Here Mrs. Weller let fall some more tears, and Mr Stiggins groaned.

Hollo! Here's this unfortunate gen'l'm'n took ill agin,' said Sam,

looking round. 'Vere do you feel it now, sir?'

'In the same place, young man,' rejoined Mr Stiggins, 'in the same

place.'

Vere may that be, Sir?' inquired Sam, with great outward simplicity.

In the buzzim, young man,' replied Mr Stiggins, placing his umbrella

on his waistcoat.

At this affecting reply, Mrs. Weller, being wholly unable to suppress

her feelings, sobbed aloud, and stated her conviction that the red-

nosed man was a saint; whereupon Mr Weller, senior, ventured to

suggest, in an undertone, that he must be the representative of the

united parishes of St. Simon Without and St. Walker Within.

'I'm afeered, mum,' said Sam, 'that this here gen'l'm'n, with the twist

in his countenance, feels rather thirsty, with the melancholy spectacle

afore him. Is it the case, mum?'

The worthy lady looked at Mr Stiggins for a reply; that gentleman,

with many rollings of the eye, clenched his throat with his right hand,

and mimicked the act of swallowing, to intimate that he was athirst.

'I am afraid, Samuel, that his feelings have made him so indeed,' said

Mrs. Weller mournfully.

Wot's your usual tap, sir?' replied Sam.

Oh, my dear young friend,' replied Mr Stiggins, 'all taps is vanities!'

Too true, too true, indeed,' said Mrs. Weller, murmuring a groan, and

shaking her head assentingly.

'Well,' said Sam, 'I des-say they may be, sir; but wich is your

partickler wanity? Wich wanity do you like the flavour on best, sir?'

Oh, my dear young friend,' replied Mr Stiggins, 'I despise them all. If,'

said Mr Stiggins - 'if there is any one of them less odious than

another, it is the liquor called rum. Warm, my dear young friend, with

three lumps of sugar to the tumbler.'

'Wery sorry to say, sir,' said Sam, 'that they don't allow that particular

wanity to be sold in this here establishment.'

The Pickwick Papers