walked out, or drove out, or were pushed out in bath-chairs, and met

one another again. After this, the gentlemen went to the reading-

rooms, and met divisions of the mass. After this, they went home. If it

were theatre-night, perhaps they met at the theatre; if it were

assembly-night, they met at the rooms; and if it were neither, they met

the next day. A very pleasant routine, with perhaps a slight tinge of

sameness.

Mr Pickwick was sitting up by himself, after a day spent in this

manner, making entries in his journal, his friends having retired to

bed, when he was roused by a gentle tap at the room door.

Beg your pardon, Sir,' said Mrs. Craddock, the landlady, peeping in;

but did you want anything more, sir?'

Nothing more, ma'am,' replied Mr Pickwick.

My young girl is gone to bed, Sir,' said Mrs. Craddock; 'and Mr Dowler

is good enough to say that he'll sit up for Mrs. Dowler, as the party

isn't expected to be over till late; so I was thinking that if you wanted

nothing more, Mr Pickwick, I would go to bed.'

By all means, ma'am,' replied Mr Pickwick. 'Wish you good-night, Sir,'

said Mrs. Craddock.

Good-night, ma'am,' rejoined Mr Pickwick.

Mrs. Craddock closed the door, and Mr Pickwick resumed his writing.

In half an hour's time the entries were concluded. Mr Pickwick

carefully rubbed the last page on the blotting-paper, shut up the

book, wiped his pen on the bottom of the inside of his coat tail, and

opened the drawer of the inkstand to put it carefully away. There were

a couple of sheets of writing-paper, pretty closely written over, in the

inkstand drawer, and they were folded so, that the title, which was in

a good round hand, was fully disclosed to him. Seeing from this, that

it was no private document; and as it seemed to relate to Bath, and

was very short: Mr Pick- wick unfolded it, lighted his bedroom candle

that it might burn up well by the time he finished; and drawing his

chair nearer the fire, read as follows -

THE TRUE LEGEND OF PRINCE BLADUD

'Less than two hundred years ago, on one of the public baths in this

city, there appeared an inscription in honour of its mighty founder,

the renowned Prince Bladud. That inscription is now erased.

The Pickwick Papers