"My dear sir," said Mr. Trabb, as he respectfully bent his body, opened

his arms, and took the liberty of touching me on the outside of each

elbow, "don't hurt me by mentioning that. May I venture to congratulate

you? Would you do me the favor of stepping into the shop?"

Mr. Trabb's boy was the most audacious boy in all that country-side.

When I had entered he was sweeping the shop, and he had sweetened his

labors by sweeping over me. He was still sweeping when I came out into

the shop with Mr. Trabb, and he knocked the broom against all possible

corners and obstacles, to express (as I understood it) equality with any

blacksmith, alive or dead.

"Hold that noise," said Mr. Trabb, with the greatest sternness, "or I'll

knock your head off!--Do me the favor to be seated, sir. Now, this,"

said Mr. Trabb, taking down a roll of cloth, and tiding it out in a

flowing manner over the counter, preparatory to getting his hand under

it to show the gloss, "is a very sweet article. I can recommend it for

your purpose, sir, because it really is extra super. But you shall

see some others. Give me Number Four, you!" (To the boy, and with a

dreadfully severe stare; foreseeing the danger of that miscreant's

brushing me with it, or making some other sign of familiarity.) Mr. Trabb never removed his stern eye from the boy until he had

deposited number four on the counter and was at a safe distance again.

Then he commanded him to bring number five, and number eight. "And let

me have none of your tricks here," said Mr. Trabb, "or you shall repent

it, you young scoundrel, the longest day you have to live."

Mr. Trabb then bent over number four, and in a sort of deferential

confidence recommended it to me as a light article for summer wear, an

article much in vogue among the nobility and gentry, an article that

it would ever be an honor to him to reflect upon a distinguished

fellow-townsman's (if he might claim me for a fellow-townsman) having

worn. "Are you bringing numbers five and eight, you vagabond," said Mr.

Trabb to the boy after that, "or shall I kick you out of the shop and

bring them myself?"

I selected the materials for a suit, with the assistance of Mr. Trabb's

judgment, and re-entered the parlor to be measured. For although Mr.

Trabb had my measure already, and had previously been quite contented

with it, he said apologetically that it "wouldn't do under existing

circumstances, sir,--wouldn't do at all." So, Mr. Trabb measured and

calculated me in the parlor, as if I were an estate and he the finest

species of surveyor, and gave himself such a world of trouble that

I felt that no suit of clothes could possibly remunerate him for his

pains. When he had at last done and had appointed to send the articles

to Mr. Pumblechook's on the Thursday evening, he said, with his hand

upon the parlor lock, "I know, sir, that London gentlemen cannot be

expected to patronize local work, as a rule; but if you would give me a

turn now and then in the quality of a townsman, I should greatly esteem

it. Good morning, sir, much obliged.--Door!"




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