Chapter 262
Only in This House
“Here’s a picture,” Robert said, turning a book around to show Mr. Punch.
“Is that them poor blokes? What were their names, then? Zing and Zang?”
“Cheng and Eng.” Robert smiled, tapping the lithograph.
“And, they’re two blokes, are they? Two blokes with one body?”
“That’s correct. They share parts of the same body, but as you can see, not all. They’ve each got their own legs.”
“Only they can’t use ‘em, because they’re…ya know, stuck together. They always gotta be together even though they’re two different blokes.”
“Essentially. Yes, they are conjoined.”
“Ain’t no way to separate ‘em?”
“No. Not without killing one or the other, or both.”
“Strange…” Punch shook his head. “That’s rather what I am, ain’t it?”
“In a physical way.” Robert nodded slowly.
Punch shrugged. “I can’t go anywhere without Julian, and he can’t go nowhere without me. Only we don’t look like two men. We got all the right number o’ things. Only…well, we’re con…con…”
“Conjoined.”
“If we was to look like what we was, then, it’d be somethin’ like that. Wouldn’t it?”
“I can see what you’re suggesting, Dear Punch. However, there’s no comparison as you’re not…it’s just not the same. You… Your state is one of emotion and intellect. Theirs is a physical deformity. An anomaly.”
“I’m an anomaly, too. When I see me-self, ya know, in me thoughts, I ain’t a man. I ain’t the handsome bloke what cuddles up to you at night. I’m a puppet with a humpy back and a large nose…”
“Dear Punch…” Robert started. “You’re nothing like this. You’re essentially two men…living in one house.”
“Two or more.” Punch teased. “In this house.”
“I hope you don’t think of yourself as some kind of…freak.” Robert shook his head. “You’re not like these unfortunate souls.”
“It ain’t a bad thing, Chum. I find it…well, as ghastly as it is for them poor blokes, I feel like I understand ‘em. Are there many blokes born like them?”
“Not many.”
“Are they ever ladies?”
“Sometimes. Most twins born in such a manner don’t usually live to adulthood.”
“Poor folk. What causes it?”
“A number of factors.” Robert replied.
“You think maybe Orpha’s son is like that?”
“Given Ulrika’s interest and the information we found about ‘The Fifty,’ I’d say it’s highly likely.”
Punch looked at the lithograph in the book again. “They don’t look unhappy. I’m glad. I’d hate to think they was unhappy. Maybe they like what they are. I like what I am. Julian likes it, too. For, after all, it were kinda his decision to make us this way. These Siamese chaps didn’t have no say in it, so it’s all the more good that they look happy.”
“You’re wonderful.” Robert smiled, reaching across the library table and putting his hand over Punch’s. “I adore you, my dearest Punch.”
“Dearest,” Punch grinned. “Like me ring what you gave me. Dearest.”
“That’s right.” Robert nodded. The clock chimed midnight. “We’d best get to bed, dear Punch. It’s been a wickedly long day, full of many unpleasant things. Let’s put it behind us.”
“Hard to think we just left Jenny in her final restin’ place not but a few hours ago. You’d never know it now…the house so quiet as it is, all the sobbin’ what we had earlier just on the floor below. I reckon we should go to bed. Lennie’s retired.”
“Kind of her to let Ethel stay with her in her room. Your sister’s been so good with the girl.”
“I know Lennie ain’t gonna get a lick o’ sleep, stayin’ up to watch Ethel like we done when we first brought Colin home. Will Ethel ever come ‘round?”
“I hope so. We must give her time.” Robert stood. “Now, come…let’s ready ourselves for bed.” He paused. “Need we ring for Charles?”
“No, we gave ‘em all the evenin’ off.” Punch shook his head.
Just as Punch and Robert walked toward the library door, it opened and in walked Charles, followed by Speaight, pushing a tea trolley laden with silver and china. Stacked high on tiered dishes were beautiful, little sandwiches of butter and cucumber, olives and cheeses, ham, beef and chicken pate. All of the things Punch loved most. Trays of little cakes, berry tarts, scones and petifore adorned with piped flowers.
“What’s this?” Robert asked.
“Mrs. Pepper sent us up with this, Sir.” Charles responded.
“It’s terribly late,” Robert shook his head. “You all should have retired some time ago. Furthermore…”
“Sir,” Speaight began. “Mrs. Pepper was very worried that neither you nor His Grace nor Miss Molliner took any luncheon, tea nor dinner. So, she prepared this for you.”
“It’s all of the things that Your Grace and you, Sir, like best for tea.” Charles added.
“Look at all o’ them sandwiches and cakes.” Mr. Punch smiled. “And, them scones what I like so very much, with them dried cherries in ‘em. I do love all these things, only it weren’t necessary. Dr. Halifax and I were quite serious ‘bout everyone downstairs takin’ the evenin’.”
