Chapter XXII

Mr Pickwick Journeys To Ipswich And Meets With A Romantic

Adventure With A Middle-Aged Lady In Yellow Curl-Papers

That 'ere your governor's luggage, Sammy?' inquired Mr Weller of his

affectionate son, as he entered the yard of the Bull Inn, Whitechapel,

with a travelling-bag and a small portmanteau.

'You might ha' made a worser guess than that, old feller,' replied Mr

Weller the younger, setting down his burden in the yard, and sitting

himself down upon it afterwards. 'The governor hisself'll be down here

presently.'

He's a-cabbin' it, I suppose?' said the father.

Yes, he's a havin' two mile o' danger at eight-pence,' responded the

son. 'How's mother-in-law this mornin'?'

'Queer, Sammy, queer,' replied the elder Mr Weller, with impressive

gravity. 'She's been gettin' rayther in the Methodistical order lately,

Sammy; and she is uncommon pious, to be sure. She's too good a

creetur for me, Sammy. I feel I don't deserve her.'

'Ah,' said Mr Samuel. 'that's wery self-denyin' o' you.'

Wery,' replied his parent, with a sigh. 'She's got hold o' some

inwention for grown-up people being born again, Sammy - the new

birth, I think they calls it. I should wery much like to see that system

in haction, Sammy. I should wery much like to see your mother-in-law

born again. Wouldn't I put her out to nurse!'

What do you think them women does t'other day,' continued Mr

Weller, after a short pause, during which he had significantly struck

the side of his nose with his forefinger some half-dozen times. 'What

do you think they does, t'other day, Sammy?'

Don't know,' replied Sam, 'what?'

Goes and gets up a grand tea drinkin' for a feller they calls their

shepherd,' said Mr Weller. 'I was a-standing starin' in at the pictur

shop down at our place, when I sees a little bill about it; ‘tickets half-

a-crown. All applications to be made to the committee. Secretary, Mrs.

Weller’; and when I got home there was the committee a-sittin' in our

back parlour. Fourteen women; I wish you could ha' heard 'em,

Sammy. There they was, a-passin' resolutions, and wotin' supplies,

and all sorts o' games. Well, what with your mother-in-law a-worrying

me to go, and what with my looking for'ard to seein' some queer starts

The Pickwick Papers