54 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF
and Mr. Trundle " went partners," and Emily Wardle and Mr. Snod- grass did the same ; and even Mr. Tupman and the spinster aunt, established a joint-stock company of fish and flattery. Old Mr. Wardle was in the very height of his jollity ; and he was so funny in his management of the board, and the old ladies were so sharp after their winnings, that the whole table was in a perpetual roar of merriment and laughter. There was one old lady who always had about half a dozen cards to pay for, at which everybody laughed, regularly every round ; and when the old lady looked cross at having to pay, they laughed louder than ever ; on which the old lady's face gradually brightened up, till at last she laughed louder than any of them. Then, when the spinster aunt got " matrimony," the young ladies laughed afresh, and the spinster aunt seemed disposed to be pettish ; till, feeling Mr. Tup- man squeezing her hand under the table, she brightened up too, and looked rather knowing as if matrimony in reality were not quite so far off as some people thought for ; whereupon everybody laughed again, and especially old Mr. Wardle, who enjoyed a joke as much as the youngest. As to Mr. Snodgrass, he did nothing but whisper poetical sentiments into his partner's ear, which made one old gentleman face- tiously sly, about partnerships at cards, and partnerships for life, and caused the aforesaid old gentleman to make some remarks thereupon, accompanied with divers winks and chuckles, which made the company very merry and the old gentleman's wife especially so. And Mr. Winkle came out with jokes which are very well known in town, but are not at all known in the country ; and as everybody laughed at them very heartily and said they were very capital, Mr. Winkle was in a state of great honour and glory. And the benevolent clergyman looked pleasantly on ; for the happy faces which surrounded the table made the good old man feel happy too ; and though the merriment was rather boisterous, still it came from the heart and not from the lips : and this is the right sort of merriment, after all.
The evening glided swiftly away, in these cheerful recreations ; and when the substantial, though homely supper had been despatched, and the little party formed a social circle round the fire, Mr. Pickwick thought he had never felt so happy in his life, and at no time so much disposed to enjoy, and make the most of, the passing moments.
- ' Now this," said the hospitable host, who was sitting in great state
next the old lady's arm-chair, with her hand fast clasped in his — " This is just what I like — the happiest moments of my life have been passed at this old fire-side : and I am so attached to it, that I keep up a blazing fire here every evening, until it actually grows too hot to bear it. Why, my poor old mother, here, used to sit before this fire-place upon that little stool, when she was a girl — didn't you, mother?"
The tear which starts unbidden to the eye when the recollection of old times and the happiness of many years ago, is suddenly recalled, stole down the old lady's face, as she shook her head with a melancholy smile.
" You must excuse my talking about this old place, Mr. Pickwick,** resumed the host, after a short pause — " for I love it dearly, and know
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