r, but that I've been and got married.
That's rather green, you'll say. Perhaps it is, especially as she's
young. But one never knows what may happen to these women, so I'm
thinking of insuring her life. It is but fair, you know, that a man
should secure some consolation in case of meeting with such a loss.'

'If anything can console him under such heart-breaking circumstances,'
murmured Tigg, with his eyes shut up as before.

'Exactly,' returned Jonas; 'if anything can. Now, supposing I did it
here, I should do it cheap, I know, and easy, without bothering her
about it; which I'd much rather not do, for it's just in a woman's way
to take it into her head, if you talk to her about such things, that
she's going to die directly.'

'So it is,' cried Tigg, kissing his hand in honour of the sex. 'You're
quite right. Sweet, silly, fluttering little simpletons!'

'Well,' said Jonas, 'on that account, you know, and because offence
has been given me in other quarters, I wouldn't mind patronizing this
Company. But I want to know what sort of security there is for the
Company's going on. That's the--'

'Not the truth?' cried Tigg, holding up his jewelled hand. 'Don't use
that Sunday School expression, please!'

'The long and the short of it,' said Jonas. 'The long and the short of
it is, what's the security?'

'The paid-up capital, my dear sir,' said Tigg, referring to some papers
on the table, 'is, at this present moment--'

'Oh! I understand all about paid-up capitals, you know,' said Jonas.

'You do?' cried Tigg, stopping short.

'I should hope so.'

He turned the papers down again, and moving nearer to him, said in his
ear:

'I know you do. I know you do. Look at me!'

It was not much in Jonas's way to look straight at anybody; but thus
requested, he made shift to take a tolerable survey of the chairman's
features. The chairman fell back a little, to give him the better
opportunity.

'You know me?' he inquired, elevating his eyebrows. 'You recollect?
You've seen me before?'

'Why, I thought I remembered your face when I first came in,' said
Jonas, gazing at it; 'but I couldn't call to mind where I had seen it.
No. I don't remember, even now. Was it in the street?'

'Was it in Pecksniff's parlour?' said Tigg

'In Pecksniff's parlour!' echoed Jonas, fetching a long breath. 'You
don't mean when--'

'Yes,' cried Tigg, 'when there was a very charming and delightful little
family party, at which yourself and