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before？’
‘It’s like you may；’ said Hugh； in his careless way。 ‘I don’t know；
shouldn’t wonder。’
‘No； but it’s very easily settled；’ returned Sim。 ‘Look at me。 Did
you ever see me before？ You wouldn’t be likely to forget it； you
know； if you ever did。 Look at me。 Don’t be afraid； I won’t do you
any harm。 Take a good look—steady now。’
The encouraging way in which Mr Tappertit made this request；
and coupled it with an assurance that he needn’t be frightened；
amused Hugh mightily—so much indeed； that be saw nothing at
all of the small man before him； through closing his eyes in a fit of
hearty laughter； which shook his great broad sides until they
ached again。
‘Come！’ said Mr Tappertit； growing a little impatient under this
disrespectful treatment。 ‘Do you know me； feller？’
‘Not I；’ cried Hugh。 ‘Ha ha ha！ Not I！ But I should like to。’
‘And yet I’d have wagered a seven…shilling piece；” said Mr
Tappertit； folding his arms； and confronting him with his legs wide
apart and firmly planted on the ground； ‘that you once were
hostler at the Maypole。’
Hugh opened his eyes on hearing this； and looked at him in
great surprise。
‘—And so you were； too；’ said Mr Tappertit； pushing him away
with a condescending playfulness。 ‘When did my eyes ever
deceive—unless it was a young woman！ Don’t you know me now？’
‘Why it an’t—’ Hugh faltered。
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‘An’t it？’ said Mr Tappertit。 ‘Are you sure of that？ You
remember G。 Varden； don’t you？’
Certainly Hugh did； and he remembered D。 Varden too； but
that he didn’t tell him。
‘You remember coming down there； before I was out of my
time； to ask after a vagabond that had bolted off； and left his
disconsolate father a prey to the bitterest emotions； and all the rest
of it—don’t you？’ said Mr Tappertit。
‘Of course I do！’ cried Hugh。 ‘And I saw you there。’
‘Saw me there！’ said Mr Tappertit。 ‘Yes； I should think you did
see me there。 The place would be troubled to go on without me。
Don’t you remember my thinking you liked the vagabond； and on
that account going to quarrel with you； and then finding you
detested him worse than poison； going to drink with you？ Don’t
you remember that？’
‘To be sure！’ cried Hugh。
‘Well！ and are you in the same mind now？’ said Mr Tappertit。
‘Yes！’ roared Hugh。
‘You speak like a man；’ said Mr Tappertit； ‘and I’ll shake hands
with you。’ With these conciliatory expressions he suited the action
to the word； and Hugh meeting his advances readily； they
performed the ceremony with a show of great heartiness。
‘I find；’ said Mr Tappertit； looking round on the assembled
guests； ‘that brother What’s…his…name and I are old
acquaintance。—You never heard anything more of that rascal； I
suppose； eh？’
‘Not a syllable；’ replied Hugh。 ‘I never want to。 I don’t believe I
ever shall。 He’s dead long ago； I hope。’
‘It’s to be hoped； for the sake of mankind in general and the
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happiness of society； that he is；’ said Mr Tappertit； rubbing his
palm upon his legs； and looking at it between whiles。 ‘Is your other
hand at all cleaner？ Much the same。 Well； I’ll owe you another
shake。 We’ll suppose it done； if you’ve no objection。’
Hugh laughed again； and with such thorough abandonment to
his mad humour； that his limbs seemed dislocated； and his whole
frame in danger of tumbling to pieces； but Mr Tappertit； so far
from receiving this extreme merriment with any irritation； was
pleased to regard it with the utmost favour； and even to join in it；
so far as one of his gravity and station could； with any regard to
that decency and decorum which men in high places are expected
to maintain。
Mr Tappertit did not stop here； as many public characters
might have done； but calling up his brace of lieutenants；
introduced Hugh to them with high commendation； declaring him
to be a man who； at such times as those in which they lived； could
not be too much cherished。 Further； he did him the honour to
remark； that he would be an acquisition of which even the United
Bulldogs might be proud； and finding； upon sounding him； that he
was quite ready and willing to enter the society （for he was not at
all particular； and would have leagued himself that night with
anything； or anybody； for any purpose whatsoever）； caused the
necessary preliminaries to be gone into upon the spot。 This tribute
to his great merit delighted no man more than Mr Dennis； as he
himself proclaimed with several rare and surprising oaths； and
indeed it gave unmingled satisfaction to the whole assembly。
‘Make anything you like of me！’ cried Hugh； flourishing the can
he had emptied more than once。 ‘Put me on any duty you please。
I’m your man。 I’ll do it。 Here’s my captain—here’s my leader。 Ha
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ha ha！ Let him give me the word of command； and I’ll fight the
whole Parliament House single…handed； or set a lighted torch to
the King’s Throne itself！’ With that； he smote Mr Tappertit on the
back； with such violence that his little body seemed to shrink into
a mere nothing； and roared again until the very foundlings near at
hand were startled in their beds。
In fact； a sense of something whimsical in their companionship
seemed to have taken entire possession of his rude brain。 The bare
fact of being patronised by a great man whom he could have
crushed with one hand； appeared in his eyes so eccentric and
humorous； that a kind of ferocious merriment gained the mastery