told you from the first. I won't shed blood; it's always found out, and haunts a man besides! If they shot him dead, I was not the cause; do you hear me? Fire this infernal den!-what's that?" ،، What ! cried the Jew, grasping the coward round the body with both arms as he sprung to his feet. "Where?" "Yonder!" replied the man, glaring at the opposite wall. "The shadow-I saw the shadow of a woman in a cloak and bonnet pass along the wainscot like a breath!" The Jew released his hold, and they rushed tumultuously from the room. The candle, wasted by the draught, was standing where it had been placed, and showed them the empty stair-cases, and their own white faces. They listened intently, but a profound silence reigned throughout the house. “ It 's your fancy," said the Jew, taking up the light, and turning to his companion. "I'll swear I saw it!" replied Monks, trembling violently. "It was bending forward when I saw it first, and when I spoke it darted away." | CHAPTER THE FIFTH Atones for the unpoliteness of a former chapter, which deserted a Lady most unceremoniously. As it would be by no means seemly in a humble author to keep so mighty a personage as a beadle waiting with his back to a fire, and the skirts of his coat gathered up under his arms, until such time as it might suit his pleasure to relieve him; and as it would still less become his station or his gallantry to involve in the same neglect a lady on whom that beadle had looked with an eye of tenderness and affection, and in whose ear he had whispered sweet words, which, coming from such a quarter, might well thrill the bosom of maid or matron of whatsoever degree; the faithful historian whose pen traces these words, trusting that he knows his place, and entertains a becoming reverence for those upon earth to whom high and important authority is delegated, hastens to pay them that respect which their position demands, and to treat them with all that duteous ceremony which their exalted rank and (by consequence) great virtues imperatively claim at his hands. Towards this end, indeed, he had purposed to introduce in this place a dissertation touching the divine right of beadles, and elucidative of the position that a beadle can do no wrong, which could not fail to have been both pleasurable and profitable to the right-minded reader, but which he is unfortunately compelled by want of time and space to postpone to some more convenient and ، What do you think now, my dear ? fitting opportunity; on the arrival of said the Jew, when they had regained which, he will be prepared to show that the passage. ، Besides ourselves, there 's a beadle properly constituted-that is to not a creature in the house except Toby say, a parochial beadle attached to the and the boys, and they're safe enough. parochial workhouse, and attending in See here!" his official capacity the parochial church, As a proof of the fact, the Jew drew-is, in right and virtue of his office, posforth two keys from his pocket; and explained that when he first went down stairs he had locked them in, to prevent any intrusion on the conference. The Jew glanced contemptuously at the pale face of his associate, and, telling him he could follow if he pleased, ascended the stairs. They looked into all the rooms; they were cold, bare, and empty. They descended to the passage, and | thence into the cellars below. The green damp hung upon the low walls, and the tracks of the snail and slug glistened in the light, but all was still as death. This accumulated testimony effectually staggered Mr. Monks. His protestations had gradually become less and less vehement as they proceeded in their search without making any discovery; and now he gave vent to several very grim laughs, and confessed it could only have been his excited imagination. He declined any renewal of the conversation however for that night, suddenly remembering that it was past one o'clock; and so the amiable couple parted. sessed of all the excellencies and best qualities of humanity; and that to none of those excellencies can mere companies' beadles, or court-of-law beadles, or even chapel-of-ease beadles (save the last in a very lowly and inferior degree,) lay the remotest sustainable claim. Mr. Bumble had re-counted the teaspoons, re-weighed the sugar-tongs, made a closer inspection of the milk-pot, and ascertained to a nicety the exact condition of the furniture down to the very horse-hair seats of the chairs, and had repeated each process full half-a-dozen times, before he began to think that it was time for Mrs. Corney to return. Thinking begets thinking; and, as there were no sounds of Mrs. Corney's approach, it occurred to Mr. Bumble that it would be an innocent and virtuous way of spending the time, if he were further to allay his curiosity by a cursory glance at the interior of Mrs. Corney's chest of draw ers. Having listened at the key-hole to assure himself that nobody was approaching the chamber, Mr. Bumble, beginning at the bottom, proceeded to make himself acquainted with the contents of the three long drawers; which, being filled with various garments of good fashion and texture, carefully preserved between two layers of old newspaper sprinkled with dried lavender, seemed to yield him exceeding satisfaction. Arriving in course of time at the right-hand corner drawer (in which was the key), and beholding therein a small padlocked box, which, being shaken, gave forth a pleasant sound as of the chinking of coin, Mr. Bumble returned with a stately walk to the fireplace, and, resuming his old attitude, said, with a grave and determined air, "I'll do it!" He followed up this remarkable declaration by shaking his head in a waggish manner for ten minutes, as though he were remonstrating with himself for being such a pleasant dog; and then took a view of his legs in profile with much seeming pleasure and interest. He was still placidly engaged in this latter survey when Mrs. Corney, hurrying into the room, threw herself in a breathless state on a chair by the fire-side, and covering her eyes with one hand, placed the other over her heart, and gasped for breath. "Mrs. Corney," said Mr. Bumble, stooping over the matron," what is this, ma'am? has anything happened ma'am? Pray answer me; I'm on-on-" Mr. Bumble in his alarm could not immediately think of the word 66 tenterhooks," so he said "broken bottles." "Oh, Mr. Bumble!" cried the lady, "I have been so dreadfully put out!" "Put out, ma'am !" exclaimed Mr. Bumble; "who has dared to-? I know!" said Mr. Bumble, checking himself with native majesty, "this is them wicious paupers !" 