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half a dozen times； before he began to think that it was time for
Mrs。 Corney to return。 Thinking begets thinking； and； as there
were no sounds of Mrs。 Corney’s approach； it occurred to Mr。
Bumble that it would be an innocent and virtuous way of spending
the time； if he were further to allay his curiosity by a cursory
glance at the interior of Mrs。 Corney’s chest of drawers。
Having listened at the keyhole； to assure himself that nobody
was approaching the chamber； Mr。 Bumble beginning at the
bottom； proceeded to make himself acquainted with the contents
of the three long drawers； which； being filled with various
garments of good fashion and texture； carefully preserved
between two layers of old newspapers； speckled with dried
lavender； seemed to yield him exceeding satisfaction。 Arriving； in
course of time； at the right…hand corner drawer （in which was a
key）； and beholding therein a small padlocked box； which； being
shaken； gave forth a pleasant sound； as of the chinking of coin； Mr。
Bumble returned with a stately walk to the fireplace； and；
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resuming his old attitude； said； with a grave and determined air；
“I’ll do it！” He followed up this remarkable declaration； by shaking
his head in a waggish manner for ten minutes； as though he were
remonstrating with himself for being such a pleasant dog； and
then he took a view of his legs in profile； with much seeming
pleasure and interest。
He was still placidly engaged in this latter survey； when Mrs。
Corney； hurrying into the room； threw herself； in a breathless
state； on a chair by the fireside； and covering her eyes with one
hand； placed the other over her heart； and gasped for breath。
“Mrs。 Corney；” said Mr。 Bumble； stooping over the matron；
“what is this； ma’am？ Has anything happened； ma’am？ Pray
answer me； I’m on—on—” Mr。 Bumble； in his alarm； could not
immediately think of the word “tenterhooks；” so he said “broken
bottles。”
“Oh； Mr。 Bumble！” cried the lady； “I have been so dreadfully
put out！”
“Put out； ma’am！” exclaimed Mr。 Bumble； “who has dared to—
I know！” said Mr。 Bumble； checking himself； with native majesty；
“this is them wicious paupers！”
“It’s dreadful to think of！” said the lady； shuddering。
“Then don’t think of it； ma’am；” rejoined Mr。 Bumble。
“I can’t help it；” whimpered the lady。
“Then take something； ma’am；” said Mr。 Bumble soothingly。 “A
little of the wine？”
“Not for the world！” replied Mrs。 Corney。 “I couldn’t—oh！ The
top shelf in the right…hand corner—oh！” Uttering these words； the
good lady pointed； distractedly； to the cupboard； and underwent a
convulsion from internal spasms。 Mr。 Bumble rushed to the closet；
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and； snatching a pint green glass bottle from the shelf thus
incoherently indicated； filled a tea…cup with its contents； and held
it to the lady’s lips。
“I’m better now；” said Mrs。 Corney； falling back； after drinking
half of it。
Mr。 Bumble raised his eyes piously to the ceiling in
thankfulness； and； bringing them down again to the brim of the
cup； lifted it to his nose。
“Peppermint；” exclaimed Mrs。 Corney； in a faint voice； smiling
gently on the beadle as she spoke。 “Try it！ There’s a little—a little
something else in it。”
Mr。 Bumble tasted the medicine with a doubtful look； smacked
his lips； took another taste； and put the cup down empty。
“It’s very comforting；” said Mrs。 Corney。
“Very much so indeed； ma’am；” said the beadle。 As he spoke； he
drew a chair beside the matron； and tenderly inquired what had
happened to distress her。
“Nothing；” replied Mrs。 Corney。 “I am a foolish； excitable； weak
creetur。”
“Not weak； ma’am；” retorted Mr。 Bumble； drawing his chair a
little closer。 “Are you a weak creetur； Mrs。 Corney？”
“We are all weak creeturs；” said Mrs。 Corney； laying down a
