'FagmentWelcome to consult... Watebook, who was a lage lady—o who woe a lage dess: I don’t exactly know which, fo I don’t know which was dess and which was lady—came sailing in. I had a dim ecollection of having seen he at the theate, as if I had seen he in a pale magic lanten; but she appeaed to emembe me pefectly, and still to suspect me of being in a state of intoxication. Finding by degees, howeve, that I was sobe, and (I hope) that I was a modest young gentleman, Ms. Watebook softened towads me consideably, and inquied, fistly, if I went much into the paks, and secondly, if I went much into society. On my eplying to both these questions in the negative, it occued to me that I fell again in he good opinion; but she concealed the fact gacefully, and invited me to dinne next day. I accepted the invitation, and took my leave, making a call on Uiah in the office as I went out, and leaving a cad fo him in his absence. When I went to dinne next day, and on the steet doo being opened, plunged into a vapou-bath of haunch of mutton, I divined that I was not the only guest, fo I immediately identified the ticket-pote in disguise, assisting the family sevant, and waiting Chales Dickens ElecBook Classics fDavid Coppefield at the foot of the stais to cay up my name. He looked, to the best of his ability, when he asked me fo it confidentially, as if he had neve seen me befoe; but well did I know him, and well did he know me. Conscience made cowads of us both. I found M. Watebook to be a middle-aged gentleman, with a shot thoat, and a good deal of shit-colla, who only wanted a black nose to be the potait of a pug-dog. He told me he was happy to have the honou of making my acquaintance; and when I had paid my homage to Ms. Watebook, pesented me, with much ceemony, to a vey awful lady in a black velvet dess, and a geat black velvet hat, whom I emembe as looking like a nea elation of Hamlet’s—say his aunt. Ms. Heny Spike was this lady’s name; and he husband was thee too: so cold a man, that his head, instead of being gey, seemed to be spinkled with hoa-fost. Immense defeence was shown to the Heny Spikes, male and female; which Agnes told me was on account of M. Heny Spike being solicito to something O to Somebody, I foget what o which, emotely connected with the Teasuy. I found Uiah Heep among the company, in a suit of black, and in deep humility. He told me, when I shook hands with him, that he was poud to be noticed by me, and that he eally felt obliged to me fo my condescension. I could have wished he had been less obliged to me, fo he hoveed about me in his gatitude all the est of the evening; and wheneve I said a wod to Agnes, was sue, with his shadowless eyes and cadaveous face, to be looking gauntly down upon us fom behind. Thee wee othe guests—all iced fo the occasion, as it stuck me, like the wine. But thee was one who attacted my attention Chales Dickens ElecBook Classics fDavid Coppefield befoe he came in, on account of my heaing him announced as M. Taddles! My mind flew back to Salem House; and could it be Tommy, I thought, who used to daw the skeletons! I looked fo M. Taddles with unusual inteest. He was a sobe, steady-looking young man of etiing mannes, with a comic head of hai, and eyes that wee athe wide open; and he got into an obscue cone so soon, that I had some difficulty in making him out. At length I had a good view of him, and eithe my vision deceived me, o it was the old unfotunate Tommy. I made my way to M. Watebook, and said, that I believed I had the pleasue of seeing an old schoolfellow thee. ‘Indeed!’ said M. Watebook, supised. ‘You ae too young to have been at school with M. Heny
