Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/383

309 THK PICKWICK CLUB. 309

their attack upon the breakfast, more freely than before, as if the recol- lection of last night's supper had imparted a new relish to the meal.

" Peg away, Bob," said Mr. Allen to his companion, encouragingly.

" So I do," replied Bob Sawyer. And so, to do him justice, he did.

" Nothing like dissecting, to give one an appetite," said Mr. Bob Sawyer, looking round the table.

Mr. Pickwick slightly shuddered.

" By the bye, Bob," said Mr. Allen, " have you finished that leg yet ?'

" Nearly," replied Sawyer, helping himself to half a fowl as bespoke, " It's a very muscular one for a child's."


 * ' Is it ?" inquired Mr. Allen, carelessly.

" Very," said Bob Sawyer, with his mouth full.

" We're clubbing for a subject, and the list is nearly full, only we can't get hold of any fellow that wants a head. I wish you'd take it."
 * I've put my name down for an arm, ^t our place,'* said Mr. Allen.

"No," replied Bob Sawyer; "can't afford expensive luxuries,"

" Nonsense I" said Allen.

"Can't indeed," rejoined Bob Sawyer. "I wouldn't mind a brain, but I couldn't stand a whole head."

" Hush, hush, gentlemen, pray," said Mr. Pickwick, " I hear the ladies."

As Mr. Pickwick spoke, the ladies, gallantly escorted by Messrs. Snodgrass, Winkle, and Tupman, returned from an early walk,

" Lor, Ben !" said Arabella, in a tone which expressed more surprise than pleasure at the sight of her brother.

" Come to take you home to-morrow," replied Benjamin.

Mr. Winkle turned pale.

"Don't you see Bob Sawyer, Arabella?" enquired Mr. Benjamin Alien, somewhat reproachfully. Arabella gracefully held out her hand, in acknowledgment of Bob Sawyer's presence. A thrill of hatred struck to Mr. Winkle's heart, as Bob Sawyer inflicted on the proffered hand a perceptible squeeze.

"Ben dear!" said Arabella, blushing; " have-^have— you been in- troduced to Mr. Winkle ? "

" I have not been, but I shall be very happy to be, Arabella," replied her brother gravely. Here Mr. Allen bowed grimly to Mr. Winkle, while Mr. Winkle and Mr. Bob Sawyer glanced mutual distrust out of the corners of their eyes.

The arrival of the two new visitors, and the consequent check upon Mr. Winkle and the young lady with the fur round her boots, would in all probability have proved a very unpleasant interruption to the hila- rity of the party, had not the cheerfulness of Mr. Pickwick, and the good humour of the host, been exerted to the very utmost for the com- mon weal. Mr. Winkle gradually insinuated himself into the good graces of Mr. Benjamin Allen, and even joined in a friendly conversa- tion with Mr. Bob Sawyer ; who, enlivened with the brandy, and the breakfast, and the talking, gradually ripened into a state of extreme facetiousness, and related with much glee an agreeable anecdote, about the removal of a tumour on some gentleman's head, which he illustrated

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