Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXIX., October, 1852Various
Religion
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXIX., October, 1852
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
"Then I'll pay," says Mr. Guppy, "and we'll go and see him. Small, what
will it be?"
Mr. Smallweed, compelling the attendance of the waitress with one hitch
of his eyelash, instantly replies as follows: "Four veals and hams is
three and four potatoes is three and four and one summer cabbage is
three and six and three marrows is four and six and six breads is five
and three Cheshires is five and three and four pints of half-and-half
is six and three and four small rums is eight and three and three
Pollys is eight and six. Eight and six in half a sovereign, Polly, and
eighteen-pence out!"
Not at all excited by these stupendous calculations, Smallweed
dismisses his friends, with a cool nod, and remains behind to take a
little admiring notice of Polly, as opportunity may serve, and to read
the daily papers: which are so very large in proportion to himself,
shorn of his hat, that when he holds up The Times to run his eye over
the columns, he seems to have retired for the night, and to have
disappeared under the bedclothes.
Mr. Guppy and Mr. Jobling repair to the rag and bottle shop, where they
find Krook still sleeping like one o'clock; that is to say, breathing
stertorously with his chin upon his breast, and quite insensible to
any external sounds, or even to gentle shaking. On the table beside
him, among the usual lumber, stand an empty gin bottle and glass. The
unwholesome air is so stained with this liquor, that even the green
eyes of the cat upon her shelf, as they open and shut and glimmer on
the visitors, look drunk.
"Hold up here!" says Mr. Guppy, giving the relaxed figure of the old
man another shake. "Mr. Krook! Halloa, sir!"
But it would seem as easy to wake a bundle of old clothes, with a
spirituous heat smouldering in it. "Did you ever see such a stupor as
he falls into, between drink and sleep?" says Mr. Guppy.
"If this is his regular sleep," returns Jobling, rather alarmed, "it'll
last a long time one of these days, I am thinking."
"It's always more like a fit than a nap," says Mr. Guppy, shaking him
again. "Halloa, your lordship! Why he might be robbed, fifty times
over! Open your eyes!"
After much ado, he opens them, but without appearing to see his
visitors, or any other objects. Though he crosses one leg on another,
and folds his hands, and several times closes and opens his parched
lips, he seems to all intents and purposes as insensible as before.
"He is alive at any rate," says Mr. Guppy. "How are you, my Lord
Chancellor. I have brought a friend of mine, sir, on a little matter of
business."
The old man still sits, often smacking his dry lips, without the least
consciousness. After some minutes, he makes an attempt to rise. They
help him up, and he staggers against the wall, and stares at them.
"How do you do, Mr. Krook?" says Mr. Guppy, in some discomfiture. "How
do you do sir? You are looking charming, Mr. Krook. I hope you are
pretty well?"
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