Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/208

154 154 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

" In the first place, here are my little girls ; I had almost forgotten them," said Minerva, carelessly pointing towards a couple of full-grown young ladies, of whom one might be about twenty, and the other a year or two older, and who were dressed in very juvenile costumes — whether to make them look young, or their mamma younger, Mr. Pickwick does not distinctly inform us.
 * ' You are very kind, Ma'am," said Mr. Pickwick.

" They are very beautiful," said Mr. Pickwick, as the juveniles turned away, after being presented.

" They are very like their mamma, Sir," said Mr. Pott, majestically. " Oh you naughty man," exclaimed Mrs. Leo Hunter, playfully tapping the Editor's arm with her fan (Minerva with a fan I)

" Why now, my dear Mrs. Hunter," said Mr. Pott, who was trum- peter in ordinary at the Den, " you know that when your picture was in the Exhibition of the Royal Academy, last year, everybody inquired whether it was intended for you, or your youngest daughter ; for you were so much alike that there was no telling the difference between you." " Well, and if they did, why need you repeat it, before strangers ? " said Mrs. Leo Hunter, bestowing another tap on the slumbering lion of the Eatanswill Gazette.

" Count, Count," screamed Mrs. Leo Hunter to a well- whiskered individual in a foreign uniform, who was passing by. "Ah ! you want me ?" said the Count, turning back. " I want to introduce two very clever people to each other," said Mrs. Leo Hunter. " Mr. Pickwick, I have great pleasure in introducing you to Count Smorltork." She added in a hurried whisper to Mr, Pickwick — " the famous foreigner — gathering materials for his great work on England — hem ! — Count Smorltork, Mr. Pickwick."

Mr. Pickwick saluted the Count with all the reverence due to so great a man, and the Count drew forth a set of tablets.

" What you say, Mrs. Hunt ? " inquired the Count, smiling graci- ously on the gratified Mrs. Leo Hunter, " Pig Vig or Big Vig— what you call — Lawyer — eh? I see — that is it. Big Vig" — and the Count was proceeding to enter Mr. Pickwick in his tablets, as a gentleman of the long- robe, who derived his name from the profession to which he belonged, when Mrs. Leo Hunter interposed. " No, no, Count," said the lady, " Pick-wick."

" Ah, ah, I see," replied the Count. " Peek — christian name ; Weeks — surname ; good, ver good. Peek Weeks. How you do Weeks ? " " Quite well, I thank you," replied Mr. Pickwick, with all his usual affability. " Have you been long in England ? " " Long — ver long time — fortnight — more." '* Do you stay here long? "
 * ' One week."

" You will have enough to do," said Mr. Pickwick, smiling, " to gather all the materials you want, in that time." " Eh, they are gathered," said the Count. ♦* Indeed ! " said Mr. Pickwick.