long ago deprived her of the power of screaming; she, therefore,

watched his motions with feelings of intense horror which were in no

degree diminished by his coming close up to her, and shouting in her

ear in an agitated, and as it seemed to her, a threatening tone -

Missus!'

Now it so happened that Mr Jingle was walking in the garden close to

the arbour at that moment. He too heard the shouts of 'Missus,' and

stopped to hear more. There were three reasons for his doing so. In

the first place, he was idle and curious; secondly, he was by no means

scrupulous; thirdly, and lastly, he was concealed from view by some

flowering shrubs. So there he stood, and there he listened.

'Missus!' shouted the fat boy.

Well, Joe,' said the trembling old lady. 'I'm sure I have been a good

mistress to you, Joe. You have invariably been treated very kindly.

You have never had too much to do; and you have always had enough

to eat.'

This last was an appeal to the fat boy's most sensitive feelings. He

seemed touched, as he replied emphatically - 'I knows I has.'

Then what can you want to do now?' said the old lady, gaining

courage.

'I wants to make your flesh creep,' replied the boy.

This sounded like a very bloodthirsty mode of showing one's gratitude;

and as the old lady did not precisely understand the process by which

such a result was to be attained, all her former horrors returned.

What do you think I see in this very arbour last night?' inquired the

boy.

'Bless us! What?' exclaimed the old lady, alarmed at the solemn

manner of the corpulent youth.

'The strange gentleman - him as had his arm hurt - a-kissin' and

huggin' - '

Who, Joe? None of the servants, I hope.' 'Worser than that,' roared the

fat boy, in the old lady's ear.

Not one of my grandda'aters?'

Worser than that.'

The Pickwick Papers