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Chapter 4
Therewasanimmensecrowdinthesupper-room,and,mystars!itwasasplendidsupper—anyamountofchampagne.
Carriemadeamostheartysupper,forwhichIwaspleased;forIsometimesthinksheisnotstrong.Therewasscarcelyadishshedidnottaste.Iwassothirsty,Icouldnoteatmuch.Receivingasharpslapontheshoulder,Iturned,and,tomyamazement,sawFarmerson,ourironmonger.Hesaid,inthemostfamiliarway:“ThisisbetterthanBrickfieldTerrace,eh?”Isimplylookedathim,andsaidcoolly:“Ineverexpectedtoseeyouhere.”Hesaid,withaloud,coarselaugh:“Ilikethat—ifyou,whynotme?”Ireplied:“Certainly,”IwishIcouldhavethoughtofsomethingbettertosay.Hesaid:“CanIgetyourgoodladyanything?”Carriesaid:“No,Ithankyou,”forwhichIwaspleased.Isaid,bywayofreprooftohim:“Youneversenttodaytopaintthebath,asIrequested.”Farmersonsaid:“Pardonme,Mr.Pooter,noshopwhenwe’reincompany,please.”
BeforeIcouldthinkofareply,oneofthesheriffs,infullCourtcostume,slappedFarmersononthebackandhailedhimasanoldfriend,andaskedhimtodinewithhimathislodge.Iwasastonished.Forfullfiveminutestheystoodroaringwithlaughter,andstooddiggingeachotherintheribs.Theykepttellingeachothertheydidn’tlookadayolder.Theybeganembracingeachotheranddrinkingchampagne.
