flourishing the teaspoon with a kind of amorous dignity which

made him doubly impressive; 'I would drown it myself, with

'Then you're a cruel man,' said the matron vivaciously, as she

held out her hand for the beadle's cup; 'and a very hard-hearted

'Hard-hearted, ma'am?' said Mr. Bumble. 'Hard?' Mr. Bumble

resigned his cup without another word; squeezed Mrs. Corney's

little finger as she took it; and inflicting two open-handed

slaps upon his laced waistcoat, gave a mighty sigh, and hitched