Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/166

116 116 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

" Ah," said Mr. Pickwick, " very true ; so it is."

Mr. Pickwick relapsed into silence, and Mrs. Bardell resumed her dusting-.

" Mrs. Bardell," said Mr. Pickwick, at the expira^^ion of a few minutes.

" Sir," said Mrs. Bardell again.

" Do you think it's a much greater expense to keep two people, than to keep one ? "

" La, Mr. Pickwick," said Mrs. Bardell, colouring up to the very border of her cap, as she fancied she observed a species of matrimo- nial twinkle in the eyes of her lodger ; " La, Mr. Pickwick, what a question ! "

" Well, but do you ? " inquired Mr. Pickwick.

" That depends — " said Mrs. Bardell, approaching the duster very near to Mr. Pickwick's elbow, which was planted on the table ; " that depends a good deal upon the person, you know, Mr. Pickwick ; and whether it's a saving and careful person. Sir."

" That's very true," said Mr. Pickwick, " but the person I have in my eye (here he looked very hard at Mrs. Bardell) I think possesses these qualities ; and has, moreover, a considerable knowledge of the world, and a great deal of sharpness, Mrs. Bardell ; which may be of material use to me."

" La, Mr. Pickwick," said Mrs. Bardell ; the crimson rising to her cap-border again.

" I do," said Mr. Pickwick, growing energetic, as was his wont in speaking of a subject which interested him, " I do, indeed ; and to tell you the truth, Mrs. Bardell, I have made up my mind."

" Dear me, Sir," exclaimed Mrs. Bardell.

" You'll think it very strange now," said the amiable Mr. Pickwick, with a good-humoured glance at his companion, " that I never consulted you about this matter, and never even mentioned it, till I sent your little boy out this morning — eh ? "

Mrs. Bardell could only reply by a look. She had long worshipped Mr. Pickwick at a distance, but here she was, all at once, raised to a pinnacle to which her wildest and most extravagant hopes had never dared to aspire. Mr. Pickwick was going to propose — a deliberate plan, too — sent her little boy to the Borough, to get him out of the way — how thoughtful — how considerate I

" Well," said Mr. Pickwick, " what do you think ? *'

« Oh, Mr. Pickwick," said Mrs. Bardell, trembling with agitation, '• you're very kind. Sir."

" It'll save you a good deal of trouble, won't it ? ** said Mr. Pickwick.

" Oh, I never thought anything of the trouble. Sir," replied Mrs. | Bardell ; " and, of course, I should take more trouble to please you then, than ever; but it is so kind of you, Mr. Pickwick, to have so much consideration for my loneliness."

" Ah, to be sure," said Mr. Pickwick ; *' I never thought of that. When I am in town, you'll always have somebody to sit with you. Taj be sure, so you will."