[Great Expectations by Charles Dickens]@TWC D-Link bookGreat Expectations ChapterIV
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But he punished the Amens tremendously; and when he gave out the psalm,--always giving the whole verse,--he looked all round the congregation first, as much as to say, "You have heard my friend overhead; oblige me with your opinion of this style!" I opened the door to the company,--making believe that it was a habit of ours to open that door,--and I opened it first to Mr.Wopsle, next to Mr.and Mrs.Hubble, and last of all to Uncle Pumblechook.
N.B.I was not allowed to call him uncle, under the severest penalties. "Mrs.Joe," said Uncle Pumblechook, a large hard-breathing middle-aged slow man, with a mouth like a fish, dull staring eyes, and sandy hair standing upright on his head, so that he looked as if he had just been all but choked, and had that moment come to, "I have brought you as the compliments of the season--I have brought you, Mum, a bottle of sherry wine--and I have brought you, Mum, a bottle of port wine." Every Christmas Day he presented himself, as a profound novelty, with exactly the same words, and carrying the two bottles like dumb-bells. Every Christmas Day, Mrs.Joe replied, as she now replied, "O, Un--cle Pum-ble--chook! This is kind!" Every Christmas Day, he retorted, as he now retorted, "It's no more than your merits.
And now are you all bobbish, and how's Sixpennorth of halfpence ?" meaning me. We dined on these occasions in the kitchen, and adjourned, for the nuts and oranges and apples to the parlor; which was a change very like Joe's change from his working-clothes to his Sunday dress.
My sister was uncommonly lively on the present occasion, and indeed was generally more gracious in the society of Mrs.Hubble than in other company.
I remember Mrs.Hubble as a little curly sharp-edged person in sky-blue, who held a conventionally juvenile position, because she had married Mr.Hubble,--I don't know at what remote period,--when she was much younger than he.
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