فصل 27

CHAPTER XXVII

Atones for the unpoliteness of a former chapter, which deserted a lady most unceremoniously.

AS IT WOULD BE NO MEANS SEEMLY IN A HUMBLE AUTHOR TO keep so mighty a personage as a beadle waiting, with his back to the fire and the skirts of his coat gathered up under his arms, until such time as it might suit his pleasure to relieve him, and as it would still less become his station or his gallantry to involve in the same neglect a lady on whom that beadle had looked with an eye of tenderness and affection and in whose ear he had whispered sweet words, which, coming from such a quarter, might well thrill the bosom of maid or matron, of whatsoever degree, the historian whose pen traces these words—trusting that he knows his place, and that he entertains a becoming reverence for those upon earth to whom high and important authority is delegated—hastens to pay them that respect which their position demands, and to treat them with all that duteous ceremony which their exalted rank and by consequence great virtues imperatively claim at his hands. Towards this end, indeed, he had purposed to introduce, in this place, a dissertation touching the divine right of beadles, and elucida tive of the position that a beadle can do no wrong, which could not fail to have been both pleasurable and profitable to the right-minded reader, but which he is unfortunately compelled, by want of time and space, to postpone to some more convenient and fitting opportunity, on the arrival of which he will be prepared to show that a beadle properly constituted—that is to say, a parochial beadle, attached to a parochial workhouse, and attending in his official capacity the parochial church—is, in right and virtue of his office, possessed of all the excellences and best qualities of humanity, and that to none of those excellences can mere companies beadles, or court-of-law beadles, or even chapel-of-ease beadles save the last, and they in a very lowly and inferior degree lay the remotest sustainable claim.

Mr. Bumble had re-counted the teaspoons, re-weighed the sugar-tongs, made a closer inspection of the milk-pot, and ascertained to a nicety the exact condition of the furniture, down to the very horsehair seats of the chairs, and had repeated each process full half a dozen times, before he began to think that it was time for Mrs. Corney to return. Thinking begets thinking as there were no sounds of Mrs. Corneys approach, it occurred to Mr. Bumble that it would be an innocent and virtuous way of spending the time if he were further to allay his curiosity by a cursory glance at the interior of Mrs. Corneys chest of drawers.

Having listened at the keyhole, to assure himself that nobody was approaching the chamber, Mr. Bumble, beginning at the bottom, proceeded to make himself acquainted with the contents of the three long drawers, which, being filled with various garments of good fashion and texture, carefully preserved between two layers of old newspapers, speckled with dried lavender, seemed to yield him exceeding satisfaction. Arriving, in course of time, at the right-hand comer drawer in which was the key, and beholding therein a small padlocked box, which, being shaken, gave forth, a pleasant sound, as of the chinking of coin, Mr. Bumble returned with a stately walk to the fireplace and, resuming his old attitude, said, with a grave and determined air, “Ill do it! He followed up this remarkable declaration, by shaking his head in a waggish manner for ten minutes, as though he were remonstrating with himself for being such a pleasant dog and then he took a view of his legs in profile, with much seeming pleasure and interest.

He was still placidly engaged in this latter survey when Mrs. Corney, hurrying into the room. threw herself, in a breathless state, on a chair by the fireside and covering her eyes with one hand, placed the other over her heart and gasped for breath.

“Mrs. Corney, said Mr. Bumble, stooping over the matron, “what is this, maam? Has anything happened, maam? Pray answer me Im on—on— Mr. Bumble, in his alarm, could not immediately think of the word “tenter-hooks, so he said “broken bottles.

“Oh, Mr. Bumble! cried the lady, “I have been so dreadfully put out!

“Put out, maam! exclaimed Mr. Bumble “who has dared to—? I know! said Mr. Bumble, checking himself, with native majesty, “this is them wicious paupers!

“Its dreadful to think of! said the lady, shuddering.

“Then dont think of it, maam, rejoined Mr. Bumble.

“I cant help it, whimpered the lady.

“Then take something, maam, said Mr. Bumble soothingly. “A little of the wine?

“Not for the world! replied Mrs. Corney. “I couldnt—oh! The top shelf in the right-hand corner—oh! Uttering these words, the good lady pointed distractedly to the cupboard, and underwent a convulsion from internal spasms. Mr. Bumble rushed to the closet and, snatching a pint green-glass bottle from the shelf thus incoherently indicated, filled a tea-cup with its contents and held it to the ladys lips.

“Im better now, said Mrs. Corney, falling back, after drinking half of it.

Mr. Bumble raised his eyes piously to the ceiling in thankfulness and, bringing them down again to the brim of the cup, lifted it to his nose.

“Peppermint, exclaimed Mrs. Corney, in a faint voice, smiling gently on the beadle as she spoke. “Try it! Theres a little—a little something else in it.

Mr. Bumble tasted the medicine with a doubtful look, smacked his lips, took another taste, and put the cup down empty.

“Its very comforting, said Mrs. Corney.

“Very much so indeed, maam, said the beadle As he spoke, he drew a chair beside the matron and tenderly inquired what had happened to distress her.

“Nothing, replied Mrs. Corney. “I am a foolish, excitable, weak creetur.

“Not weak, maam, retorted Mr. Bumble, drawing his chair a little closer. “Are you a weak creetur, Mrs. Corney?

“We are all weak creeturs. said Mrs. Corney, laying down a general principle.

“So we are, said the beadle.

Nothing was said, on either side, for a minute or two afterwards. By the expiration of that time, Mr. Bumble had illustrated the position by removing his left arm from the back of Mrs. Comeys chair, where it had previously rested, to Mrs. Corneys apron-string, round which it gradually became entwined.

