and unpositive I saw the man who was in the cart retreating from one of the bedroom windows.

August 27th.

Carrie and Mrs.

James went off shopping and had not returned when I came back from the office.

Judging from the subsequent conversation,

I'm afraid Mrs.

James is filling Carrie's head with a lot of nonsense about dress.

I walked over to Gowing's and asked him to drop in to supper and make things pleasant.

Carrie prepared a little extemporised supper consisting of the remainder of the cold joint,

A small piece of salmon,

Which I was to refuse in case there was not enough to go around,

And a blancmange and custards.

There was also a decanter of port and some jam puffs on the sideboard.

Mrs.

James made us play rather a good game of cards called Muggings.

To my surprise,

In fact to my disgust,

Lupin got up in the middle and in a most sarcastic tone said,

Pardon me,

This sort of a thing is too fast for me.

I shall go and enjoy a quiet game of marbles in the back garden.

Things might have become rather disagreeable but for Gowing,

Who seems to have taken to Lupin,

Suggesting they should invent games.

Lupin said,

Let's play monkeys.

He then led Gowing all round the room and brought him in front of the looking glass.

I must confess I laughed heartily at this.

I was a little vexed at everybody subsequently laughing at some joke which they didn't explain.

And it was only on going to bed I discovered I must have been walking about all evening with an anti-macasa on one button of my coat tails.

August the 28th.

Found a large brick in the middle bed of geraniums evidently come from next door.

Pattles and pattles can't find a place for Lupin.

August the 29th.

Mrs James is making a positive fool of Carrie.

Carrie appeared in a new dress like a smock frock.

She said smocking was all the rage.

I replied it put me in a rage.

She also had on a hat as big as a kitchen colescuttle and the same shape.

Mrs James went home and both Lupin and I were somewhat pleased.

The first time we have agreed on a single subject since his return.

Merkins and son write they have no vacancy for Lupin.

October the 30th.

I should very much like to know who has willfully torn the last five or six weeks out of my diary.

It is perfectly monstrous.

Mine is a large scribbling diary with plenty of space for the record of my everyday events and in keeping up that record I take with much pride a great deal of pains.

I asked Carrie if she knew anything about it.

She replied it was my own fault for leaving the diary about with a charwoman cleaning and the sweeps in the house.

I said that was not an answer to my question.

This retort of mine which I thought extremely smart would have been more effective had I not jogged my elbow against the vase on the table temporarily placed in the passage knocked it over and smashed it.

Carrie was dreadfully upset at this disaster for it was one of a pair of vases which cannot be matched given to us on our wedding day by Mrs Burtset an old friend of Carrie's cousins the Pommertons late of Dalston.

I called to Sarah and asked her about the diary.

She said she had not been in the sitting room at all.

After the sweep had left Mrs Beryl the charwoman had cleaned the room and lighted the fire herself.

Finding a burnt piece of paper in the grate I examined it and found it was a piece of my diary.

So it was evident someone had torn my diary to light the fire.

I requested Mrs Beryl to be sent to me tomorrow.

October 31st.

Received a letter from our principal Mr Perkupp saying that he thinks he knows of a place at last for our dear boy Lupin.

This in a measure consoles me for the loss of a portion of my diary for I am bound to confess the last few weeks have been devoted to the record of disappointing answers received from people to whom I have applied for appointments.

Mrs Beryl called and in reply to me said she never see no book much less take such a liberty as touch it.

I said I was determined to find out who did it whereupon she said she would do her best to help me.

But she remembered the sweep lighting the fire with a bit of the echo.

I requested the sweep to be sent to me tomorrow.

I wish Carrie had not given Lupin a latchkey.

We never seemed to see anything of him.

I sat up till past one for him and then retired tired.

November the 1st.

My entry yesterday about retired tired which I did not notice at the time is rather funny.

If I were not so worried just now I might even have had a little joke about it.

The sweep called but had the audacity to come up to the hall door and lean his dirty bag of soot on the doorstep.

He however was so polite I could not rebuke him.

He said Sarah lighted the fire.

Unfortunately Sarah heard this for she was dusting the banisters and she ran down and flew into a temper with the sweep causing a row on the front doorsteps which I would not have had happen for anything.

I ordered her about her business and told the sweep I was sorry to have troubled him and so I was for the doorsteps were covered with soot in consequence of his visit.

I would willingly give 10 shillings to find out who tore my diary.

November the 2nd.

I spent the evening quietly with Carrie of whose company I never tire.

We had a most pleasant chat about the letters on is marriage a failure.

It has been no failure in our case.

In talking over our own happy experiences we never noticed that it was past midnight.

We were startled by hearing the door slam violently.

Lupin had come in.

He made no attempt to turn down the gas in the passage or even to look into the room where we were but went straight up to bed making a terrible noise.

I asked him to come down for a moment and he begged to be excused.

As he was dead beat an observation that was scarcely consistent with the fact that for a quarter of an hour afterwards he was positively dancing in his room and shouting out see me dance the polka or some such nonsense.

November the 3rd.

