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BOX AND COX.
7
| Mrs. B. | Why the gentleman who has got the attics, is hardly ever without a pipe in his mouth—and there he sits, with his feet on the mantel-piece— |
| Cox. | The mantel piece! That strikes me as being a considerable stretch, either of your imagination, Mrs. B., or the gentleman's legs. I presume you mean the fender or the hob. |
| Mrs. B. | Sometimes one, sometimes t'other. Well, there he sits for hours, and puffs away into the fire-place. |
| Cox. | Ah, then you mean to say, that this gentleman's smoke, instead of emulating the example of all other sorts of smoke, and going up the chimney, thinks proper to affect a singularity by taking the contrary direction? |
| Mrs. B. | Why— |
| Cox. | Then, I suppose, the gentleman you are speaking of, is the same individual that I invariably meet coming up stairs when I'm going down, and going down stairs when I'm coming up! |
| Mrs. B. | Why—yes—I— |
| Cox. | From the appearance of his outward man, I should unhesitatingly set him down as a gentleman connected with the printing interest. |
| Mrs. B. | Yes, sir—and a very respectable young gentleman he is. |
| Cox. | Well, good morning, Mrs. Bouncer! |
| Mrs. B. | You'll be back at your usual time, I suppose, sir? |
| Cox. | Yes—nine o'clock. You needn't light my fire in future, Mrs. B.—I'll do it myself. Don't forget the bolster! [Going, stops.] A halfpenny worth of milk, Mrs. Bouncer—and be good enough to let it stand—I wish the cream to accumulate.[Exit at l. c. |
| Mrs. B. | He's gone at last! I declare I was all in a tremble for fear Mr. Box would come in before Mr. Cox went out. Luckily, they've never met yet—and what's more, they're not very likely to do so; for Mr. Box is hard at work at a newspaper office all night, and doesn't come home till the morning, and Mr. Cox is busy making hats all day long, and doesn't come home till night; so that I'm getting double rent for my room, and neither of my lodgers are any the wiser for it. It was a capital idea of mine—that it was! But I haven't an instant to lose. First of all, let me put Mr. Cox's things out of Mr. Box's |
