The private residence of Mr Pancks was in Pentonville, where he lodged

on the second-floor of a professional gentleman in an extremely small

way, who had an inner-door within the street door, poised on a spring

and starting open with a click like a trap; and who wrote up in the

fan-light,

RUGG, GENERAL AGENT, ACCOUNTANT, DEBTS RECOVERED.

This scroll, majestic in its severe simplicity, illuminated a little

slip of front garden abutting on the thirsty high-road, where a few

of the dustiest of leaves hung their dismal heads and led a life of

choking.

A professor of writing occupied the first-floor, and enlivened

the garden railings with glass-cases containing choice examples of what

his pupils had been before six lessons and while the whole of his young

family shook the table, and what they had become after six lessons

when the young family was under restraint. The tenancy of Mr Pancks was

limited to one airy bedroom; he covenanting and agreeing with Mr Rugg

his landlord, that in consideration of a certain scale of payments

accurately defined, and on certain verbal notice duly given, he should

be at liberty to elect to share the Sunday breakfast, dinner, tea, or

supper, or each or any or all of those repasts or meals of Mr and Miss

Rugg (his daughter) in the back-parlour.

Miss Rugg was a lady of a little property which she had acquired,

together with much distinction in the neighbourhood, by having her

heart severely lacerated and her feelings mangled by a middle-aged baker

resident in the vicinity, against whom she had, by the agency of Mr

Rugg, found it necessary to proceed at law to recover damages for a

breach of promise of marriage.

The baker having been, by the counsel for

Miss Rugg, witheringly denounced on that occasion up to the full amount

of twenty guineas, at the rate of about eighteen-pence an epithet, and

having been cast in corresponding damages, still suffered occasional

persecution from the youth of Pentonville. But Miss Rugg, environed by

the majesty of the law, and having her damages invested in the public

securities, was regarded with consideration.

In the society of Mr Rugg, who had a round white visage, as if all his

blushes had been drawn out of him long ago, and who had a ragged yellow

head like a worn-out hearth broom; and in the society of Miss Rugg, who

had little nankeen spots, like shirt buttons, all over her face, and

whose own yellow tresses were rather scrubby than luxuriant; Mr Pancks

had usually dined on Sundays for some few years, and had twice a week,

or so, enjoyed an evening collation of bread, Dutch cheese, and porter.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024