After the utterance of which expressions, she leaned forward, and snapped her fingers once, twice, thrice; each time nearer to the face of Mrs. Gamp; and then rose to put on her bonnet, as one who felt that there was now a gulf between them, which nothing could ever bridge across.
The shock of this blow was so violent and sudden, that Mrs. Gamp sat staring at nothing with uplifted eyes, and her mouth open as if she were gasping for breath, until Betsey Prig had got on her bonnet and her shawl, and was gathering the latter about her throat. Then Mrs. Gamp rose—morally and physically rose—and denounced her.
"What!" said Mrs. Gamp, "you bage creetur, have I know'd Mrs. Harris five and thirty year, to be told at last that there an't no sech a person livin? Have I stood her friend in all her troubles, great and small, for it to come at last to sech a end as this, which her own sweet picter hanging up afore you all the time, to shame your Bragian words! But well you mayn't believe there's no sech a creetur, for she wouldn't demean herself to look at you, and often has she said, when I have made mention of your name, which, to my sinful sorrow, I have done, 'What, Sairey Gamp! debage yourself to her!' Go along with you!"
"I'm a goin, ma'am, ain't I?" said Mrs. Prig, stopping as she said it.
"You had better, ma'am," said Mrs. Gamp.
"Do you know who you 're talking to, ma'am?" inquired her visitor.
"Aperiently," said Mrs. Gamp, surveying her with scorn from head to foot, "to Betsey Prig. Aperiently so. I know her. No one better. Go along with you, do!"
"And you was a going to take me under you!" cried Mrs. Prig, surveying Mrs. Gamp from head to foot in her turn. "You was, was you! Oh, how kind! Why, deuce take your imperence," said Mrs. Prig, with a rapid change from banter to ferocity, "what do you mean!"
"Go along with you!" said Mrs. Gamp. "I blush for you."
"You had better blush a little for yourself, while you are about it!" said Mrs. Prig. "You and your Chuffeys! What, the poor old creetur isn't mad enough, isn't he? Aha!"
"He'd very soon be mad enough, if you had anythink to do with him," said Mrs. Gamp.
"And that's what I was wanted for, is it?" cried Mrs. Prig, triumphantly. "Yes. But you 'll find yourself deceived. I won't go near him. We shall see how you get on without me. I won't have nothink to do with him."
"You never spoke a truer word than that!" said Mrs. Gamp. "Go along with you!"
She was prevented from witnessing the actual retirement of Mrs. Prig from the room, notwithstanding the great desire she had expressed to behold it, by that lady, in her angry withdrawal, coming into contact with the bedstead, and bringing down the previously-mentioned pippins; three or four of which came rattling on the head of Mrs. Gamp so smartly, that when she recovered from this wooden shower-bath, Mrs. Prig was gone.
She had the satisfaction, however, of hearing the deep voice of Betsey, proclaiming her injuries and her determination to have nothing to do
