The atmosphere of this room was rendered intensely hot and stifling by the stove; but being further flavoured by a sickly gush of soup from the kitchen, and by such remote suggestions of tobacco as lingered within the brazen receptacles already mentioned, it became, to a stranger's senses, almost insupportable.
The gentleman in the rocking-chair having his back towards them, and being much engaged in his intellectual pastime, was not aware of their approach until the colonel, walking up to the stove, contributed his mite towards the support of the left-hand spittoon, just as the major--for it was the major--bore down upon it.

Major Pawkins then reserved his fire, and looking upward, said, with a peculiar air of quiet weariness, like a man who had been up all night--an air which Martin had already observed both in the colonel and Mr Jefferson Brick-- 'Well, colonel!' 'Here is a gentleman from England, major,' the colonel replied, 'who has concluded to locate himself here if the amount of compensation suits him.' 'I am glad to see you, sir,' observed the major, shaking hands with Martin, and not moving a muscle of his face.

'You are pretty bright, I hope ?' 'Never better,' said Martin.
'You are never likely to be,' returned the major.

'You will see the sun shine HERE.' 'I think I remember to have seen it shine at home sometimes,' said Martin, smiling.
'I think not,' replied the major.

He said so with a stoical indifference certainly, but still in a tone of firmness which admitted of no further dispute on that point.