Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/516

428 428 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

Sraouch, and who was endowed with a larg-e key for the purpose, Mr. Pickwick was shown into the "coffee-room."

This coft'ee-room was a front parlour, the principal features of which, were fresh sand und stale tobacco smoke. Mr. Pickwick bowed to the three persons who were seated in it v/hen he entered, and havings dis- patched Sam for Perker, withdrew into an obscure corner, and from thence looked with some curiosity upon his new companions.

One of these was a mere boy of nineteen or twenty, who, though it was yet barely ten o'clock, was drinking- g-in and water, and smoking" a cigar, amusements to which, judging from his inflamed countenance, he had devoted himself pretty constantly for the last year or two of his life. Opposite him, engaged in stirring the lire with the toe of his right boot, was a coarse, vulgar young man of about thirty, with a sallow face and harsh voice ; evidently possessed of that knowledge of the world, and captivating freedom of manner, which is to be acquired, in public-house parlours, and at low billiard tables. The third tenant of the apartment was a middle aged man in a very old suit of black, who looked pale and haggard, and paced up and down the room inces- santly : stopping now and then to look with great anxiety out of the window as if he expected somebody, and then resuming his walk.

" You'd better have the loan of my razor this morning, Mr. Ayres- leigh," said the man who was stirring the fire, tipping the wink to his friend the boy.

" Thank you, no, I shan't want it ; I expect I shall be out, in the course of an hour or so," replied the other in a hurried manner. Then walking again up to the window, and once more returning disappointed, he sighed deeply, and left the room ; upon which the other two burst out into a loud laugh.

had offered the razor, whose name appeared to be Price. " Never I" Mr. Price confirmed the assertion with an oath, and then laughed again, when of course the boy (who thought his companion one of the most dashing fellows alive), laughed also.
 * ' Well, I never saw such a game as that," said the gentleman who

" You'd hardly think, would you now," said Price, turning towards Mr. Pickwick, "that that chap's been here a week yesterday, and never once shaved himself yet, because he feels so certain he's going out in half an hour's time, that he thinks he may as well put it off till he gets home ? "

" Poor man !" said Mr. Pickwick. " Are his chances of getting out of his difficulties really so great ?"

" Chances be d— d," replied Price ; '* he hasn't half the ghost of one. I wouldn't give thai for his chance of walking about the streets this time ten years." With this, Mr. Price snapped his fingers con- temptuously, and rang the bell.

" Give me a sheet of paper, Crookey," said Mr. Price to the atten- dant, who in dress and general appearance looked something between a bankrupt grazier, and a drover in a state of insolvency; "and a .glass of brandy and water^ Crookey, d'ye hear ? I'm going to write