“There is a great deal more--geography, history, the Elements”--
“There is something above all that, and you should make it the first thing, and readin’ and the rest after.”
“What’s that?”
“Temperance--teetotal principles.”
Bramber walked on. His discouragement was becoming greater at every moment.
As he passed the Lamb and Flag, he was greeted by a hideous bray of instruments both stringed and brazen. This outburst was followed by a marvellous coruscation of instrumental music, races, leaps, a helter-skelter of fiddles, flutes, cornets, bass-viol, now together, more often running ahead or falling behind each other, then one a-pickaback on the rest.
At the door of the public-house stood Mr. Jonas Southcott with his face radiant.
“Well, Mr. Schoolmaister!” shouted he; “what do you think of this? You’ve never heard such moosic before, I warrant. That is what I call moosic of the spears! It’s Jackson’s ‘Tee-dum.’”
CHAPTER XII
DAFFODILS
Unwilling to return to his lodgings, where in vain the net was spread in his sight, Bramber walked towards Coombe Cellars. There for sixpence he could have his tea--cockles, winkles, and presumably bread and butter.