Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/517

429 THE PICKWICK CLUB. 429

jH'to my father, and I must have a stimulant, or I shan't be able to pitch ^ it strong enough into the old boy." At this facetious speech, the younp: boy, it is almost needless to say, was fairly convulsed.

" That's right," said Mr. Price. " Never say die. All fun, ain't it ?"

" Prime I " said the young gentleman.

" You've some spirit about you, you have," said Price, " You've seen something of life."

" I rather think I have !" replied the boy. He had looked at it through the dirty panes of glass in a bar door.

Mr. Pickwick feeling not a little disgusted with this dialogue, as well as with the air and manner of the two beings by whom it had been carried on, was about to inquire whether he could not be accommodated with a private sitting room, when two or three strangers of genteel appearance entered, at sight of whom the boy threw his cigar into the fire, and whispering to Mr. Price, that they had come to " make it all right" for him, joined them at a table in the further end of the room.

It would appear, however, that matters were not going to be made all right quite so speedily as the young gentleman anticipated, for a very long conversation ensued, of which Mr. Pickwick could not avoid hear- ing certain angry fragments regarding dissolute conduct, and repeated forgiveness. At last there were very distinct allusions made by the •oldest gentleman of the party to one Whitecross-street, at which the young gentleman, notwithstanding his primeness and his spirit, and his knowledge of life into the bargain, reclined his head upon the table and howled dismally.

Very much satisfied with this sudden bringing down of the youth's valour, and effectual lowering of his tone, Mr. Pickwick rang the bell, and was shown at his own request into a private room furnished with a carpet, table, chairs, sideboard and sofa, and ornamented with a looking glass, and various old prints. Here he had the advantage of hearing Mrs. Namby's performance on a square piano over head, while the break- fast was getting ready ; and when it came, Mr. Perker arrived also.

" Aha, my dear Sir," said the little man, " nailed at last, eh ? Come, come, I'm not sorry for it either, because now you'll see the absurdity of this conduct. I've noted down the amount of the taxed costs and damages for which the casa was issued, and we had better settle at once and lose no time. Namby is come home by this time, I dare say. What say you, my dear Sir, shall I draw a cheque, or will you ?" The little man rubbed his hands with affected cheerfulness as he said this, but glancing at Mr. Pickwick's countenance, could not forbear at the same time casting a desponding look towards Sam Weller.

" Perker," said Mr. Pickwick, " let me hear no more of this, I beg. I see no advantage in staying here, so I shall go to prison to- night." •:

" You can't go to Whitecross street, my dear Sir," said Perker. " Impossible ! There are sixty beds in a ward, and the bolt's on, sixteen hours out of the four-and-twenty."

" I should rather go to some other place of confinement if I can," said Mr. Pickwick. " If not I must make the best I can of that."