"And more," says he. "Wampires?" says I. "And more," says he. "Musquitoes, perhaps?" says I. "And more," says he. "What more?" says I. "Snakes more," says he; "rattle-snakes. You're right to a certain extent, stranger. There air some catawampous chawers in the small way too, as graze upon a human pretty strong. but don't mind them, they're company. It's snakes," he says, "as you''ll object to: and whenever you wake and see one in a upright poster on your bed," he says, "like a corkscrew with the handle off a-sittin' on its bottom ring, cut him down, for he means wenom."'
`Why didn't you tell me this before!' cried Martin, with an expression of face which set off the cheerfulness of Mark's visage to great advantage.
`I never thought on it, sir,' said Mark. `It come in at one ear, and went out at the other. But Lord love us, he was one of another Company I dare say, and only made up the story that we might go to his Eden, and not the opposition one'
`There's some probability in that,' observed Martin. `I can honestly say that I hope so, with all my heart.'
`I've not a doubt about it, sir,' returned Mark, who, full of the inspiriting influence of the anecodote upon himself, had for the moment forgotten its probable effect upon his master; `anyhow, we must live, you know, sir.'
`Live!' cried Martin. `Yes, it's easy to say live; but if we should happen not to wake when rattlesnakes are ****** corkscrews of themselves upon our beds, it may be not so easy to do it.'
`And that's a fact,' said a voice so close in his ear that it tickled him. `That's dreadful true.'
Martin looked round, and found that a gentleman, on the seat behind, had thrust his head between himself and Mark, and sat with his chin resting on the back rail of their little bench, entertaining himself with their conversation. He was as languid and listless in his looks as most of the gentlemen they had seen; his cheeks were so hollow that he seemed to be always sucking them in; and the sun had burnt him, not a wholesome red or brown, but dirty yellow. He had bright dark eyes, which he kept half closed; only peeping out of the corners, and even then with a glance that seemed to say, `Now you won't overreach me: you want to, but you won't.'
His arms rested carelessly on his knees as he leant forward; in the palm of his left hand, as English rustics have their slice of cheese, he had a cake of tobacco; in his right a penknife. He struck into the dialogue with as little reserve as if he had been specially called in, days before, to hear the arguments on both sides, and favour them with his opinion; and he no more contemplated or cared for the possibility of their not desiring the honour of his acquaintance or interference in their private affairs than if he had been a bear or a buffalo.
`That,' he repeated, nodding condescendingly to Martin, as to an outer barbarian and foreigner, `is dreadful true. Darn all manner of vermin.'
Martin could not help frowning for a moment, as if he were disposed to insinuate that the gentleman had unconsciously `darned' himself. But remembering the wisdom of doing at Rome as Romans do, he smiled with the pleasantest expression he could assume upon so short a notice.
Their new friend said no more just then, being busily employed in cutting a quid or plug from his cake of tobacco, and whistling softly to himself the while. When he had shaped it to his liking, he took out his old plug, and deposited the same on the back of the seat between Mark and Martin, while he thrust the new one into the hollow of his cheek, where it looked like a large walnut, or tolerable pippin. Finding it quite satisfactory, he stuck the point of his knife into the old plug, and holding it out for their inspection, remarked with the air of a man who had not lived in vain, that it was `used up considerable.' Then he tossed it away; put his knife into one pocket and his tobacco into another; rested his chin upon the rail as before; and approving of the pattern on Martin's waistcoat, reached out his hand to feel the texture of that garment.
`What do you call this now?' he asked.
`Upon my word' said Martin, `I don't know what it's called.'
`It'll cost a dollar or more a yard, I reckon?'
`I really don't know.'
`In my country,' said the gentleman, `we know the cost of our own produce.'
Martin not discussing the question, there was a pause.
`Well!' resumed their new friend, after staring at them intently during the whole interval of silence: `how's the unnat'ral old parent by this time?'
Mr. Tapley regarding this inquiry as only another version of the impertinent English question, `How's your mother?' would have resented it instantly, but for Martin's prompt interposition.
`You mean the old country?' he said.
`Ah!' was the reply. `How's she? Progressing back'ards, I expect, as usual? Well! How's Queen Victoria?'
`In good health, I believe,' said Martin.
`Queen Victoria won't shake in her royal shoes at all, when she hears to-morrow named,' observed the stranger, `No.'
`Not that I am aware of. Why should she?'
`She won't be taken with a cold chill, when she realises what is being done in these diggings,' said the stranger. `No.'
`No,' said Martin. `I think I could take my oath of that.'
The strange gentleman looked at him as if in pity for his ignorance or prejudice, and said:
`Well, sir, I tell you this -- there ain't a engine with its biler bust, in God A'mighty's free U-nited States, so fixed, and nipped, and frizzled to a most e-tarnal smash, as that young critter, in her luxurious location in the Tower of London will be, when she reads the next double-extra Watertoast Gazette.'
Several other gentlemen had left their seats and gathered round during the foregoing dialogue. They were highly delighted with this speech. One very lank gentleman, in a loose limp white cravat, long white waistcoat, and a black great-coat, who seemed to be in authority among them, felt called upon to acknowledge it.
`Hem! Mr. La Fayette Kettle,' he said, taking off his hat.
There was a grave murmur of `Hush!'
`Mr. La Fayette Kettle! Sir!'