ABSTRACT
White Connal and his father - we name the son first because his superior wealth inverting the order of nature, gave him, in his own opinion, the precedency on all occasions - White Connal and his father arrived at Corny Castle. King Corny rejoiced to see his old friend, the elder Connal; but through all the efforts that his majesty made to be more than civil to the son - the degenerate grazier his future son-in-law - it was plain that he was only keeping his promise, and receiving such a guest as he ought to be received. Mademoiselle decided that old Connal, the father, was quite a gentleman, for he handed her about, and in his way had some politeness towards the sex; but as for the son, her abhorrence must have burst forth in plain English, if it had not exhaled itself safely in French, in every exclamation of contempt which the language could afford. She called him betel and grand betel by turns, butorl ânel and grand butorl - nigaudl and grand nigaudl - pronounced him to be ‘Un homme qui ne dit rien - d’ailleurs un homme qui n’a pas l’air comme il faut - un homme, enfin, qui n’est pas presentable - même en fait de mari.’ 48
