ed towards him somewhat coldly
and reluctantly. Tag-rag attended him with extreme obsequiousness to the
door; and on his departure, walked back rapidly to his own room, and sat
down for nearly half an hour in a sort of turbid but delicious revery.
Abruptly rising, at length, he clapped his hat on his head, and saying,
as he passed along the shop, that he should soon be back, hurried out
to call upon his future son-in-law, full of affectionate anxiety
concerning his health--and vowing within himself, that henceforth it
should be the study of his life to make his daughter and Titmouse happy!
There could be no doubt of the reality of the event just communicated to
him by Mr. Gammon; for he was one of a well-known firm of solicitors; he
had had an interview on "important business" with Titmouse a fortnight
before, and that _could_ have been nothing but the prodigious event just
communicated to himself. Such things had happened to others--why not to
Tittlebat Titmouse? In short, Tag-rag had no doubt on the matter; and
his heart really yearned towards Titmouse.

Finding that gentleman not at home, Mr. Tag-rag left a most particularly
civil message, half a dozen times repeated, with Mrs. Squallop (to whom
also he was specially civil,) to the effect that he, Mr. Tag-rag, would
be only too happy to see Mr. Titmouse at No. 375, Oxford Street,
whenever it might suit his convenience; that Mr. Tag-rag had something
very particular to say to him about the unpleasant and
_unaccountable_[!] occurrence of yesterday; that Mr. Tag-rag was most
deeply concerned to hear of Mr. Titmouse's indisposition, and anxious to
learn from himself that he had recovered, &c. &c. &c.;--all which,
together with one or two other little matters, which Mrs. Squallop could
not help putting together, satisfied that shrewd lady that "something
was in the wind about Mr. Titmouse;" and made her reflect rather
anxiously on one or two violent scenes she had had with him, and which
_she_ was now ready entirely to forget and forgive. Having thus done all
that at present was in his power to forward the affair, the anxious and
excited Tag-rag returned to his shop; on entering which, one Lutestring,
his principal young man, eagerly apprised him of a claim which he had,
as he imagined, only the moment before, established to the thanks of
Mr. Tag-rag, by having "bundled off, neck and crop, that hodious
Titmouse," who, about five minutes before, had, it seemed, had the
"im