“Mrs. Pepper wanted to do it.” Charles replied, rolling the trolley toward the settee by the mantel. “In fact, Your Grace, it was the first time she smiled today. She recalled how she’d taught Jenny to make those scones and how Jenny was so proud upon her first batch of them. She knew how you loved them, Your Grace, and she was pleased to know that she had done something which you’d enjoy.”
“In that case,” Punch nodded. “We’ll sit and have our tea.” He took Robert by the arm and led him to the settee.
“To be sure, I’d not given it any thought, but I am quite hungry.” Robert added.
“Have all of you downstairs eaten?” Punch asked.
“Mrs. Pepper prepared downstairs dinner.” Speaight nodded.
“We all rather picked at it.” Charles answered honestly. “Strange without Jenny and with Ethel not in her place. All of us feeling rather out of sorts, and Gerard worried about their marriage banns.”
Robert looked at Punch who knew immediately what his companion was thinking.
“Speaight,” Punch said quickly. “Is Mrs. Pepper still downstairs or has she gone up to her room?”
“Everyone is still in the servants’ hall with the exception of Gamilla who is in the nursery and the Queen’s driver who retired to the mews.”
“Go and fetch them, then, will you?”
“Your Grace?”
“Violet and Georgie and Gerard—who shouldn’t be out of bed—and Mrs. Pepper. Go and fetch them so we might all take our late tea together,” Mr. Punch smiled.
“Your Grace, we…”
“No protestations.” Robert interrupted. “I know it’s not typical, but, it’s not been a typical day. We should all take this time to comfort one another. Regardless of the floors which separate us, we have all suffered the same loss. We are all joined together. Why should we not take our nourishment together, even if it is just for this one time?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“I’ll see if Lennie is still awake,” Punch added.
“We’ve already brought a tray to Miss Molliner’s room, Your Grace.” Charles said. “We thought she would prefer to stay with Ethel.”
“Good.” Punch nodded. “Thank you.” He looked at the beautiful spread which Mrs. Pepper had prepared. “There’s certainly enough here for everyone, there is.”
“I shall fetch the others, Your Grace. And, bring up more cups and plates” Speaight nodded, exiting.
“I’ll be mother, Sir.” Charles suggested, beginning to pour the tea.
“No, I will.” Punch volunteered. “Please sit, Charles. You, too, have had an added shock tonight.”
“I should say so.” Robert nodded.
Charles sighed, thinking of the arrival of his brother and Ulrika Rittenhouse.
“Tea at midnight.” Punch smiled. “Only in this house.”
“It’ll be a celebration,” Robert sat down. “In honor of our Jenny.”
“And our household…which she’ll always be a part of.” Punch added. “Always.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-261 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 263.
“Here’s a picture,” Robert said, turning a book around to show Mr. Punch.
“Is that them poor blokes? What were their names, then? Zing and Zang?”
“Cheng and Eng.” Robert smiled, tapping the lithograph.
“And, they’re two blokes, are they? Two blokes with one body?”
“That’s correct. They share parts of the same body, but as you can see, not all. They’ve each got their own legs.”
“Only they can’t use ‘em, because they’re…ya know, stuck together. They always gotta be together even though they’re two different blokes.”
“Essentially. Yes, they are conjoined.”
“Ain’t no way to separate ‘em?”
“No. Not without killing one or the other, or both.”
“Strange…” Punch shook his head. “That’s rather what I am, ain’t it?”
“In a physical way.” Robert nodded slowly.
Punch shrugged. “I can’t go anywhere without Julian, and he can’t go nowhere without me. Only we don’t look like two men. We got all the right number o’ things. Only…well, we’re con…con…”
“Conjoined.”
“If we was to look like what we was, then, it’d be somethin’ like that. Wouldn’t it?”
“I can see what you’re suggesting, Dear Punch. However, there’s no comparison as you’re not…it’s just not the same. You… Your state is one of emotion and intellect. Theirs is a physical deformity. An anomaly.”
“I’m an anomaly, too. When I see me-self, ya know, in me thoughts, I ain’t a man. I ain’t the handsome bloke what cuddles up to you at night. I’m a puppet with a humpy back and a large nose…”
“Dear Punch…” Robert started. “You’re nothing like this. You’re essentially two men…living in one house.”
“Two or more.” Punch teased. “In this house.”
“I hope you don’t think of yourself as some kind of…freak.” Robert shook his head. “You’re not like these unfortunate souls.”
“It ain’t a bad thing, Chum. I find it…well, as ghastly as it is for them poor blokes, I feel like I understand ‘em. Are there many blokes born like them?”
“Not many.”
“Are they ever ladies?”
“Sometimes. Most twins born in such a manner don’t usually live to adulthood.”
“Poor folk. What causes it?”
“A number of factors.” Robert replied.
“You think maybe Orpha’s son is like that?”
“Given Ulrika’s interest and the information we found about ‘The Fifty,’ I’d say it’s highly likely.”
Punch looked at the lithograph in the book again. “They don’t look unhappy. I’m glad. I’d hate to think they was unhappy. Maybe they like what they are. I like what I am. Julian likes it, too. For, after all, it were kinda his decision to make us this way. These Siamese chaps didn’t have no say in it, so it’s all the more good that they look happy.”
