Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/709

599 THE PICKWICK CLUB. 599

they have you. I wos married fust, that vay myself, Sir, and Sammy wos the consekens o' the manoover."

" You give me no great encouragement to condude what I have to say," observed Mr. Pickwick, *< but I had better do so at once. This young person is not only attached to your son, Mr. Weller, but your son is attached to her."

Veil, said Mr. Weller, <'this here's a pretty sort o' thing to come to a father's ears, this is ! "

making no comment on Mr, Weller's last remark ; ^' and entertain no doubt at all about it. Supposing I were desirous of establishing them comfortably as man and wife in some little business or situation, where they might hope to obtain a decent living, what should you think of it, Mr. Weller?"
 * ' I have observed them on several occasions," said Mr. Pickwick,

At first, Mr. Weller received with wry faces a proposition involving the marriage of anybody in v/hom he took an interest, but as Mr. Pick- wick argued the point with him, and laid great stress upon the fact that Mary was not a widow, he gradually became more tractable. Mr. Pickwick had great influence over him ; and he had been much struck with Mary's appearance, having, in fact, bestowed several very un- fatherly winks upon her, already. At length he said that it was not foi* him to oppose Mr. Pickwick's inclination, and that he would be very happy to yield to his advice ; upon which Mr. Pickwick joyfully took him at his word and called Sam back into the room.

have been having some conversation about you."
 * Sam," said Mr. Pickwick, clearing his throat, " your father and I

" About you, Samivel," said Mr. Weller, in a patronising and im- pressive voice.

you entertain something more than a friendly feeling towards Mrs. Winkle's maid," said Mr. Pickwick.
 * ' I am not so blind, Sam, as not to have seen, a long time since, that

" You hear this, Samivel .^'' said Mr. Weller in the same judicial form of speech as before.

" I hope. Sir," said Sam, addressing his master, " I hope there's no harm in a young man takin' notice of a young 'ooman as is undeniably good-looking and veil-conducted."


 * ' Certainly not," said Mr. Pickwick.

"Not by no means,'' acquiesced Mr. Weller, affably but magis- terially.

natural," resumed Mr. Pickwick, «' it is my wish to assist and promote your wishes in this respect. With this view I have had a little conver- sation with your father, and finding that he is of my opinion — "
 * So far from thinking that there is anything wrong in conduct so

"The lady not bein' a vidder," interposed Mr. 'Weller in explana- tion.

"The lady not being a widow," said Mr. Pick^vick, smiling. *'I wish to free you from the restraint which your present position imposes upon you : and to mark my sense of your fidelity and many excellent qualities, by enabling you to marry this girl at once, and to earn an in- dependent livelihood for yourself and family. I shall be proud, Sam,"