THE PICKWICK CLl'B. 177
MioinT CDmmunicatetl by the bony apprentice with the tliin Ic^s, thmi the girls tripped up stairs to INIaria Lobhs's bed-room, and the nuile cousin and Nathaniel Pipkin were thrust into a couple of closets in tlie sitting-room, for want of any better places of concealment; and when Maria Lobbs and the wicked little cousin had stowed them away, and put the room to rights, they opened the street door to old Lobbs, who had never left off knocking since he first began.
"' Now it did unfortunately happen that old Lobbs being very hungry was monstrous cross. Nathaniel Pipkin could hear him growling away like an old mastiff with a sore throat ; and whenever the unfortunate apprentice with the thin legs came into the room, so surely did old Lobbs commence swearing at him in a most Saracenic and ferocious manner, though apparently with no other end or object than that of easing his bosom by the discharge of a few superfluous oaths. At length some supper, which had been warming up, was placed on the table, and then old Lobbs fell to, in regular style ; and, having made clear work of it in no time, kissed his daughter, and demanded his pipe.
- Nature had placed Nathaniel Pipkin's knees in very close juxta-
position, but when he heard old Lobbs demand his pipe, they knocked together, as if they were going to reduce each other to powder ; for, depending from a couple of hooks, in the very closet in which he stood, was a large brown-stemmed, silver-bowled pipe, which pipe he himself had seen in the mouth of old Lobbs, regularly every afternoon and evening, for the last five years. The two girls went down stairs for the pipe, and up stairs for the pipe, and everywhere but where they knew the pipe was, and old Lobbs stormed away meanwhile, in the most won- derful manner. At last he thought of the closet, and walked up to it. It was of no use a little man like Nathaniel Pipkin pulling the door in- wards, when a great strong fellow like old Lobbs was pulling it out- wards. Old Lobbs just gave it one tug, and open it flew, disclosing Nathaniel Pipkin standing bolt upright inside, and shaking with appre- hension from head to foot. Bless us ! what an appalling look old Lobbs gave him, as he dragged him out by the collar, and held him at arm's length.
" ' Why, what the devil do you want here ? ' said old Lobbs, in a fearful voice.
- ' Nathaniel Pipkin could make no reply, so old Lobbs shook him
hackvvards and forwards, for two or three minutes, by way of arranging his ideas for him.
- ' * What do you want here ? ' roared Lobbs, ' I suppose i/ou have
come after my daughter, now.'
" Old Lobbs merely said this as a sneer : for he did not believe that mortal presumption could have carried Nathaniel Pipkin so fur. What was his indignation, when that poor man replied —
" * Yes, I did, Mr. Lobbs — I did come after your daughter. I love her, Mr. Lobbs.'
« * Why, you snivelling, wry-faced little villain,' gasped old Lobbs, paralysed at the atrocious confession ; ' what do you mean by that ? ^^ay this to my face! Damme, I'll throttle you.'