“We are all weak creeturs, said Mr. Bumble.

Mrs. Corney sighed.

“Dont sigh, Mrs. Corney, said Mr. Bumble.

“I cant help it, said Mrs. Corney. And she sighed again.

“This is a very comfortable room, maam, said Mr. Bumble looking round. “Another room, and this, maam, would be a complete thing.

“It would be too much for one, murmured the lady.

“But not for two, maam, rejoined Mr. Bumble, in soft accents. “Eh, Mrs. Corney?

Mrs. Corney drooped her head, when the beadle said this the beadle drooped his, to get a view of Mrs. Corneys 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, dont they, Mrs. Corney? inquired the beadle, affectionately 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 sank into Mr. Bumbles arms and that gentleman, in his agitation, imprinted a passionate kiss upon her chast nose.

“Such porochial perfection! exclaimed Mr. Bumble, rapturously. “You know that Mr. Slout is worse to-night, my fas cinator?

“Yes, replied Mrs. Corney, bashfully.

“He cant 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 jining of hearts and housekeepings!

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.

“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 around Mr. Bumbles 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 teacupful of the peppermint mixture, which was rendered the more necessary by the flutter and agitation of the ladys spirits. While it was being disposed of, she acquainted Mr. Bumble with the old womans decease.

“Very good, said that gentleman, sipping his peppermint “Ill call at Sowerberrys as I go home, and tell him to send to morrow morning. Was it that as frightened you, love?

“It wasnt anything particular, dear, said the lady, evasively.

“It must have been something, love, urged Mr. Bumble. “Wont you tell your own B.?

“Not now, rejoined the lady “one of these days. After were married, dear.

“After were married! exclaimed Mr. Bumble. “It wasnt any impudence from any of them male paupers as—

“No, no, love! interposed the lady, hastily.

“If I thought it was, continued Mr. Bumble, “if I thought as any one of em had dared to lift his wulgar eyes to that lovely countenance—

“They wouldnt have dared to do it, love, responded the lady.

“They had better not! said Mr. Bumble, clenching his fist. “Let me see any man, porochial or extraporochial, as would presume to do it and I can tell him that he wouldnt do it a second time!

Unembellished by any violence of gesticulation, this might have seemed no very high compliment to the ladys 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-collar 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 having gone out to tea and supper, and Noah Claypole 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, and beholding a light shining through the glass window of the little parlour at the back of the shop, he made bold to peep in and see what was going forward and when he saw what was going forward, he was not a little surprised.

The cloth was laid for supper the table was covered with bread and butter, plates and glasses, a porter-pot and a wine-bottle. At the upper end of the table, Mr. Noah Claypole lolled negligently in an easy-chair with his legs thrown over one of the arms, an open clasp-knife in one hand, and a mass of buttered bread in the other. Close beside him stood Charlotte, opening oysters from a barrel, which Mr. Claypole condescended to swallow with remarkable avidity. A more than ordinary redness in the region of the young gentlemans nose, and a kind of fixed wink in his right eye, denoted that he was in a slight degree intoxicated these symptoms were confirmed by the intense relish with which he took his oysters, for which nothing but a strong appreciation of their cooling properties, in cases of internal fever, could have sufficiently accounted.

“Heres a delicious fat one, Noah, dear! said Charlotte “try him, do only this one.

“What a delicious thing is a oyster! remarked Mr. Claypole, after he had swallowed it. “What a pity it is, a number of em should ever made you feel uncomfortable isnt it, Char lotte?

“Its quite a cruelty, said Charlotte.

“So it is, acquiesced Mr. Claypole. “Ant yer fond of oysters?

“Not overmuch, replied Charlotte. “I like to see you eat em, Noah dear, better than eating em myself

“Lor! said Noah, reflectively “how queer!

“Have another, said Charlotte. “Heres one with such a beautiful, delicate beard!

“I cant manage any more, said Noah. “Im very sorry. Come here, Charlotte, and Ill kiss yer.

“What! said Mr. Bumble, bursting into the room. “Say that again, sir.

Charlotte uttered a scream, and hid her face in her apron. Mr. Claypole, without making any further change in his position than suffering his legs to reach the ground, gazed at the beadle in drunken terror.

“Say it again, you wile, owdacious fellow! said Mr. Bumble. “How dare you mention such a thing, sir? And how dear you encourage him, you insolent minx? Kiss her! exclaimed Mr. Bumble, in strong indignation. “Faugh!

“I didnt. mean to do it! said Noah, blubbering. “Shes always a-kissing of me,. whether I like it or not.

“Oh, Noah, cried Charlotte, reproachfully.

“Yer are yer know yer are! retorted Noah. “Shes always a-doing of it. Mr. Bumble, sir she chucks me under the chin, please, sir and makes all manner of love!

“Silence! cried Mr. Bumble, sternly. “Take yourself downstairs, maam. Noah, you shut up the shop say another word till your master comes home, at your peril and, when he does. come home, tell him that Mr. Bumble said he was to send a old womans shell after breakfast tomorrow morning. Do you hear, sir? Kissing! cried Mr. Bumble, holding up his hands. “The. sin and wickedness of the lower orders in the porochial district is frightful! If parliament dont take their abominable courses under consideration, this countrys ruined, and the character of the peasantry gone for ever! With these words, the beadle strode, with a lofty and gloomy air, from the undertakers premises.

And now that we have accompanied him so far on his road home, and have made all necessary preparations for the old womans funeral. let us set on foot a few inquiries after young Oliver Twist and ascertain whether he be still lying in the ditch where Toby Crackit left him.