No
doubt with the same amiable desire he immediately resumed his knife
and fork as a practical assurance that the beer had wrought no bad
effect upon his appetite.
"The lady of the caravan looked on approvingly for some time and
then said,
"'Have you nearly finished?'
"Wery nigh, mum,' and indeed after scraping the dish all round with
his knife and carrying the choice brown morsels to his mouth, and
after taking such a scientific pull at the stone bottle that, by
degrees almost imperceptible to the sight, his head went farther
and farther back until he lay nearly at his full length upon the
ground, this gentleman declared himself quite disengaged, and came
forth from his retreat.
"'I hope I haven't hurried you, George,' said his mistress, who
appeared to have a great sympathy with his late pursuit.
"'If you have,' returned the fellow, wisely reserving himself for
any favourable contingency, 'we must make it up next time, that's
all.'"
Mrs. Gamp has a touch of sympathy in her exuberance. Contemplating going
down to the country with the Dickens' company of actors, she tells us--
"Which Mrs. Harris's own words to me was these, 'Sairey Gamp,' she
says, 'why not go to Margate? Srimps,' says that dear creetur, 'is
to your liking.
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