e man, more abrupt than afore,
"I've got the fancy in my head. Let me see the public streets once more
afore I die; and if I ain't struck with apoplexy, I'll be back in five
minits by the clock." "And wot 'ud become o' me if you WOS struck with
apoplexy?" said the turnkey. "Wy," says the little creetur, "whoever
found me, 'ud bring me home, for I've got my card in my pocket, Bill,"
he says, "No. 20, Coffee-room Flight": and that wos true, sure enough,
for wen he wanted to make the acquaintance of any new-comer, he used to
pull out a little limp card vith them words on it and nothin' else; in
consideration of vich, he vos alvays called Number Tventy. The turnkey
takes a fixed look at him, and at last he says in a solemn manner,
"Tventy," he says, "I'll trust you; you Won't get your old friend into
trouble." "No, my boy; I hope I've somethin' better behind here," says
the little man; and as he said it he hit his little vesket wery hard,
and then a tear started out o' each eye, which wos wery extraordinary,
for it wos supposed as water never touched his face. He shook the
turnkey by the hand; out he vent--'

'And never came back again,' said Mr. Pickwick.

'Wrong for vunce, sir,' replied Mr. Weller, 'for back he come, two
minits afore the time, a-bilin' with rage, sayin' how he'd been nearly
run over by a hackney-coach that he warn't used to it; and he was blowed
if he wouldn't write to the lord mayor. They got him pacified at last;
and for five years arter that, he never even so much as peeped out o'
the lodge gate.'

'At the expiration of that time he died, I suppose,' said Mr. Pickwick.

'No, he didn't, Sir,' replied Sam. 'He got a curiosity to go and taste
the beer at a new public-house over the way, and it wos such a wery nice
parlour, that he took it into his head to go there every night, which
he did for a long time, always comin' back reg'lar about a quarter of
an hour afore the gate shut, which was all wery snug and comfortable. At
last he began to get so precious jolly, that he used to forget how the
time vent, or care nothin' at all about it, and he went on gettin'
later and later, till vun night his old friend wos just a-shuttin' the
gate--had turned the key in fact--wen he come up. "Hold hard, Bill,"
he says. "Wot, ain't you come home yet, Tventy?" says the turnkey, "I
thought you wos in, long ago." "No, I wasn't," says the little man,
with a smile. "Well, then, I'll tell you wot it is, my friend," says
th