“Have a little mercy, Miss Vernon” said I; for I confess I thought the schooling as severe as the case merited, especially considering from what quarter it came, “and forgive me if I suggest, as an excuse for the follies I am not usually guilty of, the custom of this house and country. I am far from approving of it; but we have Shakespeare’s authority for saying, that ‘good wine is a good familiar creature, and that any man living may be overtaken at some time.'”
“Ay, Mr Francis, but he places the panegyric and the apology in the mouth of the greatest villain his pencil has drawn.”
Gotta love Scott. I absolutely adore the delicate dance that was the art of conversation for the upper classes. Unfortunately, it’s all but lost, and the only place I get to to indulge is in classic novels. So here’s Mr Francis attempting to apologize for being a drunken prat the night before, by quoting Shakespeare and blaming his drinking companions. And Miss Vernon deftly sweeping aside his apology by reminding him that it was Othello’s Iago (nasty manipulative little creature that he was) who delivered these words to poor Cassio, and possibly not the greatest referee to support his cause. What a shame that conversation no longer even remotely resembles this. 🙁
The modern Australian variation of the morning after apology goes something like this:
“Hey Shazza, sorry I got pissed and chucked all over ya couch last night, I don’t normally get fucked off me tit like that. But you know what they say… well, yeah… ummmm…I forget what they say… but, you know … Sorry Shaz.”
😐
