Three per cent. consolidated bank annuities, now standing in her

name in the book or books of the governor and company of the Bank

of England,' added Bob Sawyer, in legal phraseology.

'Exactly so,' said Ben. 'She has it when she comes of age, or marries.

She wants a year of coming of age, and if you plucked up a spirit she

needn't want a month of being married.'

'She's a very charming and delightful creature,' quoth Mr Robert

Sawyer, in reply; 'and has only one fault that I know of, Ben. It

happens, unfortunately, that that single blemish is a want of taste.

She don't like me.'

It's my opinion that she don't know what she does like,' said Mr Ben

Allen contemptuously.

'Perhaps not,' remarked Mr Bob Sawyer. 'But it's my opinion that she

does know what she doesn't like, and that's of more importance.'

I wish,' said Mr Ben Allen, setting his teeth together, and speaking

more like a savage warrior who fed on raw wolf's flesh which he carved

with his fingers, than a peaceable young gentleman who ate minced

veal with a knife and fork - 'I wish I knew whether any rascal really

has been tampering with her, and attempting to engage her affections.

I think I should assassinate him, Bob.'

I'd put a bullet in him, if I found him out,' said Mr Sawyer, stopping

in the course of a long draught of beer, and looking malignantly out of

the porter pot. 'If that didn't do his business, I'd extract it afterwards,

and kill him that way.'

Mr Benjamin Allen gazed abstractedly on his friend for some minutes

in silence, and then said -

You have never proposed to her, point-blank, Bob?'

No. Because I saw it would be of no use,' replied Mr Robert Sawyer.

You shall do it, before you are twenty-four hours older,' retorted Ben,

with desperate calmness. 'She shall have you, or I'll know the reason

why. I'll exert my authority.'

Well,' said Mr Bob Sawyer, 'we shall see.'

We shall see, my friend,' replied Mr Ben Allen fiercely. He paused for a

few seconds, and added in a voice broken by emotion, 'You have loved

her from a child, my friend. You loved her when we were boys at

school together, and, even then, she was wayward and slighted your

The Pickwick Papers