Stranica 150 [150]
OCR
108 te, c But not fortwo, ma’am,” rejoined Mr. Bumble in soft accents. " Eh, Mrs. Corney?” : Mrs. Corney drooped her head when the beadle said this, and the beadle drooped his to get a view of Mrs. Corney’s face. Mrs. Corney with great propriety turned . her head away, and released her hand. to get at her pocket-handkerchief, but insensibly replaced it in that of Mr. Bumble. “ The board allow you coals, don’t they, Mrs. Corney ?” affectionately inquired the beadle, pressing her hand. “And candles,” replied Mrs. Corney, slightly returning the pressure. * Coals, candles, and house-rent free,” said Mr. Bumble. "Oh, Mrs. Corney, what a angel you are!" The lady was not proof against this _ burst of feeling. She sunk into Mr. Bumble’s arms; and that gentleman, in his agitation, imprinted a passionate kiss upon her chaste nose. * Such porochial perfection!” exclaimed Mr. Bumble rapturously. “ You know that Mr. Slout is worse to-night, my fascinator ?” 6 Yes,” replied Mrs. Corney bashfully. “ He can’t live a week, the doctor says,” pursued Mr. Bumble. ‘“ He is the master of this establishment; his death will cause a wacancy ; that wacancy must be filled up. Oh, Mrs. Corney, what a prospect this opens! What a opportunity for a joining of hearts and housekeeping !” Mrs. Corney sobbed. “The little word?” said Mr. Bumble, bending over the bashful beauty. " The one little, little, little word, my blessed Corney ?” | “ Ye—ye—yes!” sighed out the matron. ee “One more,” pursued the beadle ; “compose your darling feelings for only one more. When is it to come off?” Mrs. Corney twice essayed to speak, and twice failed. At length, summoning up courage, she threw her arms round Mr. Bumble’s neck, and said it might be as soon as ever he pleased, and that he was “a irresistible duck.” Matters being thus amicably and satisfactorily arranged, the contract was solemnly ratified in another tea-cup-full of the peppermint mixture, which was rendered the more necessary by the flutter and agitation of the lady’s spirits. While it was being disposed of, she acquainted Mr. Bumble with the old woman’s decease. s Very good,” said that gentleman, sip | | ping his peppermint. “Ill call at Sowerberry’s as I go home, and tell him to send to-morrow morning. Was it that as frightened you, love ?” “It wasn’t anything particular, dear,” said the lady evasively. “It must have been something, love,” urged Mr. Bumble. “ Won't you tell your own B. ?" “‘ Not now,” rejoined the lady ; “ one of these days,—after we’re married, dear!" ‘‘ After we "re married !” exclaimed Mr. Bumble. “It wasn’t any impudence from any of them male paupers as——” - . “No, no, love!” interposed the lady hastily. s If I thought it was,” continued Mr. Bumble —" if I thought any one of "Tem . had dared to lift his wulgar eyes to that lovely countenance——” s They wouldn’t have dared to do it, love,” responded the lady. s They had better not!” said Mr. Bumble, clenching his fist. “ Let me see any man, porochial or extra-porochial, as would presume to do it, and I can tell him that he wouldn’t do it a second time!” Unembellished by any violence of gesticulation, this might have sounded as no no very high compliment to the lady’s charms; but, as Mr. Bumble accompanied the threat with many warlike gestures, she was much touched with this proof of his devotion, and protested with great admiration that he was indeed a dove. The dove then turned up his coat-col lar, and put on his cocked-hat, and, having exchanged a long and affectionate embrace with his future partner, once again braved the cold wind of the night; merely pausing for a few minutes in the male paupers’ ward to abuse them a little, with the view of satisfying himself that he could fill the office of workhouse-master with needful acerbity. Assured of his qualifications, Mr. Bumble left the building with a light heart, and bright visions of his future promotion, which served to occupy his mind until he reached the shop of the undertaker. Now, Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry havin gone out to tea and supper, and Noa le not being at any time disposed to take upon himself a greater amount of physical exertion than is necessary to a convenient performance of the two functions of eating and drinking, the shop was not closed, although it was past the usual hour of shutting-up. Mr. Bumble tapped with his cane on the counter several times; but, attracting no attention,
