Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/226

168 JOB POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

wider, Mr. Pickwick receded behind it, more and more. What was his astonishment when he just peeped out, by way of caution, to see that the person who had opened it was — not Job Trotter, but a servant-ffirl with a candle in her band I Mr. Pickwick drew in his head again, with the swiftness displayed by that admirable melo-dramatic performer, Punch, when he lies in wait for the flat-headed comedian with the tin box of music.

'' It must have been the cat, Sarah," said the girl, addressing herself to some one in the house. " Puss, puss, puss — tit, tit, tit."

But no animal being decoyed by these blandishments, the girl slowly closed the door, and re-fastened it ; leaving Mr. Pickwick drawn up straight against the wall.

" This is very curious," thought Mr. Pickwick. ** They are sitting up, beyond their usual hour, I suppose. Extremely unfortunate, that they should have chosen this night, of all others, for such a purpose — exceedingly." And with these thoughts, Mr. Pickwick cautiously retired to the angle of the wall in which he had been before ensconced ; Avaiting until such time as he might deem it safe to repeat the signal.

He had not been here five minutes, when a vivid flash of lightning was followed by a loud peal of thunder that crashed and rolled away in the distance with terrific noise — then came another flash of lightning, brighter than the other, and a second peal of thunder louder than the first; and then down came the rain, with a force and fury that swept every thing before it.

Mr. Pickwick was perfectly aware that a tree is a very dangerous neighbour in a thunder-storm. He had a tree on his right, a tree on his left, a third before him, and a fourth behind. If he remained where he was, he might fall the victim of an accident ; if he showed himself in the centre of the garden, he might be consigned to a constable ; — once or twice he tried to scale the wall, but having no other legs this time, than those with which Nature had furnished him, the only effect of his struggles was to inflict a variety of very unpleasant gratings on his knees and shins, and to throw him into a state of the most profuse perspiration.

" What a dr( adful situation," said Mr. Pickwick, pausing to wipe his brow after this exercise. He looked up at the house — all was dark. They must be gone to bed now. He would try the signal again.

He walked on tip-toe across the moist gravel, and tapped at the door. He held his breath, and listened at the key-hole. No reply : very odd. Another knock. He listened again. There was a low whispering inside, and then a voice cried —

" Who's there ? "

" Thai's not Job," thought M Pickwick, hastily drawing himself straight up against the wall again. " It's a woman."

He had scarcely had time to form this conclusion, when a window above stairs, was thrown up, and three or four female voices repeated the query — " Who's there ? "

Mr. Pickwick dared not move hand or foot. It was clear that tha wholn establishment was roused. He made up his mind to remain vviu're