THE PICKWICK CLUB. 279
"What, old Nobs!" ejaculated the son. And they shook bands heartily.
- ' Wery glad to see you, Sammy," said the elder Mr. Weller, " though
how youVe managed to get over your mother-in-law, is a mystery to me. I only vish you'd write me out the receipt, that's all."
" Hush ! " said Sam, " she's at home, old feller."
" She ain't vithin hearin'," replied Mr. Weller ; " she always goes and blows up, down stairs, for a couple of hours arter tea; so we'll just give ourselves a damp, Sammy."
Saying this, Mr. Weller mixed two glasses of spirits and water, and produced a couple of pipes ; and the father and son sitting down oppo- site each other, Sam on one side the fire, in the high-hacked chair, and Mr. Weller senior on the other, in an easy ditto, they proceeded to enjoy themselves with all due gravity.
" Anybody been here, Sammy ? " asked Mr. Weller senior, drily, after a long silence.
Sam nodded an Cfxpressive assent.
" Red-nosed chap ? " inquired Mr. Weller.
Sam nodded again.
" Amiable man that 'ere, Sammy,'* said Mr. Weller, smoking ▼iolently.
" Seems so/* observed Sam.
" Good hand at accounts," said Mr. Weller.
"Is he?" said Sam.
" Borrows eighteenpence on Monday, and comes on Tuesday for a shillin* to make it up half a crown ; calls again on Vensday for another half crown to make it five shillin's, and goes on, doubling, till he gets it tip to a five pund note in no time, like them sums in the 'rithmetic bo6k 'bout the nails in the horse's shoes, Sammy."
Sam intimated by a nod that he recollected the problem alluded to by his parent.
" So you vouldn't subscribe to the flannel veskits?" said Sam, afi;er another interval of smoking.
" Cert'nly not," replied Mr. Weller ; " what's the good o* flannel veskits to the young niggers abroad ? But I'll tell you what it is, Sammy," said Mr. Weller, lowering his voice, and bending across the fire-place, ** I'd come down wery handsome towards straight veskits for some people at home."
As Mr. Weller said this, he slowly recovered his former position, and winked at his first-born, in a profound manner.
" It cert'nly seems a queer start to send out pocket ankechers to people as don't know the use on 'em," observed Sam.
" They're alvays a doin' some gammon of that sort, Sammy," replied his father. " T'other Sunday I vas walkin' up the road, ven who should I see a standin' at a chapel-door, with a blue soup-plate in her hand, but your mother-in-law. I werily believe there was change for a couple o' suv'rins in it, then, Sammy, all in ha'pence ; and as the people come out, they rattled the pennies in, till you'd ha thought that no
