Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/305

239 I

THE PICKWICK CLUB. 2J)9

healthy-looking^ servant girl as she drew up a hlind, or threw open a l)ed-roora window, when the green gate of a garden at the hottom of the yard, opened, and a man having emerged therefrom, closed the green gate very carefully after him, and walked briskly towards the very spot where Mr. Weller was standing.

Now taking this, as an isolated fact, unaccompanied by any attendant circumstances, there was nothing very extraordinary in it, because in many parts of the world, men do come out of gardens, close green gates after them, and even walk briskly away, without attracting any parti- cular share of public observation. It is clear, therefore, that there must have been something in the man, or in his manner, or both, to attract Mr. Weller's particular notice. Whether there was, or not, we must leave the reader to determine, when we have faithfully recounted the behaviour of the individual in question.

When the man had shut the green gate after him, he walked, as we have said twice already, with a brisk pace up the court-yard ; but he no sooner caught sight of Mr. Weller, than he faltered, and stopped, as if uncertain for the moment what course to adopt. As the green gate was closed behind him, and there was no other outlet but the one in front, however, he was not long in perceiving that he must pass Mr. Samuel Weller to get away. He therefore resumed his brisk pace, and advanced, staring straight before him. The most extraordinary thing about the man was, that he was contorting his face into the most fear- ful and astonishing grimaces that ever were beheld. Nature's handy- work never was disguised with such extraordinary artificial carving, as the man had overlaid his countenance with, in one moment.

'* Well," — said Mr. Weller to himself, as the man approached. " This is wery odd. I could ha' swore it was him."

Up came the man, and his face became more frightfully distorted than ever, as he drew nearer.

•' I could take my oath to that 'ere black hair, and mulberry suit," said Mr. Weller; " only I never see such a face as that, afore."

As Mr. Weller said this, the man's features assumed an unearthly twinge, perfectly hideous. He was obliged to pass very near Sara however, and the scrutinising glance of that gentleman enabled him to detect, under all these appalling twists of feature, something too like the small eyes of Mr. Job Trotter, to be easily mistaken.

" Hallo, you Sir," shouted Sam, fiercely.

The stranger stopped.

" Hallo," repeated Sam, still more gruffly.

The man with the horrible face, looked, with the greatest surprise, up the court, and down the court, and in at the windows of the houses — everywhere but at Sam Weller — and took another step forward, when he was brought to again, by another shout.

" Hallo, you Sir," — said Sam, for the third time.

There was no pretending to mistake where the voice came from now, so the stranger, having no other resource, at last looked Sam Weller full in the face.

'* It won't do, Job Trotter," said Sara. " Corae, none o' that 'ere