66 "It's dreadful to think of!" said the ady, shuddering. "Then don't think of it, ma'am," rejoined Mr. Bumble. "I can't help it," whimpered the lady. "Then take something, ma'am," said Mr. Bumble soothingly. "A little of the wine?" "Not for the world!" replied Mrs. Cor ney. "I couldn't-oh! The top shelf in the right-hand corner-oh!" Uttering these words, the good lady pointed distractedly to the cupboard, and underwent a convulsion from internal spasms. Mr. Bumble rushed to the closet, and, snatching a pint green-glass bottle from the shelf thus incoherently indicated, filled a tea-cup with its contents, and held it to the lady's lips. "I'm better now," said Mrs. Corney, falling back after drinking half of it. Mr. Bumble raised his eyes piously to the ceiling in thankfulness, and, bringing them down again to the brim of the cup, lifted it to his nose. "Peppermint," explained Mrs. Corney in a faint voice, smiling gently on the beadle as she spoke. Try it; there's a little-a little something else in it." 66 Mr. Bumble tasted the medicine with a doubtful look; smacked his lips, took another taste, and put the cup down empty. "It's very comforting," said Mrs. Cor ney. 66 Very much so indeed, ma'anı" said the beadle. As he spoke, he drew a chair beside the matron, and tenderly inquired what had happened to distress her. "Nothing," replied Mrs. Corney. "1 am a foolish, excitable, weak creetur." 66 Not weak, ma'am," retorted Mr. Burn ble, drawing his chair a little closer. "Are you a weak creetur, Mrs. Corney?" "We are all weak creeturs," said Mrs. Corney, laying down a general principle. "So we are," said the beadle. Nothing was said on either side for a minute or two afterwards; and by the expiration of that time Mr. Bumble had illustrated the position by removing his left arm from the back of Mrs. Corney's chair, where it had previously rested, to Mrs. Corney's apron-string, round which it gradually became entwined. "We are all weak creeturs," said Mr. Bumble. "But not for two, ma'am," rejoined Mr. Bumble in soft accents. "Eh, Mrs. Corney?" Mrs. Corney drooped her head when the beadle said this, and the beadle drooped his to get a view of Mrs. Corney's face. Mrs. Corney with great propri ty turned her head away, and relcased her hand to get at her pocket-handkerchief, but insensibly replaced it in that of Mr. Bumble. "The board allow you coals, don't they, Mrs. Corney?" affectionately inquired the beadle, pressing her hand. "And candles," replied Mrs. Corney, slightly returning the pressure. "Coals, candles, and house-rent free," said Mr. Bumble. "Oh, Mrs. Corney, what a angel you are!" The lady was not proof against this burst of feeling. She sunk into Mr. Bumble's arms; and that gentleman, in his agitation, imprinted a passionate kiss upon her chaste nose. "Such porochial perfection!" exclaimed Mr. Bumble rapturously. "You know that Mr. Slout is worse to-night, my fascinator ?" "The little word ?" said Mr. Bumble, bending over the bashful beauty. "The one little, little, little word, my blessed Corney?" 66 tron. Ye-ye-yes!" sighed out the ma "One more," pursued the beadle; compose your darling feelings for only one more. When is it to come off?" Mrs. Corney twice essayed to speak, and twice failed. At length, summoning up courage, she threw her arms round Mr. Bumble's neck, and said it might be as soon as ever he pleased, and that he was 66 a irresistible duck." Matters being thus amicably and satisfactorily arranged, the contract was solemnly ratified in another tea-cup-full of the peppermint mixture, which was rendered the more necessary by the flutter and agitation of the lady's spirits. While it was being disposed of, she acquainted Mr. Bumble with the old woman's de cease. "Very good," said that gentleman, sip They wouldn't have dared to do it, love," responded the lady. 66 They had better not!" said Mr. Bumble, clenching his fist. "Let me see any man, porochial or extra-porochial, as would presume to do it, and I can tell him that he wouldn't do it a second time!" Unembellished by any violence of ges ticulation, this might have sounded as no no very high compliment to the lady's charms; but, as Mr. Bumble accompanied the threat with many warlike gestures, she was much touched with this proof of his devotion, and protested with great admiration that he was indeed a dove. The dove then turned up his coat-collar, and put on his cocked-hat, and, having exchanged a long and affectionate embrace with his future partner, once again braved the cold wind of the night; merely pausing for a few minutes in the male paupers' ward to abuse them a little, with the view of satisfying himself that he could fill the office of workhouse-master with needful acerbity. Assured of his qualifications, Mr. Bumble left the building with a light heart, and bright visions of his future promotion, which served to occupy his mind until he reached the shop of the undertaker. Now, Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry having gone out to tea and supper, and Noah Claypole not being at any time disposed to take upon himself a greater amount of physical exertion than is necessary to a convenient performance of the two functions of eating and drinking, the shop was not closed, although it was past the usual hour of shutting-up. Mr. Bumble tapped with his cane on the counter se veral times; but, attracting no attention, |