Good news at last Mr.

Perkupp has got an appointment for Lupin and he is to go and see about it on Monday.

Oh how my mind is relieved.

I went to Lupin's room to take the good news to him but he was in bed very seedy so I resolved to keep it over till the evening.

He said he had last night been elected a member of an amateur dramatic club called the Holloway comedians and though it was a pleasant evening he had sat in a draft and got neuralgia in the head.

He declined to have any breakfast so I left him.

In the evening I had up a special bottle of port and Lupin being in for a wonder we filled our glasses and I said Lupin my boy I have some good and unexpected news for you.

Mr.

Perkupp has procured you an appointment.

Lupin said good biz and we drained our glasses.

Lupin then said fill up the glasses again but I have some good and unexpected news for you.

I had some slight misgivings.

And so evidently had Carrie but she said I hope we shall think it good news.

Lupin said oh it's all right I'm engaged to be married.

Chapter 8 November 5th Sunday Carrie and I troubled about that mere boy Lupin getting engaged to be married without consulting us or anything.

After dinner he told us all about it.

He said the lady's name was Daisy Muttlar and she was the nicest prettiest and most accomplished girl he ever met.

He loved her the moment he saw her and if he had to wait 50 years he would wait and he knew she would wait for him.

Lupin further said with much warmth that the world was a different world to him now.

It was a world worth living in.

He lived with an object now and that was to make Daisy Muttlar Daisy Pooter and he would guarantee that she would not disgrace the family of the Pooters.

Carrie here burst out crying and threw her arms around his neck and in doing so upset the glass of port he held in his hand all over his new light trousers.

I said I had no doubt we should like Miss Muttlar when we saw her but Carrie said she loved her already.

I thought this rather premature but held my tongue.

Daisy Muttlar was the sole topic of conversation for the remainder of the day.

I asked Lupin who her people were and he replied oh you know Muttlar Williams and Watts.

I did not know but refrained from asking any further questions at present for fear of irritating Lupin.

November 6th.

Lupin went with me to the office and had a long conversation with Mr.

Perkupp our principal.

The result of which was that he accepted a clerkship in the firm of Job Cleanans and Co.

Stock and Share Brokers.

Lupin told me privately it was an advertising firm and he didn't think much of it.

I replied beggars should not be choosers and I will do Lupin the justice to say he looked rather ashamed of himself.

In the evening we went round to the Cummings to have a few fireworks.

It began to rain and I thought it rather dull.

One of my squibs would not go off and Gowing said hit it on your boot boy it'll go off then.

I gave it a few knocks on the end of my boot and it went off with one loud explosion and burnt my fingers rather badly.

I gave the rest of the squibs to the little Cummings boy to let off.

Another unfortunate thing happened which brought down a heap of abuse on my head.

Cummings fastened a large wheel set piece on a stake in the ground by way of a grand finale.

He made a great fuss about it,

Said it cost seven shillings.

There was a little difficulty in getting it alight.

At last it went off but after a couple of slow revolutions it stopped.

I had my stick with me so I gave it a tap to send it round and unfortunately it fell off the stake and onto the grass.

Anybody would have thought I'd set the house on fire from the way in which they stormed at me.

I will never join in any more firework parties.

It is a ridiculous waste of time and money.

November 7th Lupin asked Carrie to call on Mrs Mutlar but Carrie said she thought Mrs Mutlar ought to call on her first.

I agreed with Carrie and this led to an argument.

However the matter was settled by Carrie saying she could not find any visiting cards and we must get some more printed and when they were finished would be quite time enough to discuss the etiquette of calling.

November 8th I ordered some of our cards at Black's,

The stationers.

I ordered 25 of each which will last us for a good long time.

In the evening Lupin brought in Harry Mutlar,

Mrs Mutlar's brother.

He was rather a gawky youth and Lupin said he was the most popular and best amateur in the club,

Referring to the Holloway comedians.

Lupin whispered to us that if we could only draw out Harry a bit he would make us roar with laughter.

At supper young Mutlar did several amusing things.

He took up his knife and with the flat part of it played a tune on his cheek in a wonderful manner.

He also gave an imitation of an old man with no teeth smoking a big cigar.

The way he kept dropping the cigar sent Carrie into fits.

In the course of conversation Daisy's name cropped up.

Young Mutlar said he would bring his sister round to us one evening,

His parents being rather old fashioned and not going out much.

Carrie said we would get up a little special party.

As young Mutlar showed no inclination to go and it was approaching 11 o'clock,

As a hint I reminded Lupin that he had to be up early tomorrow.

Instead of taking the hint Mutlar began a series of comic imitations.

He went on for an hour without cessation.

Poor Carrie could scarcely keep her eyes open.

At last she made an excuse and said goodnight.

Mutlar then left and I heard him and Lupin whispering in the hall.

It was something about the Holloway comedians and to my disgust,

Although it was past midnight,

Lupin put on his satin coat and went out with his new companion.

November 9th.

My endeavours to discover who took the sheets out of my diary still fruitless.