“You’re wonderful.” Robert smiled, reaching across the library table and putting his hand over Punch’s. “I adore you, my dearest Punch.”
“Dearest,” Punch grinned. “Like me ring what you gave me. Dearest.”
“That’s right.” Robert nodded. The clock chimed midnight. “We’d best get to bed, dear Punch. It’s been a wickedly long day, full of many unpleasant things. Let’s put it behind us.”
“Hard to think we just left Jenny in her final restin’ place not but a few hours ago. You’d never know it now…the house so quiet as it is, all the sobbin’ what we had earlier just on the floor below. I reckon we should go to bed. Lennie’s retired.”
“Kind of her to let Ethel stay with her in her room. Your sister’s been so good with the girl.”
“I know Lennie ain’t gonna get a lick o’ sleep, stayin’ up to watch Ethel like we done when we first brought Colin home. Will Ethel ever come ‘round?”
“I hope so. We must give her time.” Robert stood. “Now, come…let’s ready ourselves for bed.” He paused. “Need we ring for Charles?”
“No, we gave ‘em all the evenin’ off.” Punch shook his head.
Just as Punch and Robert walked toward the library door, it opened and in walked Charles, followed by Speaight, pushing a tea trolley laden with silver and china. Stacked high on tiered dishes were beautiful, little sandwiches of butter and cucumber, olives and cheeses, ham, beef and chicken pate. All of the things Punch loved most. Trays of little cakes, berry tarts, scones and petifore adorned with piped flowers.
“What’s this?” Robert asked.
“Mrs. Pepper sent us up with this, Sir.” Charles responded.
“It’s terribly late,” Robert shook his head. “You all should have retired some time ago. Furthermore…”
“Sir,” Speaight began. “Mrs. Pepper was very worried that neither you nor His Grace nor Miss Molliner took any luncheon, tea nor dinner. So, she prepared this for you.”
“It’s all of the things that Your Grace and you, Sir, like best for tea.” Charles added.
“Look at all o’ them sandwiches and cakes.” Mr. Punch smiled. “And, them scones what I like so very much, with them dried cherries in ‘em. I do love all these things, only it weren’t necessary. Dr. Halifax and I were quite serious ‘bout everyone downstairs takin’ the evenin’.”
“Mrs. Pepper wanted to do it.” Charles replied, rolling the trolley toward the settee by the mantel. “In fact, Your Grace, it was the first time she smiled today. She recalled how she’d taught Jenny to make those scones and how Jenny was so proud upon her first batch of them. She knew how you loved them, Your Grace, and she was pleased to know that she had done something which you’d enjoy.”
“In that case,” Punch nodded. “We’ll sit and have our tea.” He took Robert by the arm and led him to the settee.
“To be sure, I’d not given it any thought, but I am quite hungry.” Robert added.
“Have all of you downstairs eaten?” Punch asked.
“Mrs. Pepper prepared downstairs dinner.” Speaight nodded.
“We all rather picked at it.” Charles answered honestly. “Strange without Jenny and with Ethel not in her place. All of us feeling rather out of sorts, and Gerard worried about their marriage banns.”
Robert looked at Punch who knew immediately what his companion was thinking.
“Speaight,” Punch said quickly. “Is Mrs. Pepper still downstairs or has she gone up to her room?”
“Everyone is still in the servants’ hall with the exception of Gamilla who is in the nursery and the Queen’s driver who retired to the mews.”
“Go and fetch them, then, will you?”
“Your Grace?”
“Violet and Georgie and Gerard—who shouldn’t be out of bed—and Mrs. Pepper. Go and fetch them so we might all take our late tea together,” Mr. Punch smiled.
“Your Grace, we…”
“No protestations.” Robert interrupted. “I know it’s not typical, but, it’s not been a typical day. We should all take this time to comfort one another. Regardless of the floors which separate us, we have all suffered the same loss. We are all joined together. Why should we not take our nourishment together, even if it is just for this one time?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“I’ll see if Lennie is still awake,” Punch added.
“We’ve already brought a tray to Miss Molliner’s room, Your Grace.” Charles said. “We thought she would prefer to stay with Ethel.”
“Good.” Punch nodded. “Thank you.” He looked at the beautiful spread which Mrs. Pepper had prepared. “There’s certainly enough here for everyone, there is.”
“I shall fetch the others, Your Grace. And, bring up more cups and plates” Speaight nodded, exiting.
“I’ll be mother, Sir.” Charles suggested, beginning to pour the tea.
“No, I will.” Punch volunteered. “Please sit, Charles. You, too, have had an added shock tonight.”
“I should say so.” Robert nodded.
Charles sighed, thinking of the arrival of his brother and Ulrika Rittenhouse.
“Tea at midnight.” Punch smiled. “Only in this house.”
“It’ll be a celebration,” Robert sat down. “In honor of our Jenny.”
“And our household…which she’ll always be a part of.” Punch added. “Always.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-261 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 263.
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