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Chapter LVII
Mr Chuckster's indignant apprehensions were not without foundation.
Certainly the friendship between the single gentleman and Mr Garland
was not suffered to cool, but had a rapid growth and flourished
exceedingly. They were soon in habits of constant intercourse and
communication; and the single gentleman labouring at this time
under a slight attack of illness - the consequence most probably of his
late excited feelings and subsequent disappointment - furnished a
reason for their holding yet more frequent correspondence; so that
some one of the inmates of Abel Cottage, Finchley, came backwards
and forwards between that place and Bevis Marks, almost every day.
As the pony had now thrown off all disguise, and without any mincing
of the matter or beating about the bush, sturdily refused to be driven
by anybody but Kit, it generally happened that whether old Mr
Garland came, or Mr Abel, Kit was of the party. Of all messages and
inquiries, Kit was, in right of his position, the bearer; thus it came
about that, while the single gentleman remained indisposed, Kit
turned into Bevis Marks every morning with nearly as much regularity
as the General Postman.
Mr Sampson Brass, who no doubt had his reasons for looking sharply
about him, soon learnt to distinguish the pony's trot and the clatter of
the little chaise at the corner of the street. Whenever the sound
reached his ears, he would immediately lay down his pen and fall to
rubbing his hands and exhibiting the greatest glee.
'
Ha ha!' he would cry. 'Here's the pony again! Most remarkable pony,
extremely docile, eh, Mr Richard, eh sir?'
Dick would return some matter-of-course reply, and Mr Brass
standing on the bottom rail of his stool, so as to get a view of the
street over the top of the window-blind, would take an observation of
the visitors.
'
The old gentleman again!' he would exclaim, 'a very prepossessing old
gentleman, Mr Richard - charming countenance sir - extremely calm -
benevolence in every feature, sir. He quite realises my idea of King
Lear, as he appeared when in possession of his kingdom, Mr Richard -
the same good humour, the same white hair and partial baldness, the
same liability to be imposed upon. Ah! A sweet subject for
contemplation, sir, very sweet!'
Then Mr Garland having alighted and gone up-stairs, Sampson would
nod and smile to Kit from the window, and presently walk out into the
street to greet him, when some such conversation as the following
would ensue.
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