Sam made no verbal answer to this complaint, nor can we precisely

say what reply he did make. We merely know that after a short pause

Mary said, 'Lor, do adun, Mr Weller!' and that his hat had fallen off a

few moments before - from both of which tokens we should be

disposed to infer that one kiss, or more, had passed between the

parties.

'Why, how did you come here?' said Mary, when the conversation to

which this interruption had been offered, was resumed.

O' course I came to look arter you, my darlin',' replied Mr Weller; for

once permitting his passion to get the better of his veracity.

And how did you know I was here?' inquired Mary. 'Who could have

told you that I took another service at Ipswich, and that they

afterwards moved all the way here? Who COULD have told you that,

Mr Weller?'

'Ah, to be sure,' said Sam, with a cunning look, 'that's the pint. Who

could ha' told me?'

It wasn't Mr Muzzle, was it?' inquired Mary.

Oh, no.' replied Sam, with a solemn shake of the head, 'it warn't him.'

It must have been the cook,' said Mary.

O' course it must,' said Sam.

Well, I never heard the like of that!' exclaimed Mary.

No more did I,' said Sam. 'But Mary, my dear' - here Sam's manner

grew extremely affectionate - 'Mary, my dear, I've got another affair in

hand as is wery pressin'. There's one o' my governor's friends - Mr

Winkle, you remember him?'

'Him in the green coat?' said Mary. 'Oh, yes, I remember him.'

Well,' said Sam, 'he's in a horrid state o' love; reg'larly comfoozled,

and done over vith it.'

Lor!' interposed Mary.

Yes,' said Sam; 'but that's nothin' if we could find out the young

ooman;' and here Sam, with many digressions upon the personal

beauty of Mary, and the unspeakable tortures he had experienced

since he last saw her, gave a faithful account of Mr Winkle's present

predicament.

The Pickwick Papers