think it must surely be old-fashioned to be
very thin, and light, and easily tired, and soon disposed to lie down
anywhere and rest; for he couldn't help feeling that these were more and
more his habits every day.

At last the party-day arrived; and Doctor Blimber said at breakfast,
'Gentlemen, we will resume our studies on the twenty-fifth of next
month.' Mr Toots immediately threw off his allegiance, and put on
his ring: and mentioning the Doctor in casual conversation shortly
afterwards, spoke of him as 'Blimber'! This act of freedom inspired
the older pupils with admiration and envy; but the younger spirits were
appalled, and seemed to marvel that no beam fell down and crushed him.

Not the least allusion was made to the ceremonies of the evening, either
at breakfast or at dinner; but there was a bustle in the house all day,
and in the course of his perambulations, Paul made acquaintance with
various strange benches and candlesticks, and met a harp in a green
greatcoat standing on the landing outside the drawing-room door. There
was something queer, too, about Mrs Blimber's head at dinner-time, as if
she had screwed her hair up too tight; and though Miss Blimber showed
a graceful bunch of plaited hair on each temple, she seemed to have her
own little curls in paper underneath, and in a play-bill too; for
Paul read 'Theatre Royal' over one of her sparkling spectacles, and
'Brighton' over the other.

There was a grand array of white waistcoats and cravats in the young
gentlemen's bedrooms as evening approached; and such a smell of singed
hair, that Doctor Blimber sent up the footman with his compliments, and
wished to know if the house was on fire. But it was only the hairdresser
curling the young gentlemen, and over-heating his tongs in the ardour of
business.

When Paul was dressed--which was very soon done, for he felt unwell and
drowsy, and was not able to stand about it very long--he went down into
the drawing-room; where he found Doctor Blimber pacing up and down the
room full dressed, but with a dignified and unconcerned demeanour, as
if he thought it barely possible that one or two people might drop in by
and by. Shortly afterwards, Mrs Blimber appeared, looking lovely, Paul
thought; and attired in such a number of skirts that it was quite an
excursion to walk round her. Miss Blimber came down soon after her Mama;
a little squeezed in appearance, but very charming.

Mr Toots and Mr Feeder were the next a