We won't wait a minute for Perker,' said Wardle, looking at his watch;

he is always exact. He will be here, in time, if he means to come; and

if he does not, it's of no use waiting. Ha! Arabella!'

'My sister!' exclaimed Mr Benjamin Allen, folding her in a most

romantic embrace.

'Oh, Ben, dear, how you do smell of tobacco,' said Arabella, rather

overcome by this mark of affection.

Do I?' said Mr Benjamin Allen. 'Do I, Bella? Well, perhaps I do.'

Perhaps he did, having just left a pleasant little smoking-party of

twelve medical students, in a small back parlour with a large fire.

But I am delighted to see you,' said Mr Ben Allen. 'Bless you, Bella!'

There,' said Arabella, bending forward to kiss her brother; 'don't take

hold of me again, Ben, dear, because you tumble me so.'

At this point of the reconciliation, Mr Ben Allen allowed his feelings

and the cigars and porter to overcome him, and looked round upon

the beholders with damp spectacles.

'is nothing to be said to me?' cried Wardle, with open arms.

A great deal,' whispered Arabella, as she received the old gentleman's

hearty caress and congratulation. 'You are a hard- hearted, unfeeling,

cruel monster.'

You are a little rebel,' replied Wardle, in the same tone, 'and I am

afraid I shall be obliged to forbid you the house. People like you, who

get married in spite of everybody, ought not to be let loose on society.

But come!' added the old gentleman aloud, 'here's the dinner; you

shall sit by me. Joe; why, damn the boy, he's awake!'

To the great distress of his master, the fat boy was indeed in a state of

remarkable vigilance, his eyes being wide open, and looking as if they

intended to remain so. There was an alacrity in his manner, too,

which was equally unaccountable; every time his eyes met those of

Emily or Arabella, he smirked and grinned; once, Wardle could have

sworn, he saw him wink.

This alteration in the fat boy's demeanour originated in his increased

sense of his own importance, and the dignity he acquired from having

been taken into the confidence of the young ladies; and the smirks,

and grins, and winks were so many condescending assurances that

they might depend upon his fidelity. As these tokens were rather

The Pickwick Papers