Wilson finally emerged from his nest and triumphantly showed me this daguerrotype of his Great Great […] Grandfather, Alberto Victor Gutiérrez-López, a famous anteater, citizen and millionaire in his home country of Costa Rica. In the photograph he is wearing a very fine top hat and carrying a silver-handled cane which, W explained proudly, is engraved with his family's motto, "lentus in totus res".
Not having had a classical education, I asked W what this means, and he told me it translates as something like, "Take it easy, you're part of the mighty Sloth dynasty".
The purpose of showing me this, it emerged, is that Wilson thinks he is now an anteater of some substance and standing and would like a daguerrotype of himself wearing a topper and carrying a cane so his mum, Mrs Vermilingua, could have it framed and stand it on the mantlepiece in her parlour.
(Since our visit the the Mayor's Parlour, W refers to our living room now as The Parlour.)
No comments:
Post a Comment