THE PICKWICK CLUB. 495
However, there was no help for it, and the tea-tray came with seven cups and saucers, and bread and butter on the same scale. Mrs. Bar- dell was unanimously voted into the chair, and Mrs. Rogers being stationed on her right hand and Mrs. Raddle on her left, the meal proceeded with great merriment and success.
" How sweet the country is, to-be-sure ! " sighed Mrs. Rogers ; " I almost wish I lived in it always."
" Oh, you wouldn't like that, Ma'am," replied Mrs. Bardell, rather hastily ; for it was not at all advisable, with reference to the lodgings, to encourage such notions ; " you wouldn't like it, Ma'am."
" Oh ! I should think you was a deal too lively and sought-after, to be content with the country, IMa'am," said little Mrs. Cluppins.
"Perhaps I am. Ma'am. Perhaps I am," sighed the first-floor lodger.
- For lone people as have got nobody to care for them, or take care
of them, or as have been hurt in their mind, or that kind of thing," observed Mr. Raddle, plucking up a little cheerfulness, and looking round, '^ the country is all very well. The country for a wounded spirit they say."
Now, of all things in the world that the unfortunate man could have said, any would have been preferable to this. Of course Mrs. Bar- dell burst into tears, and requested to be led from the table instantly, upon which the affectionate child began to cry too, most dismally.
" Would any body believe. Ma'am,'* exclaimed Mrs. Raddle, turn- ing fiercely to the first-tloor lodger, " that a woman could be married to such a unmanly creetur, 'hich can tamper with a woman's feelings as he does, every hour in the day. Ma'am? "
" My dear," remonstrated Mr. Raddle, " I didn't mean anything, my dear."
- You didn't mean. Sir!" repeated Mrs. Raddle, with great scorn
and contempt. " Go away. I can't bear the sight on you, you brute."
"You must not flurry yourself, Mary Ann," interposed Mrs. Clup- pins. " You really must consider yourself, my dear, which you never do. Now go away. Raddle there's a good soul, or you'll only aggra- vate her.
" You had better take your tea by yourself. Sir, indeed," said Mrs. Rogers, again applying the smelling-bottle.
Mrs. Sanders, who, according to custom, was very busy at the bread and butter, expressed the same opinion, and IMr. Raddle quietly retired.
After this there was a great hoisting up of IMaster Bardell, who was rather a large size for hugging, into his mother's arms, in which ope- ration he got his boots in the tea-board, and occasioned some confusion among the cups and saucers. But that description of fainting tits, which is contagious among ladies, seldom lasts long, so when he had been well kissed and a little cried over, Mrs. Bardell recovered, set him down again, wondered how she could have been so foolish, and poured out some more tea.
It was at this moment that the sound of approaching wheels was
