"Mrs. Harry Walmers, Junior, fatigued, sir?" says Cobbs.

"Yes, she is tired, Cobbs; but she is not used to be away from home, and
she has been in low spirits again. Cobbs, do you think you could bring a
biffin, please?"

"I ask your pardon, sir," says Cobbs. "What was it you--?"

"I think a Norfolk biffin would rouse her, Cobbs. She is very fond of
them."

Boots withdrew in search of the required restorative, and when he brought
it in, the gentleman handed it to the lady, and fed her with a spoon, and
took a little himself; the lady being heavy with sleep, and rather cross.
"What should you think, sir," says Cobbs, "of a chamber candlestick?" The
gentleman approved; the chambermaid went first, up the great staircase;
the lady, in her sky-blue mantle, followed, gallantly escorted by the
gentleman; the gentleman embraced her at her door, and retired to his own
apartment, where Boots softly locked him up.

Boots couldn't but feel with increased acuteness what a base deceiver he
was, when they consulted him at breakfast (they had ordered sweet milk-
and-water, and toast and currant jelly, overnight) about the pony. It
really was as much as he could do, he don't mind confessing to me, to
look them two young things in the face, and think what a wicked old
father of lies he had grown up to be. Howsomever, he went on a lying
like a Trojan about the pony. He told 'em that it did so unfortunately
happen that the pony was half clipped, you see, and that he couldn't be
taken out in that state, for fear it should strike to his inside. But