Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/689

581 THE PICKWICK CLUB. ^581

" Let US have some of your best wine to-day, waiter," said old Wardle, rubbing his hands.

" You shall have some of the very best. Sir," replied the waiter.

" Let the ladies know we have come in."

" Yes, Sir."

Devoutly and ardently did Mr. Snodgrass wish that the ladies could know he had corae in. He ventured once to whisper '* Waiter !" through the keyhole, but the probability of the wrong waiter coming to his relief Hashing upon his mind, together with a sense of the strong resem- blance between his own situation and that in which another gentleman had been recently found in a neighbouring hotel (an account of whose misfortunes had appeared under the head of " Police " in that morning's paper), he set himself down upon a portmanteau, and- trembled violently.

" We won't wait a minute for Perker," said Wardle, looking at his watch ; " he is always exact. He will be here in time if he means to come ; and if he does not, it's of no use waiting. Ha ! Arabella."

romantic embrace.
 * My sister ! " exclaimed Mr. Benjamin Allen, folding her in a most

overcome by this mark of affection.
 * ' Oh, Ben, dear, how you do smell of tobacco," said Arabella, rather

" Do I.?" said Mr. Benjamin Allen, " Do I, Bella? Well, perhaps I do."

Perhaps he did, having just left a pleasant little smoking party of twelve medical students in a small back parlour with a large fire.

"But I am delighted to see you," said Mr. Ben Allen. " Bless you, Bella."

" There," said Arabella, bending forward to kiss her brother ; " don't take hold of me again, Ben dear, because you tumble me so."

At this point of the reconciliation, Mr. Ben Allen allowed his feelings and the cigars and porter to overcome him ; and looked round upon the beholders with damp spectacles.

'^ Is nothing to be said to me ? " cried Wardle, with open arms.

" A great deal," whispered Arabella, as she received the old gen- tleman's hearty caress and congratulation. " You are a hard-hearted, unfeeling, cruel, monster ! "

" You are a little rebel," replied Wardle, in the same tone ; " and I am afraid I shall be obliged to forbid you the house. People like you, who get married in spite of everybody, ought not to be let loose on society. But come," added the old gentleman aloud, " Here's the dinner ; you shall sit by me. Joe ; why, damn the boy, he's awake ! "

To the great distress of his master, the fat boy was indeed in a state of remarkable vigilance, his eyes being wide open, and looking as if they intended to remain so. There was an alacrity in his manner too which was equally unaccountable ; every time his eyes met those of Emily or Arabella, he smirked and grinned ; and once Wardle could have sworn he saw him wink.

This alteration in the fat boy's demeanour originated in his increased sense of his own importance, and the dignity he acquired from having been taken into the confidence of the young ladies ; and the smirks and

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