| it was in this latter costume, but with his apron girded round his waist, as a token of his having shut up shop for the night, that he closed the door one evening, some weeks after the occurrences detailed in the last chapter, and stood upon the steps in kingsgate street, listening until the little cracked bell within should leave off ringing. |
| for until it did -- this was mr sweedlepipe's reflection -- the place never seemed quiet enough to be left to itself. just as he was turning into holborn, he ran against a young gentleman in a livery. this youth was bold, though small, and with several lively expressions of displeasure, turned upon him instantly. he's a credit to his father, an't he, polly?' with this delicate little piece of banter, he halted on the pavement, and went round and round in circles, for the better exhibition of his figure; rather to the inconvenience of the passengers generally, who were not in an equal state of spirits with himself. 'blow the cockade, though; for, except that it don't turn round, it's like the wentilator that used to be in the kitchen winder at todgers's. 'that bis'ness never can be carried on without me. i've got the right sort of governor now. |
| he's been through the winders of two chaney shops since we've had him, and was sold for killin' his missis. he answered the question again because mr bailey asked it again; mr bailey asked it again, because -- accompanied with a straddling action of the white cords, a bend of the knees, and a striking forth of the top-boots -- it was an easy horse-fleshy, turfy sort of thing to do. |
he was quite the man-about-town of the
conversation, while the easy-shaver was the child. paul
sweedlepipe, the meek, was so perfectly confounded by his
precocious self-possession, and his patronizing manner, as well as by his boots, cockade, and livery, that a mist swam before his eyes,
and he saw -- not the bailey of acknowledged juvenility from
todgers's commercial boarding house, who had made his
acquaintance within a twelvemonth, by purchasing, at sundry
times, small birds at twopence each -- but a highly-condensed
embodiment of all the sporting grooms in london; an abstract of all
the stable-knowledge of the time; a something at a high-pressure
that must have had existence many years, and was fraught with terrible experiences. and truly, though in the cloudy atmosphere of todgers's, mr bailey's genius had ever shone out brightly in this
particular respect, it now eclipsed both time and space, cheated
beholders of their senses, and worked on their belief in defiance of all natural laws. he walked along the tangible and real stones of holborn hill, an undersized boy; and yet he winked the winks, and thought the thoughts, and did the deeds, and said the sayings of an ancient man. |
| there was an old principle within him, and a young surface without. he became an inexplicable creature; a breeched and booted sphinx. there was no course open to the barber, but to go distracted himself, or to take bailey for granted; and he wisely chose the latter. mr bailey was good enough to continue to bear him company, and to entertain him, as they went, with easy conversation on various sporting topics; especially on the comparative merits, as a general principle, of horses with white stockings, and horses without. in regard to the style of tail to be preferred, mr bailey had opinions of his own, which he explained, but begged they might by no means influence his friend's, as here he knew he had the misfortune to differ from some excellent authorities. he treated mr sweedlepipe to a dram, compounded agreeably to his own directions, which he informed him had been invented by a member of the jockey club; and, as they were by this time near the barber's destination, he observed that, as he had an hour to spare, and knew the parties, he would, if quite agreeable, be introduced to mrs gamp. |
| paul knocked at jonas chuzzlewit's; and, on the door being opened by that lady, made the two distinguished persons known to one another. it was a happy feature in mrs gamp's twofold profession, that it gave her an interest in everything that was young as well as in everything that was old. she received mr bailey with much kindness. |
| but i'm afraid that i must trouble you so far as to step in, for the young couple has not yet made appearance. mr bailey inquired whether the wings of love had ever won a plate, or could be backed to do anything remarkable; and being informed that it was not a horse, but merely a poetical or figurative expression, evinced considerable disgust. mrs gamp was so very much astonished by his affable manners and great ease, that she was about to propound to her landlord in a whisper the staggering inquiry, whether he was a man or a boy, when mr sweedlepipe, anticipating her design, made a timely diversion. 'all the wickedness of the world is print to him. he was yet in the fullness of his narrative when the sound of wheels, and a double knock at the street door, announced the arrival of the newly married couple. |
| begging him to reserve what more he had to say for her hearing on the way home, mrs gamp took up the candle, and hurried away to receive and welcome the young mistress of the house. the death that had gone before the bridal seemed to have left its shade upon the house. the air was heavy and oppressive; the rooms were dark; a deep gloom filled up every chink and corner. upon the hearthstone, like a creature of ill omen, sat the aged clerk, with his eyes fixed on some withered branches in the stove. |
| it was a pleasant instance of this youth's precocity, that he fancied mrs gamp had conceived a tenderness for him, and was much tickled by her misplaced attachment. as the door closed heavily behind them, mrs jonas sat down in a chair, and felt a strange chill creep upon her, whilst she looked about the room. it was pretty much as she had known it, but appeared more dreary. she had thought to see it brightened to receive her. you're a nice article, to turn sulky on first coming home! ecod, you used to have life enough, when you could plague me with it. that people are prone to bite, and that biters may sometimes be bitten. |
| mr bailey, junior -- for the sporting character, whilom of utility at todgers's, had now regularly set up in under that , without troubling himself to from the legislature a direct licence in form of private bill, which of kinds and classes of is exception the most unreasonable in charges -- mr bailey, junior, just tall enough to seen by an inquiring eye, gazing indolently at society from beneath the apron of his master's cab, drove slowly up and down pall mall, about the hour of , in for 'governor.' the horse of family, who had capricorn for nephew, and cauliflower for brother, showed himself worthy of high relations by at bit until his chest was white with , and rearing like in ; the plated harness and the patent leather glittered in sun; pedestrians admired; mr bailey was complacent, but . |
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| atkingdom ella |