ng, which was readily granted. With this permission and the
street-door key, Sam Weller issued forth a little before the appointed
time, and strolled leisurely towards Queen Square, which he no sooner
gained than he had the satisfaction of beholding Mr. John Smauker
leaning his powdered head against a lamp-post at a short distance off,
smoking a cigar through an amber tube.

'How do you do, Mr. Weller?' said Mr. John Smauker, raising his
hat gracefully with one hand, while he gently waved the other in a
condescending manner. 'How do you do, Sir?'

'Why, reasonably conwalessent,' replied Sam. 'How do YOU find yourself,
my dear feller?'

'Only so so,' said Mr. John Smauker.

'Ah, you've been a-workin' too hard,' observed Sam. 'I was fearful
you would; it won't do, you know; you must not give way to that 'ere
uncompromisin' spirit o' yourn.'

'It's not so much that, Mr. Weller,' replied Mr. John Smauker, 'as bad
wine; I'm afraid I've been dissipating.'

'Oh! that's it, is it?' said Sam; 'that's a wery bad complaint, that.'

'And yet the temptation, you see, Mr. Weller,' observed Mr. John
Smauker.

'Ah, to be sure,' said Sam.

'Plunged into the very vortex of society, you know, Mr. Weller,' said
Mr. John Smauker, with a sigh.

'Dreadful, indeed!' rejoined Sam.

'But it's always the way,' said Mr. John Smauker; 'if your destiny
leads you into public life, and public station, you must expect to be
subjected to temptations which other people is free from, Mr. Weller.'

'Precisely what my uncle said, ven he vent into the public line,'
remarked Sam, 'and wery right the old gen'l'm'n wos, for he drank
hisself to death in somethin' less than a quarter.' Mr. John Smauker
looked deeply indignant at any parallel being drawn between himself and
the deceased gentleman in question; but, as Sam's face was in the most
immovable state of calmness, he thought better of it, and looked affable
again. 'Perhaps we had better be walking,' said Mr. Smauker, consulting
a copper timepiece which dwelt at the bottom of a deep watch-pocket, and
was raised to the surface by means of a black string, with a copper key
at the other end.

'P'raps we had,' replied Sam, 'or they'll overdo the swarry, and that'll
spile it.'

'Have you drank the waters, Mr. Weller?' inquired his companion, as they
walked towards High Street.

'Once,' replied Sam.

'What did you think of 'em, Sir?'

'I thought they was particklery unpleasant,' replied Sam