And on her silver cross soft amethyst,

And on her hair a glory, like a saint:

She seemed a splendid angel, newly dressed,

Save wings, for heaven: Porphyro grew faint:

She knelt, so pure a thing, so free from mortal taint.


CHARLES DICKENS.

BOB SAWYER'S BACHELOR PARTY.

[From Pickwick Papers.]

After supper another jug of punch was put on the table, together with a paper of cigars and a couple of bottles of spirits. Then there was an awful pause; and this awful pause was occasioned by a very common occurrence in this sort of places, but a very embarrassing one, notwithstanding.