I know you pretty well, you see.' 'I suppose, a married man,' replied Mr.Bumble, shading his eyes with his hand, and surveying the stranger, from head to foot, in evident perplexity, 'is not more averse to turning an honest penny when he can, than a single one.

Porochial officers are not so well paid that they can afford to refuse any little extra fee, when it comes to them in a civil and proper manner.' The stranger smiled, and nodded his head again: as much to say, he had not mistaken his man; then rang the bell.
'Fill this glass again,' he said, handing Mr.Bumble's empty tumbler to the landlord.

'Let it be strong and hot.

You like it so, I suppose ?' 'Not too strong,' replied Mr.Bumble, with a delicate cough.
'You understand what that means, landlord!' said the stranger, drily.
The host smiled, disappeared, and shortly afterwards returned with a steaming jorum: of which, the first gulp brought the water into Mr.
Bumble's eyes.
'Now listen to me,' said the stranger, after closing the door and window.

'I came down to this place, to-day, to find you out; and, by one of those chances which the devil throws in the way of his friends sometimes, you walked into the very room I was sitting in, while you were uppermost in my mind.