felt, now that she was unexpectedly before him, all the blood in his

body mounting to his face, manifestly to the great detriment of his

legs, which, deprived of their usual portion, trembled beneath him.

When they stopped to gather a hedge flower, or listen to a bird,

Nathaniel Pipkin stopped too, and pretended to be absorbed in

meditation, as indeed he really was; for he was thinking what on earth

he should ever do, when they turned back, as they inevitably must in

time, and meet him face to face. But though he was afraid to make up

to them, he couldn't bear to lose sight of them; so when they walked

faster he walked faster, when they lingered he lingered, and when they

stopped he stopped; and so they might have gone on, until the

darkness prevented them, if Kate had not looked slyly back, and

encouragingly beckoned Nathaniel to advance. There was something

in Kate's manner that was not to be resisted, and so Nathaniel Pipkin

complied with the invitation; and after a great deal of blushing on his

part, and immoderate laughter on that of the wicked little cousin,

Nathaniel Pipkin went down on his knees on the dewy grass, and

declared his resolution to remain there for ever, unless he were

permitted to rise the accepted lover of Maria Lobbs. Upon this, the

merry laughter of Miss Lobbs rang through the calm evening air -

without seeming to disturb it, though; it had such a pleasant sound -

and the wicked little cousin laughed more immoderately than before,

and Nathaniel Pipkin blushed deeper than ever. At length, Maria

Lobbs being more strenuously urged by the love- worn little man,

turned away her head, and whispered her cousin to say, or at all

events Kate did say, that she felt much honoured by Mr Pipkin's

addresses; that her hand and heart were at her father's disposal; but

that nobody could be insensible to Mr Pipkin's merits. As all this was

said with much gravity, and as Nathaniel Pipkin walked home with

Maria Lobbs, and struggled for a kiss at parting, he went to bed a

happy man, and dreamed all night long, of softening old Lobbs,

opening the strong box, and marrying Maria.

The next day, Nathaniel Pipkin saw old Lobbs go out upon his old gray

pony, and after a great many signs at the window from the wicked

little cousin, the object and meaning of which he could by no means

understand, the bony apprentice with the thin legs came over to say

that his master wasn't coming home all night, and that the ladies

expected Mr Pipkin to tea, at six o'clock precisely. How the lessons

were got through that day, neither Nathaniel Pipkin nor his pupils

knew any more than you do; but they were got through somehow,

and, after the boys had gone, Nathaniel Pipkin took till full six o'clock

to dress himself to his satisfaction. Not that it took long to select the

garments he should wear, inasmuch as he had no choice about the

matter; but the putting of them on to the best advantage, and the

touching of them up previously, was a task of no inconsiderable

difficulty or importance.

The Pickwick Papers