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Ch 26
This chapter introduces us to Poll (Paul) Sweedlepipe who among other
activities is Mrs Gamp's Landlord. His other professions are Barber
and Bird fancier. He makes his way through Holbourn to escort Mrs.
Gamp back, as she is no longer required to attend to Mr Guffey. In
his hurry he bumps into a young man in a smartly dressed livery
uniform. The young man he recognises as Young Bailey who has left
Mrs Todgers and has a new career in personal transport. Young
Bailey agrees to continue with Paul and meet the one and only Mrs
Gamp. Bailey is introduced to her and there is some confusion - has
Jonas married Charity or Mercy? The matter is quickly settled as
Jonas and Mercy arrive back from their honeymoon, something however
is wrong with Mercy she has changed and seems to be a broken young
woman, Mrs Gamp aware of her distress offers to be available should
she need some motherly help (or maybe `Mothering' help)
Ch 27
The young , increasingly swaggering Bailey, has bettered himself in
life now that he has left the service of Todgers and found himself a
livery job under his new boss Tigg Montague (note the reverse of his
name) Jonas Chuzzlewit initially is meeting with Montague through
the recommendation of Jobbling the quack physician with the
prospective idea of taking out a very large life assurance policy on
his young dear wife Mercy. It does not take long for Montague to
assess that having Jonas join the board of the The Anglo-Bengalee
Disinterested Loan and Life Assurance Company will benefit all
immensely. Jonas agrees to dine with Montague the next evening
Ch 28
Jonas arrives the next evening at Montague's impressively furnished
apartments and is introduced to a few more directors and colleagues
of Montague. The dinner is elegant and impressive served with the
most expensive wines that Jonas indulges freely in, becoming more
uninhibited and malleable and when asked if he would `be one of us'
he freely agreed to join, being intoxicated he falls asleep and young
Bailey is summoned to take him home by cab. Mercy with the
assistance of Bailey helps him up to their room where he gradually
comes back to consciousness and proffers a steam of verbal abuse
directed at her and as Bailey leaves he hears the sounds of physical
blows but no loud cries, only stifled sobs and words that sound
like `how can you, how can you'?
Ch 29
May be Young Bailey was discomforted by what he heard the previous
evening but he feels the need to visit his barber friend Poll
Sweedlepipe the next morning whom he surprises by swinging himself
into the chair and requesting a shave. This is quickly done as not
much growth is there. Poll's tenant Mrs Gamp comes down and there
is friendly banter with young Bailey. Mrs Gamp is feeling a bit
strained after looking after the sick tenant at The Bull and shares
an encouraging conversation she recently had with Mrs Harris about
the hardships of life. Her sick patient is shortly to go to the
country for recuperation she says, Poll is interested and suggests,
that as Mrs Gamp is shortly repairing there, that they accompany
her. Bailey converses about the previous evening with Jonas but
withholds much particularly about Jonas' treatment of Mercy.
Arriving at The Bull Mrs Gamp goes to help Mrs Prig roughly dress the
patient who appears very ill indeed, week but improving. John
Westlock who is financing the project of helping the treatment for
Mr. Lewsome arrives to arrange the transportation. Lewsome tries in
vain to speak to Westlock about an important issue, Mrs Gamp assures
Westlock that he is not only physically ill but suffers a mental
condition and so cannot be believed. The carriage is about to
leave when Mrs Gamp who is to accompany Mr. Lewsome backs into Mr. &
Mrs Mould, she shares with Mr. Mould that Mr. Lewsome may not have
much time on this earth, Mr Mould acquiesces and assures that he can
be called upon for his services if they are required. A quiet
unobtrusive gentleman named Nadgett (who is employed by Montague to
report of prospective customers of the Life Insurance company) is
quietly observing these matters from a dark corner of The Bull.
7:44 PM - 24/3/2007 -
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