y brother!' said Arabella, having some faint recognition of Sam's
description.

'I don't rightly know which is your brother, miss,' replied Sam. 'Is it
the dirtiest vun o' the two?'

'Yes, yes, Mr. Weller,' returned Arabella, 'go on. Make haste, pray.'

'Well, miss,' said Sam, 'he's heerd all about it from him; and it's the
gov'nor's opinion that if you don't see him wery quick, the sawbones as
we've been a-speakin' on, 'ull get as much extra lead in his head as'll
rayther damage the dewelopment o' the orgins if they ever put it in
spirits artervards.'

'Oh, what can I do to prevent these dreadful quarrels!' exclaimed
Arabella.

'It's the suspicion of a priory 'tachment as is the cause of it all,'
replied Sam. 'You'd better see him, miss.'

'But how?--where?'cried Arabella. 'I dare not leave the house alone.
My brother is so unkind, so unreasonable! I know how strange my talking
thus to you may appear, Mr. Weller, but I am very, very unhappy--' and
here poor Arabella wept so bitterly that Sam grew chivalrous.

'It may seem wery strange talkin' to me about these here affairs, miss,'
said Sam, with great vehemence; 'but all I can say is, that I'm not only
ready but villin' to do anythin' as'll make matters agreeable; and if
chuckin' either o' them sawboneses out o' winder 'ull do it, I'm the
man.' As Sam Weller said this, he tucked up his wristbands, at the
imminent hazard of falling off the wall in so doing, to intimate his
readiness to set to work immediately.

Flattering as these professions of good feeling were, Arabella
resolutely declined (most unaccountably, as Sam thought) to avail
herself of them. For some time she strenuously refused to grant Mr.
Winkle the interview Sam had so pathetically requested; but at length,
when the conversation threatened to be interrupted by the unwelcome
arrival of a third party, she hurriedly gave him to understand, with
many professions of gratitude, that it was barely possible she might be
in the garden an hour later, next evening. Sam understood this perfectly
well; and Arabella, bestowing upon him one of her sweetest smiles,
tripped gracefully away, leaving Mr. Weller in a state of very great
admiration of her charms, both personal and mental.

Having descended in safety from the wall, and not forgotten to devote a
few moments to his own particular business in the same department,
Mr. Weller then made the best of his way back to the Bush, where his
prolonged absence h