to make _h_any
one _blubber_ for ever."

"Well, the heralds told me they were just what I ought to have chosen,
and very apposite, as they termed it."

"They took your money and laughed at you. Two pair of griffins, a lion,
half-a-dozen leopards, and a hand with a dagger, wouldn't 'ave cost a
farthing more. But what can you _h_expect from an _'og_?"

"But if I was _cured_, I should be what you _were--Bacon_."

"I won't _demean_ myself, Mr Turnbull."

"That's right, my dear, don't; there's no curing you. Recollect the
motto you chose in preference to mine."

"Well, and a very proper one--`_Too much familiarity breeds contempt_'--
is it not so, Master Faithful?"

"Yes, madam, it was one of our copies at school."

"I beg your pardon, sir, it was my _h_own _h_invention."

Rap, tap, rap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

"Mr and Mrs Peters, of Petercumb Hall," announced the butler. Enter
Mrs Peters first, a very diminutive lady, and followed by Mr Peters,
six feet four inches without his shoes, deduct for stooping and curved
shoulders seven inches. Mr Peters had retired from the Stock Exchange
with a competence, bought a place, named it Petercumb Hall, and set up
his carriage. Another knock, and Mr and Mrs Drummond were announced.
Compliments exchanged, and a pastile lighted by Mrs Turnbull.

"Well, Drummond," said Mr Turnbull, "what are coals worth now?"

"Mr Turnbull, I've got such an _'eadache_."

This was of course a matter of condolence from all present, and a
stopper upon Mr Turnbull's tongue.

Another sounding rap, and a pause. "Monsieur and Madame de Tagliabue
coming up." Enter Monsieur and Madame de Tagliabue. The former, a
dapper little Frenchman, with a neat pair of legs, and stomach as round
as a pea. Madame sailing in like an outward-bound East Indiaman, with
studding sails below and aloft; so large in her dimensions, that her
husband might be compared to the pilot-boat plying about her stern.

"Charmee de vous voir, Madame Tom-bulle. Vous vous portez bien;
n'est-ce pas?"

"_Ve_," replied Mrs Turnbull, who thus exhausted her knowledge of the
French language while the Monsieur tried in vain, first on one side, and
then on the other, to get from under the lee of his wife and make his
bow. This was not accomplished until the lady had taken possession of a
sofa, which she filled most comfortably.

Who these people were, and how they lived, I never could find out: they
came in a fly from Brentford