Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/332

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'264 POSl HUMOUS PAPERS OF

Muzzle. *' You see, master hadn't introduced us, then. Lord, how fond he is of you, Mr. Weller, to be sure ! "

" Ah," said Sara, " what a pleasant chap he is I"

" Ain't he?" replied Mr. Muzzle.

" So much humour," said Sam.

" And such a man to speak," said Mr. Muzzle. " How his ideas flow, don't they ?"

" Wonderful," replied Sara ; " they coraes a pouring out, knocking each other's heads so fast, that they seems to stun one another ; you hardly know what he's arter, do you?"

" That's the great merit of his style of speaking," rejoined Mr. Muzzle. " Take care of the last step, Mr. Weller. Would you like to wash your hands. Sir, before we join the ladies ? Here's a sink, with the water laid on, Sir, and a clean jack towel behind the door."

applying plenty of yellow soap to the towel, and rubbing away, till his face shone again. " How many ladies are there ? "
 * ' Ah, perhaps I may as vel have a rinse," replied Mr. Weller,

" Only two in our kitchen," said Mr. Muzzle, " cook and 'ousemaid. We keep a boy to do the dirty work, and a gal besides, but they dine in the washus."

" Oh, they dines in the washus, do they ? " said Mr. Weller.

" Yes," replied Mr. Muzzle, " we tried 'em at our table when they first come, but we couldn't keep 'em. The gal's manners is dreadful vulgar ; and the boy breathes so very hard while he's eating, that we found it impossible to sit at table with him."

" What a young grampus ! " said Mr. Weller.

" Oh, dreadful," rejoined Mr. Muzzle ; " but that is the worst of country service, Mr. Weller; the juniors is always so very savage. This way. Sir, if you please — this way."

And preceding Mr. Weller, with the utmost politeness, Mr. Muzzle conducted him into the kitchen.

"' Mary," said Mr. Muzzle to the pretty servant-girl, " this is Mr. Weller, a gentleman as master has sent down, to be made as comfort- able as possible."

right place," said Mr. Weller, with a glance of admiration at Mary. for comfort vere Mary vas. '
 * ' And your master's a knowin' hand — and has just sent me to the
 * If I was master o' this here house, I should alvays find the materials

" Lor, Mr. Weller ! " said Mary, blushing.

" Well, I never I " ejaculated the cook.

" Bless me, cook, I forgot you," said Mr. Muzzle. '' Mr. Weller, let me introduce you."

" How are you. Ma'am," said Mr. Weller. " Wery glad to see you, indeed ; and hope our acquaintance may be a long 'un, as the gen'lm'n said to the fi' pun' note."

When this ceremony of introduction had been gone through, the cook and Mary retired into the back kitchen to titter for ten minutes ; and then returning, all giggles and blushes, they sat down to dinner.

Mr. Weller's easy manner and conversational powers had such irre