578 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF
forms and ceremonies, or (which is also possible) had proved unsuc- cessful in preventing his falling asleep as he ascended the stairs, it is an undoubted fact that he walked into the sitting room without pre- viously knocking at the door, and so beheld a gentleman with his arm clasping his young mistress's waist, sitting very lovingly by her side on a sofa, while Arabella and her pretty handmaid feigned to be ab- sorbed in looking out of a window at the other end of the room. At sight of which phenomenon the fat boy uttered an interjection, the ladies a scream, and the gentleman an oath, almost simultaneously.
it Wretched creature, what do you want here?" said the gentleman, who it is needless to say was Mr. Snodgrass.
To this the fat boy, considerably terrified, briefly responded, "Missis."
" What do you want me for ?" enquired Emily, turning her head aside, ^' you stupid creature."
" Master and Mr. Pickwick is a going to dine here at five," replied the fat boy.
" Leave the room," said Mr. Snodgrass, glaring upon the bewildered youth.
- No, no, no," added Emily hastily. " Bella, dear, advise me."
Upon this, Emily and Mr. Snodgrass, and Arabella and Mary, crowded into a corner and conversed earnestly in whispers for some minutes, during which the fat boy dozed.
" Joe," said Arabella, at length, looking round with a most be- witching smile, " how do you do, Joe?"
" Joe," said Emily, " you're a very good boy ; I won't forget you, Joe."
" Joe," said Mr. Snodgrass, advancing to the astonished youth, and seizing his hand, " I didn't know you before. There's five shillings for you, Joe,^^
" I'll owe you five, Joe," said Arabella, " for old acquaintance sake, you know," and another most captivating smile was bestowed upon the corpulent intruder.
The fat boy's perception being slow, he looked rather puzzled at first to account for this sudden prepossession in his favour, and stared about him in a very alarming manner. At length his broad face began to show symptoms of a grin of proportionately broad dimensions, and then thrusting half a crown into each of his pockets, and a hand and wrist after it, he burst into a horse laugh : being for the first and only time in his existence.
" He understands us, I see," said Arabella.
" He had better have something to eat immediately," remarked Emily.
The fat boy almost laughed again when he heard this suggestion. Mary, after a little more whispering, tripped forth from the group, and said, —
" I am going to dine with you to-day. Sir, if you have no ob- jection."
" This way," said the fat boy, eagerly. " There is such a jolly meat pie ! "
