| 446 | 447 | 448 | 449 | 450 |
| 1 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 |
|
These reflections were too much for the good old man. He raised
Sam's tumbler to his lips and drank off its contents.
'
Wot's the matter now?' said Sam.
'Nev'r mind, Sammy,' replied Mr Weller, 'it'll be a wery agonisin' trial to
me at my time of life, but I'm pretty tough, that's vun consolation, as
the wery old turkey remarked wen the farmer said he wos afeerd he
should be obliged to kill him for the London market.'
'
Wot'll be a trial?' inquired Sam. 'To see you married, Sammy - to see
you a dilluded wictim, and thinkin' in your innocence that it's all wery
capital,' replied Mr Weller. 'It's a dreadful trial to a father's feelin's,
that 'ere, Sammy - '
'Nonsense,' said Sam. 'I ain't a-goin' to get married, don't you fret
yourself about that; I know you're a judge of these things. Order in
your pipe and I'll read you the letter. There!'
We cannot distinctly say whether it was the prospect of the pipe, or
the consolatory reflection that a fatal disposition to get married ran in
the family, and couldn't be helped, which calmed Mr Weller's feelings,
and caused his grief to subside. We should be rather disposed to say
that the result was attained by combining the two sources of
consolation, for he repeated the second in a low tone, very frequently;
ringing the bell meanwhile, to order in the first. He then divested
himself of his upper coat; and lighting the pipe and placing himself in
front of the fire with his back towards it, so that he could feel its full
heat, and recline against the mantel-piece at the same time, turned
towards Sam, and, with a countenance greatly mollified by the
softening influence of tobacco, requested him to 'fire away.'
Sam dipped his pen into the ink to be ready for any corrections, and
began with a very theatrical air -
'
'
‘Lovely - ’'
Stop,' said Mr Weller, ringing the bell. 'A double glass o' the
inwariable, my dear.'
'
Very well, Sir,' replied the girl; who with great quickness appeared,
vanished, returned, and disappeared.
'
'
They seem to know your ways here,' observed Sam.
Yes,' replied his father, 'I've been here before, in my time. Go on,
Sammy.'
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