What, Mr Slum!' cried the lady of the wax-work. 'Lot! who'd have

thought of seeing you here!'

''Pon my soul and honour,' said Mr Slum, 'that's a good remark. 'Pon

my soul and honour that's a wise remark. Who would have thought it!

George, my faithful feller, how are you?'

George received this advance with a surly indifference, observing that

he was well enough for the matter of that, and hammering lustily all

the time.

I came here,' said the military gentleman turning to Mrs Jarley - ''pon

my soul and honour I hardly know what I came here for. It would

puzzle me to tell you, it would by Gad. I wanted a little inspiration, a

little freshening up, a little change of ideas, and - 'Pon my soul and

honour,' said the military gentleman, checking himself and looking

round the room, 'what a devilish classical thing this is! by Gad, it's

quite Minervian.'

It'll look well enough when it comes to be finished,' observed Mrs

Jarley.

Well enough!' said Mr Slum. 'Will you believe me when I say it's the

delight of my life to have dabbled in poetry, when I think I've exercised

my pen upon this charming theme? By the way - any orders? Is there

any little thing I can do for you?'

It comes so very expensive, sir,' replied Mrs Jarley, 'and I really don't

think it does much good.'

'Hush! No, no!' returned Mr Slum, elevating his hand. 'No fibs. I'll not

hear it. Don't say it don't do good. Don't say it. I know better!'

'I don't think it does,' said Mrs Jarley.

Ha, ha!' cried Mr Slum, 'you're giving way, you're coming down. Ask

the perfumers, ask the blacking-makers, ask the hatters, ask the old

lottery-office-keepers - ask any man among 'em what my poetry has

done for him, and mark my words, he blesses the name of Slum. If

he's an honest man, he raises his eyes to heaven, and blesses the

name of Slum - mark that! You are acquainted with Westminster

Abbey, Mrs Jarley?'

'Yes, surely.'

Then upon my soul and honour, ma'am, you'll find in a certain angle

of that dreary pile, called Poets' Corner, a few smaller names than

Slum,' retorted that gentleman, tapping himself expressively on the

The Old Curiosity Shop