Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/667

561 THE PICKWICK CLUB. 561

with which he regarded the calamity that had befallen the family, he carried the high-backed chair to his old corner by the fire, and sitting himself down on the very edge of the seat, drew forth a brown pocket handkerchief, and applied the same to his optics.

While this was going forward, the elder Mr. Weller sat back in his chair with his eyes wide open, his hands planted on his knees, and his whole countenance expressive of absorbing and overwhelming astonish- ment. Sam sat opposite him in perfect silence, waiting with eager curiosity for the termination of the scene.

Mr. Stiggins kept the brown pocket-handkerchief before his eyes for some minutes, moaning decently meanwhile, and then, mastering his feelings by a strong effort, put it in his pocket and buttoned it up. After this he stirred the fire ; after that he rubbed his hands and looked at Sam.

" Oh my young friend," said Mr. Stiggins, breaking the silence in a very low voice, " here's a sorrowful affliction." Sam nodded very slightly.

" For the man of wrath, too!" added Mr. Stiggins; " it makes a vessel's heart bleed !"

Mr. Weller was overheard by his son to murmur something relative to making a vessel's nose bleed ; but Mr. Stiggins heard him not.

" Do you know, young man," whispered Mr. Stiggins, drawing his chair closer to Sam, *^ whether she has left Emanuel anything ?" " Who's he } " enquired Sam.

" The chapel/' replied Mr. Stiggins ; " our chapel ; our fold, Mr. Samuel."

animals nothin', " said Sam, decisively ; " nor the dogs neither."
 * ' She hasn't left the fold nothin*, nor the shepherd nothin, nor the

Mr. Stiggins looked slyly at Sam, glanced at the old gentleman, who was sitting with his eyes closed, as if asleep ; and drawing his chair still nearer, said,

Sam shook his head.
 * ' Nothing for mej Mr. Samuel ? "

'^ I think there's something," said Stiggins, turning as pale as he could turn. " Consider, Mr. Samuel ; no little token ? "

" Not so much as the vurth o' that 'ere old umberella o' yourn/* replied Sam.

"Perhaps," said Mr. Stiggins, hesitatingly, after a few moments' deep thought, " perhaps she recommended me to the care of the man of wrath, Mr. Samuel ? "

" I think that's wery likely, from what he said,'' rejoined Sam ; " he wos a speakin' about you, jist now."

''Was he, though.^" exclaimed Stiggins, brightening up. "Ah! He's changed, 1 dare say. We might live very comfortably together now, Mr. Samuel, eh ? I could take care of his property when you are away — good care, you see."

Heaving a long-*drawn sigh, ]Ir. Stiggins paused for a response. Sam nodded, and Mr. Weller, the elder, gave vent to an extraordinary sound, which, being neither a groan, nor a grunt, nor a gasp, nor a growl, seemed to partake in some degree of the character of all four.