
audiobook
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. - Vol. 99.
November 29, 1890.
MR. PUNCH'S PRIZE NOVELS. - No. VIII—JONNIE.
I.—LE HIGLIFE SCOLASTIQUE.
II.—UN GYMNASE À TOUTES LES COULEURS.
III.—CE QU'ON APPELLE UN BEAU-PÈRE.
THE FINAL TEST.
THREE TASTES. - I.
THE MAGIC HORSE. - (A Parallel not to be pushed too far.)
RIGHT-DOING ON THE RIALTO; - OR, THE MODERN SHYLOCK. - (A Short Shakespearian Sequel.)
A determined mother called Madame Copperfield arrives at a fashionable Parisian academy, hoping to secure a place for her son Jonnie. The rector, dripping with aristocratic pretension, dismisses her on the grounds that she lacks a noble name and the right social trappings. Their exchange crackles with sharp wit as the rector casually lists the absurd requirements—vermilion cutlery and dozens of fine shirts—while Madame Copperfield’s frustration swells into theatrical tears. The scene paints a vivid portrait of social snobbery and a mother’s fierce love, setting a comic tone that feels both timeless and delightfully baroque.
Undeterred, Madame Copperfield turns to a curious figure named Mr. Squeers, an eccentric former Yorkshireman now settled near Clichy. With a kitchen‑hand’s recommendation and a promise of an unconventional education, Squeers offers a far‑crawer alternative to the rigid school system. Their partnership hints at a series of amusing misadventures, as the young Jonnie navigates a world where etiquette, bizarre tuition demands, and colorful characters collide in a lively satire of Victorian‑era ambition.
Language
en
Duration
~53 minutes (51K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Malcolm Farmer, William Flis, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
Release date
2004-06-25
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
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