The
deaf gentleman then fills and lights his pipe, and we once more
take our seats round the table before mentioned, Master Humphrey
acting as president, - if we can be said to have any president,
where all are on the same social footing, - and our friend Jack as
secretary. Our preliminaries being now concluded, we fall into any
train of conversation that happens to suggest itself, or proceed
immediately to one of our readings. In the latter case, the paper
selected is consigned to Master Humphrey, who flattens it carefully
on the table and makes dog's ears in the corner of every page,
ready for turning over easily; Jack Redburn trims the lamp with a
small machine of his own invention which usually puts it out; Mr.
Miles looks on with great approval notwithstanding; the deaf
gentleman draws in his chair, so that he can follow the words on
the paper or on Master Humphrey's lips as he pleases; and Master
Humphrey himself, looking round with mighty gratification, and
glancing up at his old clock, begins to read aloud.
Mr. Pickwick's face, while his tale was being read, would have
attracted the attention of the dullest man alive. The complacent
motion of his head and forefinger as he gently beat time, and
corrected the air with imaginary punctuation, the smile that
mantled on his features at every jocose passage, and the sly look
he stole around to observe its effect, the calm manner in which he
shut his eyes and listened when there was some little piece of
description, the changing expression with which he acted the
dialogue to himself, his agony that the deaf gentleman should know
what it was all about, and his extraordinary anxiety to correct the
reader when he hesitated at a word in the manuscript, or
substituted a wrong one, were alike worthy of remark.
Pages:
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132