Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/410

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confined for room here, but you must put up with all that, when you come to see a young- bachelor. Walk in. YouVe seen this gentleman before, I think?" Mr. Pickwick shook hands with Mr. Benjamin Allen, and his friends followed his example. They had scarcely taken their seats when there was another double knock,

" I hope that's Jack Hopkins ! " said Mr. Bob Sawyer. " Hush. Yes, it is. Come up. Jack ; come up."

A heavy footstep was heard upon the stairs, and Jack Hopkins pre- sented himself. He wore a black velvet waistcoat, with thunder-and- lightning buttons ; and a blue striped shirt, with a white false collar.

" You're late, Jack ?" said Mr. Benjamin Allen.

" Been detained at Bartholomew's," — replied Hopkins.

" Anything new ? "

" No, nothing particular. Rather a good accident brought into the casualty ward."

" What was that, Sir ? " inquired Mr. Pickwick.

very fair case — very fair case indeed."
 * Only a man fallen out of a four pair of stairs' window ; — but it's a

" Do you mean that the patient is in a fair way to recover ? " in- quired Mr. Pickwick.

" No," replied Hopkins, carelessly. " No, I should rather say he wouldn't. There must be a splendid operation though, to-morrow- magnificent sight if Slasher does it."

" You consider Mr. Slasher a good operator?" said Mr. Pickwick.

" Best alive," replied Hopkins. " Took a boy's leg out of the socket last week — boy ate five apples and a gingerbread cake — exactly two minutes after it was all over, boy said he wouldn't lie there to be made game of; and he'd tell his mother if they didn't begin."

" Dear me ! " said Mr. Pickwick, astonished.

" Pooh ! that's nothing, that ain't," said Jack Hopkins. " Is it, Bob?"


 * • Nothing at all," replied Mr. Bob Sawyer.

^' By the bye. Bob," said Hopkins, with a scarcely perceptible glance at Mr. Pickwick's attentive face, '^ we had a curious accident last flight. A child was brought in, who had swallowed a necklace."

" Swallowed what. Sir?" interrupted Mr. Pickwick.

" A necklace," replied Jack Hopkins. " Not all at once, you know, that would be too much — you couldn't swallow that, if the child did — eh, Mr. Pickwick, ha ! ha I " — Mr. Hopkins appeared highly gratified with his own pleasantry ; and continued — " No, the way was this ; — child's parents were poor people who lived in a court. Child's eldest sister bought a necklace, — common necklace, made of large black wooden beads. Child, being fond of toys, cribbed the necklace, hid it, played with it, cut the string, and swallowed a bead. Child thought it capital fun, went back next day, and swallowed another bead."

" Bless my heart," said Mr. Pickwick, "what a dreadful thing I I beg your pardon, Sir. Go on."

'' Next day, child swallowed two beads ; the day after that, he treated himself to three, and so on, till in a week's time he had got through

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