Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/381

307 THE PICKWieK CLUB. 307

CHAPTER XXIX.

HOW THE PICKWICKIANS MADE AND CULTIVATED THE ACCiUAINT- ANCE OF A COUPLE OF NICE YOUNG MEN BELONGING TO ONE OF THE LIBERAL PROFESSIONS ; HOW THEY DISPORTED THEM- SELVES ON THE ICE; AND HOW THEIR VISIT CAME TO A CON- CLUSION.

" Well Sam," said Mr. Pickwick as that favoured servitor entered his bed-chamber with his warm water, on the morning- of Christmas Day, "Still frosty?"

" Water in the wash-hand basin 's a mask o' ice, Sir," responded Sam.

" Severe weather, Sam," observed Mr. Pickwick.

" Fine time for them as is well wropped up, as the Polar Bear said to himself, ven he was practising- his skaiting," replied Mr. Weller.

untying his nightcap.
 * ' I shall be down in a quarter of an hour, Sam," said Mr. Pickwick,

" Wery good. Sir," replied Sam. " There's a couple o' Sawbones down stairs."


 * ' A couple of what !" exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, sitting up in bed.

" A couple o' Sawbones," said Sam.

" What's a Sawbones ? " inquired Mr. Pickwick, not quite certain whether it was a live animal, or something to eat.

" What! don't you know what a Sawbones is, Sir ?" enquired Mr. Weller; " I thought every body know'd as a Sawbones was a Surgeon/*

" Oh, a Surgeon, eh ?" said Mr. Pickwick with a smile.

" Just that Sir," rephed Sam. " These here ones as is below, though, aint reg'lar thorough-bred Sawbones ; they're only in trainin'."

" In other words they're Medical Students, I suppose ?" said Mr. Pickwick.

Sam Weller nodded assent.

"I am glad of it," said Mr. Pickwick, casting his nightcap energeti- cally on the counterpane, " They are fine fellows ; very fine fellows, with judgments matured by observation and reflection ; and tastes refined by reading and study. I am very glad of it."

" They're a smokin' cigars by the kitchen fire," said Sam.

" Ah !" observed Mr. Pickwick, rubbing his hands, "overflowings with kindly feelings and animal spirits. Just what I like to see !"

" And one on *em," said Sam, not noticing his master's interruption, " one on 'em 's got his legs on the table, and is a drinkin' brandy neat, vile the tother one — him in the barnacles — has got a barrel o' oysters atween his knees, vich he'« a openin' like steam, and as fast as he eats 'em, he takes a aim vith the shells at young dropsy, who's a settin' down fast asleep, in the chimbley corner."

A A