Lupin has Daisy Mutlar on the brain so we see little of him except that he invariably turns up at meal times.

Cummings dropped in.

November 10th.

Lupin seems to like his new berth.

That's a comfort.

Daisy Mutlar the sole topic of conversation during tea.

Carrie almost as full of it as Lupin.

November 11th.

Lupin informs me to my disgust that he's been persuaded to take part in the forthcoming performance of the Holloway comedians.

He says he is to play Bob Britches in the farce Gone to My Uncles.

Frank Mutlar is going to play Old Musty.

I told Lupin pretty plainly I was not in the least degree interested in the matter and totally disapproved of amateur theatricals.

Gowing came in the evening.

November 11th.

Returned home to find the house in a most disgraceful uproar.

Carrie,

Who appeared very frightened,

Was standing outside her bedroom while Sarah was excited and crying.

Mrs.

Birrell,

The charwoman,

Who had evidently been drinking,

Was shouting at the top of her voice that she was no thief,

That she was a respectable woman who had to work hard for her living and she would smack anyone's face who put lies into her mouth.

Lupin,

Whose back was towards me,

Didn't hear me come in.

He was standing between the two women and I regret to say in his endeavour to act as peacemaker he made use of rather strong language in the presence of his mother.

And I was just in time to hear him say,

And all this fuss about the loss of a few pages from a rotten diary that wouldn't fetch three haypence a pound.

I said quietly,

Pardon me Lupin,

That is a matter of opinion and as I am master of this house perhaps you will allow me to take the reins.

I ascertained that the cause of the row was that Sarah had accused Mrs.

Birrell of tearing the pages out of my diary to wrap up some kitchen fat and leavings which she had taken out of the house last week.

Mrs.

Birrell had slapped Sarah's face and said she had taken nothing out of the place as there was never no leavings to take.

I ordered Sarah back to her work and requested Mrs.

Birrell to go home.

When I entered the parlour Lupin was kicking his legs in the air and roaring with laughter.

November 12th,

Sunday.

Coming home from church Carrie and I met Lupin,

Daisy Mutlar and her brother.

Daisy was introduced to us and we walked home together,

Carrie walking on with Miss Mutlar.

We asked them in for a few minutes and I had a good look at my future daughter-in-law.

My heart quite sank.

She is a big young woman and I should think at least eight years older than Lupin.

I didn't even think her good looking.

Carrie asked her if she could come in on Wednesday next with her brother to meet a few friends.

She replied that she would be only too pleased.

November 13th,

Sunday.

Carrie sent out invitations to Gowing,

The Cummings,

To Mr and Mrs James of Sutton and Mr Stillbrook.

I wrote a note to Mr Franching of Peckham.

Carrie said we may as well make it a nice affair and why not ask our principal,

Mr Perkup.

I said I feared we were not quite grand enough for him.

Carrie said there was no offence in asking him.

I said certainly not and I wrote him a letter.

Carrie confessed she was a little disappointed with Daisy Mutlar's appearance but thought she seemed a nice girl.

November 14th,

Sunday.

Everybody so far has accepted for our quite grand little party for tomorrow.

Mr Perkup in a nice letter,

Which I shall keep,

Wrote that he was dining in Kensington but if he could get away he would come up to Holloway for an hour.

Carrie was busy all day,

Making little cakes and open jam puffs and jellies.

She said she felt quite nervous about her responsibilities tomorrow evening.

We decided to have some light things on the table,

Such as sandwiches,

Cold chicken and a ham and some sweets and on the sideboard a nice piece of cold beef and a pay sandu tongue for the more hungry ones to peg into if they liked.

Gowing called to know if he was to put on swallowtails tomorrow.

Carrie said he had better dress,

Especially as Mr Franching was coming and there was a possibility of Mr Perkup also putting in an appearance.

Gowing said,

Oh I only wanted to know for I have not worn my dress coat for some time and I must send it to have the creases pressed out.

After Gowing left,

Lupin came in and in his anxiety to please,

Daisy Mutlar,

Carped at and criticised the arrangements and in fact disapproved of everything,

Including our having asked our old friend Cummings,

Who he said would look in evening dress like a green grocer engaged to wait and who must not be surprised if Daisy took him for one.

I fairly lost my temper and said,

Lupin,

Allow me to tell you Miss Daisy Mutlar is not the Queen of England.

I gave you credit for more wisdom than to allow yourself to be inveigled into an engagement with a woman considerably older than yourself.

I advise you to think of earning your living before entangling yourself with a wife whom you will have to support and in all probability her brother also who appears to be nothing but a loafer.

Instead of receiving this advice in a sensible manner,

Lupin jumped up and said,

If you insult the lady who I'm engaged to,

Then you insult me.

I will leave the house and never darken your doors again.

He went out of the house slamming the hall door.

But it was all right.

He came back to supper and we played a basic till nearly 12 o'clock.

To be continued.

Reviews

Can’t wait to hear more about Lupin and Daisy! Thanks Mandy🙏🏻

Wonderful storytelling, thank you so much Mandy 🙏🏽🌸