general principle。
“So we are；” said the beadle。
Nothing was said； on either side； for a minute or two
afterwards。 By the expiration of that time； Mr。 Bumble had
illustrated the position by removing his left arm from the back of
Mrs。 Corney’s chair； where it had previously rested； to Mrs。
Corney’s apron string； round which it gradually became entwined。
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“We are all weak creeturs；” said Mr。 Bumble。
Mrs。 Corney sighed。
“Don’t sigh； Mrs。 Corney；” said Mr。 Bumble。
“I can’t help it；” said Mrs。 Corney。 And she sighed again。
“This is a very comfortable room； ma’am；” said Mr。 Bumble；
looking round。 “Another room； and this； ma’am； would be a
complete thing。”
“It would be too much for one；” murmured the lady。
“But not for two； ma’am；” replied Mr。 Bumble； in soft accents。
“Eh； Mrs。 Corney？”
Mrs。 Corney drooped her head when the beadle said this； the
beadle drooped his； to get a view of Mrs。 Corney’s face。 Mrs。
Corney； with great propriety； turned her head away； and released
her hand to get at her pocket…handkerchief； but insensibly
replaced it in that of Mr。 Bumble。
“The Board allow you coals； don’t they； Mrs。 Corney？” inquired
the beadle； affectionately pressing her hand。
“And candles；” replied Mrs。 Corney； slightly returning the
pressure。
“Coals； candle； and house…rent free；” said Mr。 Bumble。 “Oh；
Mrs。 Corney； what an angel you are！”
The lady was not proof against this burst of feeling。 She sank
into Mr。 Bumble’s arms； and that gentleman in his agitation；
imprinted a passionate kiss upon her chaste nose。
“Such porochial perfection！” exclaimed Mr。 Bumble
rapturously。 “You know that Mr。 Slout is worse tonight； my
fascinator？”
“Yes；” replied Mrs。 Corney bashfully。
“He can’t live a week； the doctor says；” pursued Mr。 Bumble。
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“He is the master of this establishment； his death will cause a
wacancy； that wacancy must be filled up。 Oh； Mrs。 Corney； what a
prospect this opens！ What a opportunity for a jining of hearts and
housekeepings！”
Mrs。 Corney sobbed。
“The little word？” said Mr。 Bumble； bending over the bashful
beauty。 “The one little； little； little word； my blessed Corney？”
“Ye—ye—yes！” sighed out the matron。
“One more；” pursued the beadle； “compose your darling
feelings for only one more。 When is it to come off？” Mrs。 Corney
twice essayed to speak： and twice failed。 At length summoning up
courage； she threw her arms round Mr。 Bumble’s neck； and said； it
might be as soon as ever he pleased； and that he was “a irresistible
duck。”
Matters being thus amicably and satisfactorily arranged； the
contract was solemnly ratified in another tea…cupful of the
peppermint mixture； which was rendered the more necessary； by
the flutter and agitation of the lady’s spirits。 While it was being
disposed of； she acquainted Mr。 Bumble with the old woman’s
decease。
“Very good；” said that gentleman； sipping his peppermint； “I’ll
call at Sowerberry’s as I go home； and tell him to send tomorrow
morning。 Was it that as frightened you； love？”
“It wasn’t anything particular； dear；” said the lady evasively。
“It must have been something； love；” urged Mr。 Bumble。
“Won’t you tell your own B。？”
“Not now；” rejoined the lady； “one of these days。 After we’re
married； dear。”
“After we’re married！” exclaimed Mr。 Bumble。 “It wasn’t any
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impudence from any of them male paupers as—”
“No； no； love！” interposed the lady hastily。
“If I thought it was；” continued Mr。 Bumble； “if I thought as
any of ’em dared to lift his wulgar eyes to that lovely
countenance—”
“They wouldn’t have dared to do it； love；” responded the lady。
“They had better not！” said Mr。 Bumble； clenching his fist。 “Let
me see any man； porochial or extra…porochial； as would presume
to do it； and I can tell him that