Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/605

505 THE PfCKWICK CLUB. 505

with a look of as much pride and exultation, as if she had been his own daughter.

" Delightful, my dear Sir," replied the little man. " If I were not a married man myself, I should be disposed to envy you, you dog, I should." Thus expressing himself, the little lawyer gave Mr. Winkle a poke in the chest, which that gentleman reciprocated ; after which they both laughed very loudly, but not so loudly as Mr. Samuel Weller, who had just relieved his feelings by kissing the pretty house- maid under cover of the cupboard door.

"I can never be grateful enough to you, Sam, I am sure," said Arabella, with the sweetest smile imaginable. *' I shall not forget your exertions in the garden at Clifton."

"Don't say nothin' wotever about it, Ma'm," replied Sam. "I only assisted natur, IMa'm ; as the doctor said to the boy's mother, arter he'd bled him to death."

" Mary, my dear, sit down," said Mr. Pickwick, cutting short these compliments. " Now then — how long have you been married, eh }"

Arabella looked bashfully at her lord and master, who replied, " Only three days."

"Only three days, eh?" said Mr. Pickwick. "Why, what have you been doing these three months ? "

"Ah, to be sure," interposed Perker ; " come, account for this idle- ness. You see Pickwick's only astonishment is, that it wasn't all over months ago."

" Why the fact is," replied Mr. Winkle, looking at his blushing young wife, '* that I could not persuade Bella to run away for a long time ; and when I had persuaded her, it was a long time more before we could find an opportunity. Mary had to give a month's warning, too, before she could leave her place next door, and we couldn't possibly have done it without her assistance."

" Upon my word," exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, who by this time had resumed his spectacles, and was looking from Arabella to Winkle, and from Winkle to Arabella, with as much delight depicted in his coun- tenance as warm-heartedness and kindly feeling can communicate to the human face — "upon my word! you seem to have been very systematic in your proceedings. And is your brother acquainted with, all this, my dear .'* "

" Ch, no, no," replied Arabella, changing colour. " Dear Mr. Pickwick, he must only know it from you — from your lips alone. He is so violent, so prejudiced, and has been so — so anxious in behalf of his friend, Mr. Sawyer," added Arabella, looking down, " that 1 fear the consequences dreadfully."

"Ah, to be sure," said Perker, gravely. "You must take this matter in hand for them, my dear Sir. These young men will respect you when they would listen to nobody else. You must prevent mischief, my dear Sir. Hot blood — hot blood." And the little man took a warning pinch, and shook his head doubtfully.

" You forget, my love," said Mr. Pickwick, gently, " you forget that I am a prisoner."

"No, indeed I do not, my dear Sir," replied Arabella. "I never