Tom very wroth, because as you all know, gentlemen, to hear an old

fellow, who ought to know better, talking about these things, is very

unpleasant - nothing more so.

‘I know all about that, Tom,’ said the old gentleman. ‘I have seen it

done very often in my time, Tom, between more people than I should

like to mention to you; but it never came to anything after all.’

‘You must have seen some queer things,’ said Tom, with an

inquisitive look.

'‘You may say that, Tom,’ replied the old fellow, with a very

complicated wink. ‘I am the last of my family, Tom,’ said the old

gentleman, with a melancholy sigh.

‘Was it a large one?’ inquired Tom Smart.

‘There were twelve of us, Tom,’ said the old gentleman; ‘fine, straight-

backed, handsome fellows as you'd wish to see. None of your modern

abortions - all with arms, and with a degree of polish, though I say it

that should not, which it would have done your heart good to behold.’

‘And what's become of the others, Sir?’ asked Tom Smart -

The old gentleman applied his elbow to his eye as he replied, ‘Gone,

Tom, gone. We had hard service, Tom, and they hadn't all my

constitution. They got rheumatic about the legs and arms, and went

into kitchens and other hospitals; and one of 'em, with long service

and hard usage, positively lost his senses - he got so crazy that he

was obliged to be burnt. Shocking thing that, Tom.’

‘Dreadful!’ said Tom Smart.

'The old fellow paused for a few minutes, apparently struggling with

his feelings of emotion, and then said -

‘However, Tom, I am wandering from the point. This tall man, Tom, is

a rascally adventurer. The moment he married the widow, he would

sell off all the furniture, and run away. What would be the

consequence? She would be deserted and reduced to ruin, and I

should catch my death of cold in some broker's shop.’

‘Yes, but - ’

‘Don't interrupt me,’ said the old gentleman. ‘Of you, Tom, I entertain

a very different opinion; for I well know that if you once settled

yourself in a public-house, you would never leave it, as long as there

was anything to drink within its walls.’

The Pickwick Papers