Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/195

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THE FICKWICK CLUB. 141

human face ; the damask cushion became an antique, flapped waistcoat ; the round knobs grew into a couple of feet, encased in red cloth slippers, and the whole chair looked like a very ugly old man, of the previous century, with his arms a-kimbo. Tom sat up in bed, and rubbed his eyes to dispel the illusion. No. The chair was an ug-ly old gentle- man ; and what was more, he was winkings at Tom Smart.

" Tom was naturally a headlong-, careless sort of dog, and he had had five tumblers of hot punch into the bargain ; so, although he was a little startled at first, he began to grow rather indignant when he saw the old gentleman winking and leering at him with such an impudent air. At length he resolved that he wouldn't stand it ; and as the old face still kept winking away as fast as ever, Tom said, in a very angry tone —

" * What the devil are you winking at me for? '

man, whichever you like to call him. He stopped winking though, when Tom spoke, and began grinning like a superannuated monkey.
 * ' * Because I like it, Tom Smart,' said the chair ; or the old gentle-

" ' How do you know my name, old nut-cracker face ? ' inquired Tom Smart, rather staggered; — though he pretended to carry it off so well.

" ' Come, come Tom,' said the old gentleman, ' that's not the way to address solid Spanish Mahogany. Dam'me, you couldn't treat me with less respect if I was veneered.' When the old gentleman said this, he looked so fierce that Tom began to grow frightened.

" ' I didn't mean to treat you with any disrespect, Sir,' said Tom ; in a much humbler tone than he had spoken in at first.

" ' Weil, well,' said the old fellow, ' perhaps not — perhaps not. Tom—'

« « Sir— '

" ' I know everything about you, Tom ; everything. You're very poor Tom.'

" * I certainly am,' said Tom Smart. ' But how came you to know that ? '

" ' Never mind that,' said the old gentleman ; < you're much too fond of punch, Tom.'

" Tom Smart was just on the point of protesting that he hadn't tasted a drop since his last birth-day, but when his eye encountered that of the old gentleman, he looked so knowing that Tom blushed, and was silent.

" * Tom,' said the old gentleman, * the widow's a fine woman — remarkably fine woman — eh, Tom ? ' Here the old fellow screwed up his eyes, cocked up one of his wasted little legs, and looked altogether so unpleasantly amorous, that Tom was quite disgusted with the levity of his behaviour ; — at his time of life, too I

" ' I am her guardian, Tom,' said the old gentleman.


 * * Are you ? ' inquired Tom Smart.

" ' I knew her mother, Tom,' said the old fellow ; ' and her grand- mother. She was very fond of me — made me this waistcoat, Tom."

" * Did she ? ' said Tom Smart.

" ' And these shoes, ' said the old fellow, lifting up one of the red- loth mufflers ; ' but don't mention it, Tom. I shouldn't like to have it known that she was so much attached to me. It might occasion some unpleasantness in the family.' When the old rascal said this, he