Please give the meaning of these statements from the lesson 'Keeping it from Harold': ....He began, with the toneless rapidity affected by youths ofhis age when reciting poetry….. Before, he had gone about the world with a match-box full of press notices,which he would extract with a pin and read to casual acquaintances. Think of all the swells that'll be coming to see you. Mr. Fisher's was not an un-mixedly chivalrous nature.
Answers
The first sentence 'He began ...... reciting poetry' refers to the fact that he started reading in a tone which was influenced by the style of reciting used by the influential youth of his age.
'Before, he had gone ...... casual acquaintances' tells us that before the birth of Harold, his father used to go to his acquaintances and read about his achievements. The name of Bill Bramble had appeared several times in the newspapers as he was a good boxer. He used to keep those newspaper cuttings in a match box and take them everywhere. He would proudly take them out with a pin and show it to his acquaintances. But after Harold was born his father became very secretive.
'Think of the swells ..... see you' this sentence asks him to imagine the large crowd of people that will gather to see him fighting.
'Mr. Fisher's ..... chivalrous nature' tells us that Mr. Fisher was not a very courteous person and at that time he was thinking only about revenge.