aches performed their journeys in a graver and moresolemn manner than they do in these times; but which have nowdegenerated into little more than the abiding and booking-placesof country

quarters of the town, and there insome secluded nooks he will find several, still stan

te speculation. Great, ramblingqueer old places they are, with galleries, and passages, andstaircases, wide enough and antiquated enough to furnishmaterials for a hundred ghost stories, supposing we should ever bereduc

was habitedin a coarse, striped waistcoat, with black calico sleeves, and blueglass buttons; drab breeches and leggings. A bright redhandkerchief was wound in a very loose and unstudied styleround his neck, and an old white hat was car

pen space. A double tier of bedroom galleries, with oldClumsy balustrades, ran round two sides of the straggling area,and a double row of bells to correspond, sheltered from theweather by a little sloping roof, hung over the door leading to thebar and coffee-room. Two or three gigs and chaise-carts werewheeled up under different little sheds and pent-houses; and theoccasional heavy tread of a cart-horse, or rattling of a cha

t chambermaid in the upper sleeping gallery,who, after tapping at one of the

ied the man wit

enty-two wan

r he'll have 'em now, or vait t

said the girl coaxingly, 'thegen

e young 'ooman for a m

er. 'Look at these he

. The eleven boots is to be called at half-past eight and the shoe

, ven he tied the menup. Sorry to keep you a-w

white hat set to work upon a to

ustling old landlady ofthe White Hart ma

e's that lazy, idle―why, Sam―oh, t

answer, till you'd done t

venteen directly, andtake 'em to private

ir of lady's shoes into t

halk from his pocket, made a memorandum of theirdestination on the soles―'La

over the railing of the gallery, 'with a gentleman in ahackney-coach, and

,singling out the boots in question from the heap before him. 'Fo

flection,Mr. Samuel brushed away with such hearty good-will, that in afew minutes the boots and shoes, with a polish which would haves

n's voice, in reply to

ed at breakfast. Having officiously depositedthe gentleman's boots right and left

said the

d keeping his hand on theknob of the lo

omm

es,

ere i

e side,bookseller's at one corner, hot-el on the othe

icences!' said

ches their hats ven you walk in―"Licence, sir, licence?" Queersort,

y do?' inquire

hundred pound. Down he goes to the Commons, to seethe lawyer and draw the blunt―very smart―top boots on―nosegay in his button-hole―broad-brimmed tile―green shawl―quite the gen'l'm'n. Goes through the archvay, thinking how heshould inwest the money―up comes the

not," says he; "we married a gen'l'm'n twiceyour size, last Monday."―"Did you, though?" said my father.―"To be sure, we did," says the touter, "you're a babby to him―thisway, sir―this way!"―and sure enough my fathe

ish?" says the lawyer. "BelleSavage," says my father; for he stopped there wen he drove up,and he know'd nothing about parishes, he didn't.―"And what'sthe lady's name?" says the lawyer. My father was struck all of aheap. "Bles

ver said nothing to her, butshe'll have me, I know." The licence was made out, and she didhave him, and what's more she's got him now; and I never had anyof the four hun

for an instant to seewhether he was wan

at once;' said the gentleman,whom we

said the spinster

he church―call youmine, to-morrow'―said Mr. Ji

e!' said Rach

e―'In hurry, post-haste for a licen

run on,' sa

years,when we're united―run on―they'll fly on―bolt―mi

be married before

be―notice at the church―leave the lice

est my brother should d

on―gave up the post-chaise―walked on―took a hackney-coach―came to the Boroug

er affectionately, as Mr. Jinglest

skippedplayfully up to the spinster aunt, imprinted

he spinster, as the

d Mr. Jingle, as he w

late, that escaping the snares of the dragonsin white aprons, who guard the entrance to that enchanted region,he reached the vicar-general's office in safety and having procureda highly flattering address on parchment

make a fewinquiries. Mr. Samuel Weller happened to be at that momentengaged in burnishing a pair of painted tops, the personalproperty of a farmer who was refreshing himself

' said the th

ought Sam, 'or youwouldn't be so wery fond o'

th a conciliatory hem―'have you got many p

were playing a perpetual game of peep-bo with thatfeature. He was dressed all in black, with boots as shiny as hiseyes, a low white neckcloth, and a clean shirt with a frill to it. Agold watch-chain, and seals, dep

y, eh?' said

andwe shan't make our fort'ns. We eats our biled mutton withou

ittle man, 'you're

h that complaint,' said Sam;'it may b

ouse of yours,' said the l

you was a-coming, we'd

the impert

benevolent countenance, possessed a pair ofspectacles, and a pair of black gaiters, interfered―'The fact of the matter is,' said the benevolent gentleman, 'thatmy friend here (pointing to the other plump gentleman) will giveyou half a guinea, if you'll answer one or two―''Now, my dear sir―my dear sir,' said the little man, 'pray, all

rdle, for it was no other

uriae, but you must see the impropriety of yourinterfering with my conduct in this case, with such an adcaptandum argument as the o

