Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/221

163 THE PICKWICK CLUB. 163

way of reminding his companion that he had nothing left wherewith to slake his thirst. Sam observed the hint ; and feeling the delicate manner in which it was conveyed, ordered the pewter vessel to be refilled, whereat the small eyes of the mulberry man glistened.

" And so it's a secret," said Sam.

liquor, with a complacent face.
 * • I should rather suspect it was," said the mulberry man, sipping his

" I suppose your raas'r's very rich ?" said Sam.

Mr. Trotter smiled, and holding his glass in his left hand, gave four distinct slaps on the pocket of his mulberry indescribables with his right, as if to intimate that his master might have done the same without alarming anybody much by the chinking of coin.

" Ah," said Sam, " that's the game, is it ?"

The mulberry man nodded significantly.

" Well, and don't you think, old feller," remonstrated Mr. Weller, " that if you let your master take in this here young lady, you're a precious rascal ? "

countenance of deep contrition, and groaning slightly. " 1 know that and that's what it is that preys upon my mind. But what am I to do?"
 * ' I know that," said Job Trotter, turning upon his companion a

" Do ! " said Sam ; " di-wulge to the missis, and give up your master."

"Who'd believe me?" replied Job Trotter. "The young lady's considered the very picture of innocence and discretion. She'd deny it, and so would my master. Who'd believe me ? I should lose my place, and get indicted for a conspiracy, or some such thing ; that's all I should take by my motion."

" There's somethin' in that," said Sam, ruminating ; " there's some- thin' in that."

up," continued Mr. Trotter, ^' I might have some hope of preventing the elopement; but there's the same difBculty, Mr. Walker, just the same. I know no gentleman in this strange place; and ten to one if I did, whether he would believe my story."
 * ' If I knew any respectable gentleman who would take the matter

" Come this way," said Sam, suddenly jumping up, and grasping the mulberry man by the arm. " My raas'r's the man you want, 1 see." And after a slight resistance on the part of Job Trotter, Sam led his newly-found friend to the apartment of Mr. Pickwick, to whom he presented him, together with a brief summary of the dialogue we have just repeated.

" I am very sorry to betray my master, Sir," said Job Trotter, applying to his eyes a pink check pocket handkei chief of about three inches square.

" The feeling does you a great deal of honour," replied Mr. Pick- wick ; " but it is your duty, nevertheless."

" I know it is my duty, Sir," replied Job, with great emotion. " We should all try to discharge our duty, Sir, and I humbly endeavour to discharge mine. Sir ; but it is a hard trial to betray a roaster, Sir,

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