Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/597

499 THE PICKWICK CLUB. 499

CHAPTER XLVI.

is chiefly devoted to matters op business, and the tem- poral advantage of dodson and fogg. mr. winkle re- appears under extraordinary circuxmstances ; and mr. Pickwick's benevolence proves stronger than his ob- stinacy.

Job Trotter, abating nothing of his speed, ran up Holbom, some- times in the middle of the road, sometimes on the pavement, and some- times in the gutter, as the chances of getting along varied with the press of men, women, children, and coaches, in each division of the thoroughfare, and, regardless of all obstacles, stopped not for an instant until he reached the gate of Gray's Inn. Notwithstanding all the ex- pedition he had used, however, the gate had been closed a good half hour when he reached it, and by the time he had discovered Mr. Perker's laundress, who lived with a married daughter, who had be- stowed her hand upon a non-resident waiter, and occupied the one- pair of some number, in some street, closely adjoining to some brewery, somewhere behind Gray's Inn Lane, it was within fifteen minutes of the time of closing the prison for the night. Mr. Lowten had still to be ferreted out from the back parlour of the Magpie and Stump ; and Job had scarcely accomplished this object, and communicated Sam Weller's message, than the clock struck ten.

" There," said Lowten, " it's too late now. You can't get in to- night ; you've got the key of the street, my friend."

" Never mind me," replied Job, " I can sleep anywhere. But won't it be better to see Mr. Perker to-night, so that we may be there, the first thing in the morning .?"

'* Why," responded Lowten, after a little consideration, " if it was in any body else's case, Perker wouldn't be best pleased at my going up to his house, but as it's Mr. Pickwick's, I think I may venture to take a cab and charge it to the office." Deciding upon this line of conduct, Mr. Lowten took up his hat, and begging the assembled com- pany to appoint a deputy chairman duringhis temporary absence, led the way to the nearest coach stand, and summoning the cab of most pro- mising appearance, directed the driver to repair to Montague Place, Russell Square.

Mt. Perker had had a dinner party that day, as was testified by the appearance of lights in the drawing-room windows, the sound of an improved grand piano, and an improveable cabinet voice issuing there- from ; and a rather overpowering smell of meat which pervaded the steps and entry. In fact a couple of very good country agencies hap- pening to come up to town at the same time, an agreeable little party had been got together to meet them, comprising Mr. Snicks the