Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/499

411 THE PICKWICK CLUB. 411

fears, had actually taken the same step as himself, and prudently retired until all excitement of feelinq- should have suhsided.

As the real state of the case dawned upon Mr. Winkle's mind, he looked very terrible, and said he was perfectly satisfied ; hut at the same time, said so, with an air that left Mr. Dowler no alternative but to infer that if he had not been, somethins: most horrible and destructive must inevitably have occurred. Mr. Dowler appeared to be impressed with a becomings sense of Mr. Winkle's magnanimity and condescension ; and the two belligerents parted for the night, with many protestations of eternal friendship.

About half-past twelve o'clock, when Mr. Vv^inkle had been revelling some twenty minutes in the full luxury of his first sleep, he was sud- denly awakened by a loud knocking at his chamber-door, which, being repeated with increased vehemence, caused him to start up in bed, and inquire who was there, and what the matter was.

" Please, Sir, here 's a young man which says he must see you di- rectly," responded the voice of the chambermaid.

" A young man !" exclaimed jIr. Winkle.

" No mistake about that 'ere. Sir," replied another voice through the keyhole; " and if that wery same interestin' young creetur ain't let in vithout delay, it 's wery possible as his legs vill enter afore his counte- nance." — The young man gave a gentle kick at one of the lower pannels of the door, after he had given utterance to this hint, as if to add force and point to the remark.


 * ' Is that you, Sam ? " inquired Mr. Winkle, springing out of bed.

" Quite unpossible to identify any gen'lm'n vith any degree o' mental satisfaction, vithout lookin' at him, Sir," replied the voice, dogmatically.

Mr. Winkle, not much doubting who the young man was, unlocked the door; which he had no sooner done, than Mr. Samuel Weller en- tered with great precipitation, and carefully relocking it on the inside, deliberately put the key in his waistcoat pocket ; and, after surveying Mr. Winkle from head to foot, said —

" You 're a wery humorous young gen'lm'n, you air. Sir."

" What do you mean by this conduct, Sam?" inquired Mr. Winkle, indignantly. " Get out, Sir, this instant. What do you mean. Sir?"

" What do / mean," retorted Sam ; " come, Sir, this is rayther too rich, as the young lady said ven she remonstrated with the pastry- cook, arter he 'd sold her a pork-pie as had got nothin' but fat inside. What do / mean ! W^ell, that ain't a bad 'un, that ain't,"

"Unlock that door, and leave this room immediatelv, Sir," said Mr. -Winkle.

'* I shall leave this here room. Sir, just percisely at the wery same moment as you leaves it," responded Sam, speaking in a forcible man- ner, and seating himself with perfect gravity. *' If I find it necessary to carry you away, pick-a-back, o' course I shall leave it the least bit o' time possible afore you; but allow me to express a hope as you won't reduce me to ex-tremities : in saying vich, I merely quote wot the nobleman said to the fractious penny winkle, ven he vouldn't come out of his shell by means of a pin, and he conseqvently began to be afeerd that