Worse than that, Joe!' said the old lady, who had thought this the

extreme limit of human atrocity. 'Who was it, Joe? I insist upon

knowing.'

The fat boy looked cautiously round, and having concluded his

survey, shouted in the old lady's ear -

Miss Rachael.'

What!' said the old lady, in a shrill tone. 'Speak louder.'

Miss Rachael,' roared the fat boy.

My da'ater!'

The train of nods which the fat boy gave by way of assent,

communicated a blanc-mange like motion to his fat cheeks.

'And she suffered him!' exclaimed the old lady. A grin stole over the fat

boy's features as he said -

'I see her a-kissin' of him agin.'

If Mr Jingle, from his place of concealment, could have beheld the

expression which the old lady's face assumed at this communication,

the probability is that a sudden burst of laughter would have betrayed

his close vicinity to the summer- house. He listened attentively.

Fragments of angry sentences such as, 'Without my permission!' - 'At

her time of life' - 'Miserable old 'ooman like me' - 'Might have waited

till I was dead,' and so forth, reached his ears; and then he heard the

heels of the fat boy's boots crunching the gravel, as he retired and left

the old lady alone.

It was a remarkable coincidence perhaps, but it was nevertheless a

fact, that Mr Jingle within five minutes of his arrival at Manor Farm

on the preceding night, had inwardly resolved to lay siege to the heart

of the spinster aunt, without delay. He had observation enough to see,

that his off-hand manner was by no means disagreeable to the fair

object of his attack; and he had more than a strong suspicion that she

possessed that most desirable of all requisites, a small independence.

The imperative necessity of ousting his rival by some means or other,

flashed quickly upon him, and he immediately resolved to adopt

certain proceedings tending to that end and object, without a

moment's delay. Fielding tells us that man is fire, and woman tow,

and the Prince of Darkness sets a light to 'em. Mr Jingle knew that

young men, to spinster aunts, are as lighted gas to gunpowder, and

he determined to essay the effect of an explosion without loss of time.

The Pickwick Papers