d who was conscious that if the
mutton returned to the cupboard there would be some difficulty made in
reproducing it, laid down the watch and came into the back parlour.

"Well, my dear, here I am; sorry to have kept you waiting so long, but
business must be attended to.--Dear me, why the mutton is really quite
cold," continued Nicholas, thrusting a large piece into his mouth, quite
forgetting that he had already dined twice off the identical joint.
"That's a fine watch of Mr Tobin's; but I think that my improvement
upon the duplex when I have finished it--"

"When you have finished it, indeed!" retorted the lady; "why, when did
you ever finish any thing, Mr Forster! Finish indeed!"

"Well, my dear," replied the husband, with an absent air--"I do mean to
finish it, when--_you are dead_!"

"When I am dead!" screamed the lady, in a rage--"when I am dead!"
continued she, placing her arms akimbo, as she started from the
chair:--"I can tell you, Mr Forster, that I'll live long enough to
plague you, it's not the first time that you've said so; but depend upon
it, I'll dance upon your grave yet, Mr Forster."

"I did not exactly mean to say that; not exactly that, my dear," replied
Nicholas, confused. "The fact is that I was not exactly aware of what I
was saying--I had not precisely the--"

"Precisely the fiddle-stick, Mr Forster! you did mean it, and you do
mean it, and this is all the return that I am to expect for my kindness
and anxiety for your welfare--slaving and toiling all day as I do; but
you're incorrigible, Mr Forster: look at you, helping, yourself out of
your snuff-box instead of the salt-cellar. What man in his senses would
eat a cold shoulder of mutton with tobacco?"

"Dear me, so I have," replied Forster, removing the snuff taken from the
box, which, as usual, lay open before him, not into the box again, but
into the salt-cellar.

"And who's to eat that salt now, you nasty beast?"

"I am not a beast, Mrs Forster," replied the husband, whose choler was
roused; "I made a mistake; I do perceive--now I recollect it, did you
send Betty with the `day and night glass' to Captain Simkins?"

"Yes, I did, Mr Forster: if I did not look after your business, I
should like to know what would become of us; and I can tell, you Mr
Forster, that if you do not contrive to get more business, there will
soon be nothing to eat; seventeen and sixpence is all that I have
received this last week; and how rent and fire,