k, 'was to bring this veryunpleasant ma

uite right,' sai

e use of theargument which my experience of men has

, I'm quite certainyou cannot be ignorant of the extent of confidence which must beplaced in professional men. If

pinion, mind you, that the young 'ooman deserved scragginga precious sight more than he did. Hows'ever, that's neither herenor there. You want me to accept of half a guinea. Wery well,

o know―' sai

y dear sir,' interpos

gged his shoulder

hequestion of you, in order that we may not awaken apprehensions

mates were always represented by that particular article of

n; there's two pair of halves in the commercial; there's thesehere painted

ore?' said t

imself. 'Yes;there's a pair of Vellingtons a good de

who, togetherwith Mr. Pickwick, had been lost in

make,' re

maker's

Bro

here

uggl

imed Wardle. 'By heav

'The Vellingtons h

omm

aid the l

for a

d Wardle. 'Show us the room

ray,' said the little

silk purse, and looked very hard

nned expr

e, without announcing us,' said

aythrough a dark passage, and up a wide staircase. He pau

attorney, as he deposited the

ces, followed by the twofriends and th

om?' murmured the

nodded

d intothe room just as Mr. Jingle, who had that moment

Mr. Jingle crumpled upthe licence, and thrust it into his coat pocket. The unwelcomevisitors advanced int

is hat onthe table, 'pray, consider―pray. Defamation of cha

my sister from my hou

ttle gentleman, 'you may asktha

le, in so fierce a tone,that the little gent

l―I'll―I'll ruin him. And you,' continuedMr. Wardle, turning abruptly round to his sister―'you, Rachael, ata time of life when you ought to know

directly, and bring this lad

ith a degree of celerity which must haveappeared marvellous to anybody who didn't know

r bonnet,' re

e the room, sir―nobusiness here―lady's free to

ejaculated Wardlecontemptuou

nt, her indignation getting thebe

Wardle; 'you're fif

nt uttered a loud shri

id the humane Mr. Pickwi

le. 'Bring a bucket,and throw it all over her;

give way so―there'sa love,' etc. etc., the landlady, assisted by a chambermaid,proceeded to vinegar the forehead, beat the hands, titillate thenose, and unlace the stays of

sir,' said Sam, app

ed Wardle. 'I'll ca

violent protestagainst this proceeding, and had already given vent to anindignant inquiry whether Mr. Wardle

ittle Mr. Perker. 'Con

'She's her own mistress―seewho dares

don'twish it.' (Here there was a frightful relapse.)'My

e―very; I never knew onemore so; but really, my dear sir, really we have no power to controlthis lady'

was a sh

ise would you recommend

npleasant position―verymuch so. We must b

this disgrace, and let her,fool as she is,

n be done,' said the bu

ep with us into the n

and the quartette walke

re we can be alone―there,sir, there, pray sit down, sir. Now, my dear sir, between you and I,we know very well, my dear sir, that you have run off with thislady for the sa

nd something distantlyresembling a wink

e had made. 'Now, the fact is, that beyond a fewhundreds, the lady has l

. Jingle briefly

n every sense of the word. The founder of thatfamily came into Kent when Julius Caesar invaded Britain;―onlyone member of it, since, who hasn't lived to

cried Mr

r―expensive habit―well, my dear sir, you're a fine youngman, ma

said Mr. J

u compre

ot q

you don't youthink―that fifty pounds and liberty

lf enough!' said M

nghim by the button. 'Good round sum―a man like you could trebleit

a hundred and fifty,'

we won't waste time

little man, 's

o,' said M

t hurry,' said the littleman. 'Eighty;

o,' said M

d the little man, still detainin

ing, nine pounds; licence, three―that's twelve―compensation, a h

ith a knowing look,'never mind the last two items

nty,' said

que,' said the little man; anddown

littleman, with a look towards Mr. Wardle; 'and we can get

d,' said th

nty,' said

' remonstrated

terposed Mr. Wardle

by the little gentleman,

ouse instantly!' sai

ir,' urged t

e―not even a regard for my family―ifI had not known that the moment you got any money in

,' urged the l

' resumed Wardle. 'L

d the unabashed Jingl

rt of thisconversation, he would have been almost induced to wonder thatthe indignant fire which flashed from his eyes did not melt theglasses of his spectacles―so majestic

ing the licence atMr. Pickwick's feet; 'get th

etratedthrough his philosophical harness, to his very heart. In the frenzyof his rage, he hurled the inkstand madly

ou come from, sir. Self-acting ink, that 'ere; it's wrote your marku

lucky, and got to t'other en

erful reasoner; and amoment's reflection sufficed to remind him of the impotency of hisrage. It subside

d when Miss Wardlefound herself deserted by

note-book, blotted with the tears of sympathising humanity, lieso

ot wring the public bosom, with

ton heavy coach. Dimly and darklyhad the sombre shadows of a summer's night fallen upon a