Part 62 (2/2)

Frory roo, the tremulous tones of old Gride's voice, as it feebly chirruped forth the fag end of so, of which the burden ran: Ta-ran-tan-too, Throw the old shoe, Andbe lucky!

which he repeated, in the saain, until a violent fit of coughing obliged him to desist, and to pursue in silence, the occupation upon which he was engaged

This occupation was, to take down from the shelves of a worarments, one by one; to subject each to a careful and ht, and after folding it with great exactness, to lay it on one or other of two little heaps beside hiether, but always brought thely, and never failed to shut the wardrobe door, and turn the key, between each visit to its shelves

'The snuff-coloured suit,' said Arthur Gride, surveying a threadbare coat 'Did I look well in snuff-colour? Let itations appeared to be unfavourable, for he folded the garet down another, chirping while he did so: Young, loving, and fair, Oh what happiness there!

The wedding is sure to be lucky!

'They always put in ”young,”' said old Arthur, 'but songs are only written for the sake of rhy, when I was a little boy Though stop-young is quite right too-it means the bride-yes He, he, he! It ood And true besides, quite true!'

In the satisfaction of this discovery, he went over the verse again, with increased expression, and a shake or two here and there He then resureen,' said old Arthur; 'the bottle-green was a faht it very cheap at a pawnbroker's, and there was-he, he, he!-a tarnished shi+lling in the waistcoat pocket To think that the pawnbroker shouldn't have known there was a shi+lling in it! I knew it! I felt it when I was exa of a pawnbroker! It was a lucky suit too, this bottle-green The very day I put it on first, old Lord Mallowford was burnt to death in his bed, and all the post-obits fell in I'll beSliderskew-I'll wear the bottle-green!'

This call, loudly repeated twice or thrice at the rooht into the apartment a short, thin, weasen, blear-eyed old wo her shrivelled face upon her dirty apron, inquired, in that subdued tone in which deaf people co, or only the clock a striking? My hearing gets so bad, I never knohich is which; but when I hear a noise, I know itelse never stirs in the house'

'Me, Peg,hiible

'You, eh?' returned Peg 'And what do YOU want?'

'I'll be reen,' cried Arthur Gride

'It's a deal too good to be , after a short inspection of the suit 'Haven't you got anything worse than this?'

'Nothing that'll do,' replied old Arthur

'Why not do?' retorted Peg 'Why don't you wear your every-day clothes, like a ,' returned her '

'Beco too old to wear?'

Arthur Gride muttered an imprecation on his housekeeper's deafness, as he roared in her ear: 'Not sh! I want to look as well as I can'

'Look?' cried Peg 'If she's as handsome as you say she is, she won't look much at you, master, take your oath of that; and as to how you look yourself-pepper-and-salt, bottle-green, sky-blue, or tartan-plaid will make no difference in you'

With which consolatory assurance, Peg Sliderskew gathered up the chosen suit, and folding her skinny ar, and blinking her watery eyes, like an uncouth figure in so

'You're in a funny hu?' said Arthur, with not the best possible grace

'Why, isn't it enough to h, be put out, though, if anybody tries to doive you notice,Sliderskew's head, after so many years; you know that, and so I needn't tell you! That won't do for me-no, no, nor for you Try that once, and come to ruin-ruin-ruin!'

'Oh dear, dear, I shall never try it,' said Arthur Gride, appalled by the mention of the word, 'not for the world It would be very easy to ruinthan ever, with another ood looks, Peg, because I like to see 'eood looks coer

'But she can earnwhat effect his communication produced upon the old woman's countenance: 'she can draw, paint, work allstools and chairs: slippers, Peg, watch-guards, hair-chains, and a thousand little dainty trifles that I couldn't give you half the names of Then she can play the piano, (and, what'slike a little bird She'll be very cheap to dress and keep, Peg; don't you think she will?'

'If you don't let her

'A fool of ME!' exclaimed Arthur 'Trust your old ; no, no, no-nor by ugly ones neither, Mrs Sliderskew,' he softly added by way of soliloquy

'You're a saying so; 'I know you are'

'Oh dear! the devil's in this woly leer, 'I said I trusted everything to you, Peg That was all'

'You do that, ly

'WHEN I do that, Peg Sliderskew,' thought Arthur Gride, 'they will be'

Although he thought this very distinctly, he durst not move his lips lest the old woht have read his thoughts; for he leered coaxingly upon her, as he said aloud: 'Take up all loose stitches in the bottle-green with the best black silk Have a skein of the best, and so, and one you'll like, I know-as I have never given her anything yet, and girls like such attentions, you shall polish up a sparking necklace that I have got upstairs, and I'll give it her upon the weddinglittle neck ain next day He, he, he! I'll lock it up for her, Peg, and lose it Who'll be ?'

Mrs Sliderskew appeared to approve highly of this ingenious sches and twitchings of her head and body, which by no ed until she had hobbled to the door, when she exchanged the her under-jaw from side to side, muttered hearty curses upon the future Mrs Gride, as she crept slowly down the stairs, and paused for breath at nearly every one

'She's half a witch, I think,' said Arthur Gride, when he found hial, and she's very deaf Her living costsat keyholes; for she can't hear She's a char woman-for the purpose; a ht in-copper'

Having extolled the h ter The suit destined to grace his approaching nuptials being now selected, he replaced the others with no less care than he had displayed in drawing them from the musty nooks where they had silently reposed forat the door, he hastily concluded this operation, and locked the press; but there was no need for any particular hurry, as the discreet Peg seldo unless she happened to cast her diainst the kitchen ceiling After a short delay, however, Peg tottered in, followed by New his hands 'My good friend, Mr Noggs, what news do you bring for me?'

Newman, with a steadfast and immovable aspect, and his fixed eye very fixed indeed, replied, suiting the action to the word, 'A letter From Mr Nickleby Bearer waits'

'Won't you take a-a-'

Newman looked up, and smacked his lips

'-A chair?' said Arthur Gride

'No,' replied New hands, and devoured its contents with the ut it several times, before he could take it from before his eyes So many times did he peruse and re-peruse it, that Newman considered it expedient to remind him of his presence

'Answer,' said Newman 'Bearer waits'

'True,' replied old Arthur 'Yes-yes; I aletting,' said Newht indeed,' said Arthur 'Yes I'll write a line I's The news is-'

'Bad?' interrupted Newman