aking both the young lady's hands in his (4) kissed her (5) a
great many times (6) perhaps a greater number of times than was
absolutely necessary." Old rogue! I have little doubt that on his
return home from his tours he encircled the buxom figure of Mrs.
Bardell--all of course in his own paternal and privileged way.

It should be borne in mind also that Mr. Pickwick was almost invariably
drawn into his more serious scrapes and embarrassments by this devotion
to the sex. The night in the boarding school garden--the affair with the
spinster lady--his interview with Arabella from the top of the wall--his
devotion to Mrs. Pott and Mrs. Dowler--and much more that we do not hear
of, show that he was a gallant elderly gentleman. Oh, he was a "sly dog,
he was."

There is a curious burst of Mr. Pickwick's which seems to hint at a sort
of tender appreciation on his side. When the notice of trial was sent to
him, in his first vehemence, he broke out that Mrs. Bardell had nothing
to do with the business, "_She hadn't the heart to do it_." Mr. Pickwick
could not speak with this certainty, unless he knew the lady's feelings
pretty well. _Why_ hadn't she the heart to do it? Because she was
sincerely attached to him and his interests and was "a dear creature."
This, however, was a fond delusion of the worthy gentleman's. Persons of
her class are not quite so disinterested as they appear to be, especially
if they have to interpret the various paternal and comforting advances
made to them by their well to do lodgers.

There is another factor which can hardly be left out, when considering
Mr. Pickwick's responsibility--that is, his too frequent indulgence in
liquor, and the insufficiency of his head to stand its influence. Now
this was a very important day for him, the first time he was to set up a
man servant. He had to break it to his landlady, who would naturally
resent the change. He may have been _priming_ himself with some of those
perpetual glasses of brandy and water to which he was addicted, and who
knows but that, in his ardour to propitiate, he may have gone a _little_
too far? This fact too, of the introducing a man servant into her
establishment, Mrs. Bardell may have indistinctly associated with a
general change in his life. If she were to become Mrs. Pickwick her
duties might be naturally expected to devolve on a male assistant.

Next morning he and his friends quitted London on their travels to
Eatanswil