You mustn't talk to me in that way,' said Mary; 'you don't mean it.'

Don't I, though?' replied the fat boy. 'I say?'

Well?'

Are you going to come here regular?'

No,' rejoined Mary, shaking her head, 'I'm going away again to-night.

Why?'

Oh,' said the fat boy, in a tone of strong feeling; 'how we should have

enjoyed ourselves at meals, if you had been!'

'I might come here sometimes, perhaps, to see you,' said Mary,

plaiting the table-cloth in assumed coyness, 'if you would do me a

favour.'

The fat boy looked from the pie-dish to the steak, as if he thought a

favour must be in a manner connected with something to eat; and

then took out one of the half-crowns and glanced at it nervously.

Don't you understand me?' said Mary, looking slily in his fat face.

Again he looked at the half-crown, and said faintly, 'No.'

'The ladies want you not to say anything to the old gentleman about

the young gentleman having been upstairs; and I want you too.'

,is that all?' said the fat boy, evidently very much relieved, as he

pocketed the half-crown again. 'Of course I ain't a-going to.'

'You see,' said Mary, 'Mr Snodgrass is very fond of Miss Emily, and

Miss Emily's very fond of him, and if you were to tell about it, the old

gentleman would carry you all away miles into the country, where

you'd see nobody.'

'No, no, I won't tell,' said the fat boy stoutly.

'That's a dear,' said Mary. 'Now it's time I went upstairs, and got my

lady ready for dinner.'

Don't go yet,' urged the fat boy.

I must,' replied Mary. 'Good-bye, for the present.'

The fat boy, with elephantine playfulness, stretched out his arms to

ravish a kiss; but as it required no great agility to elude him, his fair

The Pickwick Papers