'Nonsense!' said Allen.

Can't, indeed,' rejoined Bob Sawyer, 'I wouldn't mind a brain, but I

couldn't stand a whole head.' 'Hush, hush, gentlemen, pray,' said Mr

Pickwick, 'I hear the ladies.'

As Mr Pickwick spoke, the ladies, gallantly escorted by Messrs.

Snodgrass, Winkle, and Tupman, returned from an early walk.

'Why, Ben!' said Arabella, in a tone which expressed more surprise

than pleasure at the sight of her brother.

Come to take you home to-morrow,' replied Benjamin.

Mr Winkle turned pale.

Don't you see Bob Sawyer, Arabella?' inquired Mr Benjamin Allen,

somewhat reproachfully. Arabella gracefully held out her hand, in

acknowledgment of Bob Sawyer's presence. A thrill of hatred struck to

Mr Winkle's heart, as Bob Sawyer inflicted on the proffered hand a

perceptible squeeze.

Ben, dear!' said Arabella, blushing; 'have - have - you been introduced

to Mr Winkle?'

I have not been, but I shall be very happy to be, Arabella,' replied her

brother gravely. Here Mr Allen bowed grimly to Mr Winkle, while Mr

Winkle and Mr Bob Sawyer glanced mutual distrust out of the corners

of their eyes.

The arrival of the two new visitors, and the consequent check upon Mr

Winkle and the young lady with the fur round her boots, would in all

probability have proved a very unpleasant interruption to the hilarity

of the party, had not the cheerfulness of Mr Pickwick, and the good

humour of the host, been exerted to the very utmost for the common

weal. Mr Winkle gradually insinuated himself into the good graces of

Mr Benjamin Allen, and even joined in a friendly conversation with Mr

Bob Sawyer; who, enlivened with the brandy, and the breakfast, and

the talking, gradually ripened into a state of extreme facetiousness,

and related with much glee an agreeable anecdote, about the removal

of a tumour on some gentleman's head, which he illustrated by means

of an oyster-knife and a half-quartern loaf, to the great edification of

the assembled company. Then the whole train went to church, where

Mr Benjamin Allen fell fast asleep; while Mr Bob Sawyer abstracted

his thoughts from worldly matters, by the ingenious process of carving

his name on the seat of the pew, in corpulent letters of four inches

long.

The Pickwick Papers