WAIFE—“Examine his pockets! do you see there three pounds?”
COBBLER (testily).—“Don’t be a-interrupting. Ha! he is talking with another gentleman, bearded.”
SOPHY (whispering to her grandfather).—“The old young gentleman.”
COBBLER (putting down the crystal, and with great decision).—“They are coming here; I see ‘d them at the corner of the lane, by the public-house, two minutes’ walk to this door.” He took out a great silver watch: “Look, Sophy, when the minute-hand gets there (or before, if they walk briskly), you will hear them knock.”
Sophy clasped her hands in mute suspense, half-credulous, half-doubting; then she went and opened the room-door, and stood on the landing-place to listen. Merle approached the Comedian, and said in a low voice, “I wish for your sake she had the gift.”
WAIFE.—“The gift!—the three pounds!—so do I!”
COBBLER.—“Pooh! worth a hundred times three pounds; the gift,—the spirituous gift.”
WAIFE.—“Spirituous! don’t like the epithet,—smells of gin!”
COBBLER.—“Spirituous gift to see in the crystal: if she had that, she might make your fortune.”
WAIFE (with a ‘sudden change of countenance).—“Ah! I never thought of that. But if she has not the gift, I could teach it her,—eh?”