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| 1 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 |
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'
'
And a low thief,' added the gentleman in the green-foil smalls.
And an unreclaimable blaygaird,' added the gentleman in purple.
The poor greengrocer bowed very humbly while these little epithets
were bestowed upon him, in the true spirit of the very smallest
tyranny; and when everybody had said something to show his
superiority, Mr Tuckle proceeded to carve the leg of mutton, and to
help the company.
This important business of the evening had hardly commenced, when
the door was thrown briskly open, and another gentleman in a light-
blue suit, and leaden buttons, made his appearance.
'
Against the rules,' said Mr Tuckle. 'Too late, too late.'
'No, no; positively I couldn't help it,' said the gentleman in blue. 'I
appeal to the company. An affair of gallantry now, an appointment at
the theayter.'
'Oh, that indeed,' said the gentleman in the orange plush.
'Yes; raly now, honour bright,' said the man in blue. 'I made a
promese to fetch our youngest daughter at half-past ten, and she is
such an uncauminly fine gal, that I raly hadn't the 'art to disappint
her. No offence to the present company, Sir, but a petticut, sir - a
petticut, Sir, is irrevokeable.'
'I begin to suspect there's something in that quarter,' said Tuckle, as
the new-comer took his seat next Sam, 'I've remarked, once or twice,
that she leans very heavy on your shoulder when she gets in and out
of the carriage.'
'
Oh, raly, raly, Tuckle, you shouldn't,' said the man in blue. 'It's not
fair. I may have said to one or two friends that she wos a very divine
creechure, and had refused one or two offers without any hobvus
cause, but - no, no, no, indeed, Tuckle - before strangers, too - it's not
right - you shouldn't. Delicacy, my dear friend, delicacy!' And the man
in blue, pulling up his neckerchief, and adjusting his coat cuffs,
nodded and frowned as if there were more behind, which he could say
if he liked, but was bound in honour to suppress.
The man in blue being a light-haired, stiff-necked, free and easy sort
of footman, with a swaggering air and pert face, had attracted Mr
Weller's special attention at first, but when he began to come out in
this way, Sam felt more than ever disposed to cultivate his
acquaintance; so he launched himself into the conversation at once,
with characteristic independence.
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