what does this mean? please help

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“Do you suppose we shall all get appropriate punishments in another world for our sins in this?” asked Quentock.
“Not so much for our sins as for our indiscretions; they are the things which do the most harm and cause the greatest trouble. I feel certain that Christopher Columbus will undergo the endless torment of being discovered by parties of American tourists. You see I am quite old fashioned in my ideas about the terrors and inconveniences of the next world. And now I must be running away; I’ve got to open a Free Library somewhere. You know the sort of thing that happens—one unveils a bust of Carlyle and makes a speech about Ruskin, and then people come in their thousands and read ‘Rabid Ralph, or Should he have Bitten Her?’ Don’t forget, please, I’m going to have the medallion with the fat cupid sitting on a sundial.

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@lizfeehily,

Liz I hope somebody hereabout can be of help, but he'd have to be a literate aficionado. After training in journ and a life of writing I couldn't even begin to translate

But as with so many esl, I'm positively impressed by your determination and wish you the best of good fortune

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@lizfeehily,

I'll give it a go, Liz.

And now I must be running away;

'running away' is either an old fashioned use or normal BrE. NaE would use "And now I must be running away, which means 'leave in a hurry'.

I’ve got to open a Free Library somewhere.

I've got to do/perform some charitable event

You know the sort of thing that happens—one unveils a bust of Carlyle and makes a speech about Ruskin, and then people come in their thousands and read ‘Rabid Ralph, or Should he have Bitten Her?’

The speaker is making light/fun of the event, the pomposity that often attends these types of events.

Don’t forget, please, I’m going to have the medallion with the fat cupid sitting on a sundial.

Probably a reference to the gift the speaker will receive for performing at this charitable event. I'm not at all sure if there is some special meaning in the "gift". Maybe it just makes reference to the silly gifts given for these events.

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@dalehileman,

Thank you Dalehileman, and thank you for answering my previous question. I am translating this book right now. So I have make sure I understand the text perfectly.

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@JTT,

Thank you so much JTT.

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@JTT,

You know the sort of thing that happens—one unveils a bust of Carlyle and makes a speech about Ruskin, and then people come in their thousands and read ‘Rabid Ralph, or Should he have Bitten Her?’

‘Rabid Ralph, or Should he have Bitten Her?’ what does this sentence mean? I've got no clue. You see, I have to translate this passage. So I have to be careful about every sentence.

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@lizfeehily,

These are book titles, and I believe the author has created the titles just for their effect. Libraries are expected to be a part of a city's intellectual life, but in fact most of the books actually read are for idle amusement. Vampire stories have practically become a separate genre, and I believe this is what the titles refer.

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@lizfeehily,

Quote:

You know the sort of thing that happens—

You're familiar with how these hoity-toity/fancy schmancy events go - they put on a pompous show effecting high intellect

Quote:
hoi·ty-toi·ty (hoit-toit) KEY

ADJECTIVE:
Pretentiously self-important; pompous.
Given to frivolity or silliness.

one unveils a bust of Carlyle and makes a speech about Ruskin,

Examples of hoity-toity behavior. I assume you know the actual meaning here, Liz.

and then people come in their thousands and read ‘Rabid Ralph, or Should he have Bitten Her?’

Here again, the speaker chooses, what are, in all likelihood, fake titles, attempting to point up the vacuous nature of books published today. Roger has described this point well.

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@lizfeehily,

lizfeehily wrote:

You know the sort of thing that happens—one unveils a bust of Carlyle and makes a speech about Ruskin, and then people come in their thousands and read ‘Rabid Ralph, or Should he have Bitten Her?’ Don’t forget, please, I’m going to have the medallion with the fat cupid sitting on a sundial. [/b]

One very small point. It should read:

. . . and then people come in the thousands.

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@Roberta,

Quote:

One very small point. It should read:

. . . and then people come in the thousands.

I disagree, Roberta. While 'the' is most assuredly also a possibility, so is 'their'. It's a collocation that I've heard, not sure how many times in my life, but it is common.

Google Exact phrase search, English only pages,

for,

"in their thousands"

About 18,000,000 results

Perhaps, it is more a British Commonwealth use.

Just did a US region only check, which gave a respectable,

About 2,530,000 results

1 Reply

The expression is a new one to me. I guess you're never too old to learn.

Apologies to Liz for providing incorrect info.

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@Roberta,

Thomas introduced me to ..., gee, now I forget, ..., ..., ... a new word anyway, another word for coroner/pathologist. Confused

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@JTT,

I have to agree. I would have said it the same way, in this context.

And I think "Rabid Ralph" refers to werewolves, they're pretty popular too.

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@JTT,

An' he's he's he's a fereinger. Imagine my shame!!!

Smile

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This is an excerpt from The Unbearable Bassington, written in 1912.

100 years old and still funny

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@Ceili,

Quote:

And I think "Rabid Ralph" refers to werewolves, they're pretty popular too.

Completely missed that at first, Ceili, as it's completely off my radar.

I think I initially thought it a sexual meaning, tho' that's not where my radar points. Smile

...

Just checked back. It wasn't the ralph title, it was the "Should he have Bitten Her?" that got me thinkin' soap opera style soft porn.

I have a great memory, it's just awfully damn short.

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@JTT,

Thanks JTT. Now I understand. It's really difficult to translate British Humor. Haha

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@ehBeth,

Is it possible that the references then, actually are to vampires?

1 Reply

@JTT,

http://www.afn.org/~vampires/timeline.html

Quote:

1894 H.G. Wells' short story, "The Flowering of the Strange Orchid," is a precursor to science fiction vampire stories.

1897 "Dracula" by Bram Stoker is published in England. "The Vampire" by Rudyard Kipling becomes the inspiration for the creation of the vamp as a stereotypical character on stage and screen

The 1900's
.
1912 "The Secrets of House No. 5," possibly the first vampire movie, is produced in Great Britain.

the Rabid Ralph reference could have been an inside joke about Dracula or the movie on the vampire timeline

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@ehBeth,

Oh, dear. There's something by Kipling that I haven't read? As long as it isn't another Captains Courageous, I'm on it.

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what does this mean? please help

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