Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/146

96 96 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

question is, what the devil do you want with rae, as the man said ven he seed the ghost ? "

" We want to know" — said Mr. Wardle.

" Now my dear Sir — my dear Sir," interposed the busy little man.

Mr. Wardle shrugged his shoulders, and was silent.

<' We want to know," said the little man, solemnly ; " and we ask the question of you, in order that we may not awaken apprehensions inside —we want to know who you've got in this house, at present."

" Who there is in the house I " said Sara, in whose mind the inmates were always represented by that particular article of their costume, which came under his immediate superintendence. " There's a vooden leg in number six, there's a pair of Hessians in thirteen, there's two pair of halves in the commercial, there's these here painted tops in the snuggery inside the bar, and five more tops in the coffee-room."

" Nothing more ? " said the little man.

" Stop a bit," replied Sam, suddenly recollecting himself. *' Yes ; there's a pair of Vellingtons a good deal vorn, and a pair o' lady's shoes, in number five."

" What sort of shoes ? " hastily inquired Wardle, who, together with Mr, Pickwick, had been lost inbewilderment at the singular catalogue of visiters.

" Country make," replied Sam.

" Any maker's name ? "


 * < Brown,"

« Where of? "

" Muggleton."

" It is them," exclaimed Wardle. " By Heavens, we've found them."

" Hush I " said Sam. " The Vellingtons has gone to Doctors' Com- mons.


 * ' No," said the little man.

" Yes, for a licence."

" We're in time," exclaimed Wardle. " Show us the room; not a moment is to be lost."

" Pray, my dear Sir — pray," said the little man ; " caution, caution.'* He drew from his pocket a red silk purse, and looked very hard at Sam as he drew out a sovereign.

Sam grinned expressively.

" Show us into the room at once, without announcing us," said the little man, " and it's yours."

Sam threw the painted tops into a corner, and led the way through a dark passage, and up a wide staircase. He paused at the end of a, second passage, and held out his hand.

" Here it is," whispered the attorney, as he deposited the money in the hand of their guide.

The man stepped forward for a few paces, followed by the two friends and their legal adviser. He stopped at a door.

" Is this the room ? " murmured the little gentleman.

Sam nodded assent.