I wish you'd hold your noise!'
He burst into a laugh, which, being prolonged, fell off into a dismal
wail. Checking himself, with fierce inconstancy he began to count--fast.
'One--two--three--four--five--six.'
"One, two, buckle my shoe,"' said Mrs Gamp, who was now on her knees,
lighting the fire, "three, four, shut the door,"--I wish you'd shut
your mouth, young man--"five, six, picking up sticks." If I'd got a few
handy, I should have the kettle boiling all the sooner.'
Awaiting this desirable consummation, she sat down so close to the
fender (which was a high one) that her nose rested upon it; and for some
time she drowsily amused herself by sliding that feature backwards and
forwards along the brass top, as far as she could, without changing her
position to do it. She maintained, all the while, a running commentary
upon the wanderings of the man in bed.
'That makes five hundred and twenty-one men, all dressed alike, and with
the same distortion on their faces, that have passed in at the window,
and out at the door,' he cried, anxiously. 'Look there! Five hundred and
twenty-two--twenty-three--twenty-four.
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