it　may　be　malicious　…　that　they　hold　the　memory　of　Titbull　in　some
  weak　sort　of　veneration；　and　that　they　once　set　off　together　on　a
  pilgrimage　to　the　parish　churchyard　to　find　his　tomb。　　To　this；
  perhaps；　might　be　traced　a　general　suspicion　that　they　are　spies　of
  'the　gentlemen：'　to　which　they　were　supposed　to　have　given　colour
  in　my　own　presence　on　the　occasion　of　the　weak　attempt　at
  justification　of　the　pump　by　the　gentlemen's　clerk；　when　they
  emerged　bare…headed　from　the　doors　of　their　dwellings；　as　if　their
  dwellings　and　themselves　constituted　an　old…fashioned　weather…glass
  of　double　action　with　two　figures　of　old　ladies　inside；　and
  deferentially　bowed　to　him　at　intervals　until　he　took　his
  departure。　　They　are　understood　to　be　perfectly　friendless　and
  relationless。　　Unquestionably　the　two　poor　fellows　make　the　very
  best　of　their　lives　in　Titbull's　Alms…Houses；　and　unquestionably
  they　are　（as　before　mentioned）　the　subjects　of　unmitigated　contempt
  there。
  On　Saturday　nights；　when　there　is　a　greater　stir　than　usual
  outside；　and　when　itinerant　vendors　of　miscellaneous　wares　even
  take　their　stations　and　light　up　their　smoky　lamps　before　the　iron
  railings；　Titbull's　becomes　flurried。　　Mrs。　Saggers　has　her
  celebrated　palpitations　of　the　heart；　for　the　most　part；　on
  Saturday　nights。　　But　Titbull's　is　unfit　to　strive　with　the　uproar
  of　the　streets　in　any　of　its　phases。　　It　is　religiously　believed　at
  Titbull's　that　people　push　more　than　they　used；　and　likewise　that
  the　foremost　object　of　the　population　of　England　and　Wales　is　to
  get　you　down　and　trample　on　you。　　Even　of　railroads　they　know；　at
  Titbull's；　little　more　than　the　shriek　（which　Mrs。　Saggers　says
  goes　through　her；　and　ought　to　be　taken　up　by　Government）；　and　the
  penny　postage　may　even　yet　be　unknown　there；　for　I　have　never　seen
  a　letter　delivered　to　any　inhabitant。　　But　there　is　a　tall；
  straight；　sallow　lady　resident　in　Number　Seven；　Titbull's；　who
  never　speaks　to　anybody；　who　is　surrounded　by　a　superstitious　halo
  of　lost　wealth；　who　does　her　household　work　in　housemaid's　gloves；
  and　who　is　secretly　much　deferred　to；　though　openly　cavilled　at；
  and　it　has　obscurely　leaked　out　that　this　old　lady　has　a　son；
  grandson；　nephew；　or　other　relative；　who　is　'a　Contractor；'　and　who
  would　think　it　nothing　of　a　job　to　knock　down　Titbull's；　pack　it
  off　into　Cornwall；　and　knock　it　together　again。　　An　immense
  sensation　was　made　by　a　gipsy…party　calling　in　a　spring…van；　to
  take　this　old　lady　up　to　go　for　a　day's　pleasure　into　Epping
  Forest；　and　notes　were　compared　as　to　which　of　the　company　was　the
  son；　grandson；　nephew；　or　other　relative；　the　Contractor。　　A　thick…
  set　personage　with　a　white　hat　and　a　cigar　in　his　mouth；　was　the
  favourite：　　though　as　Titbull's　had　no　other　reason　to　believe　that
  the　Contractor　was　there　at　all；　than　that　this　man　was　supposed　to
  eye　the　chimney　stacks　as　if　he　would　like　to　knock　them　down　and
  cart　them　off；　the　general　mind　was　much　unsettled　in　arriving　at　a
  conclusion。　　As　a　way　out　of　this　difficulty；　it　concentrated
  itself　on　the　acknowledged　Beauty　of　the　party；　every　stitch　in
  whose　dress　was　verbally　unripped　by　the　old　ladies　then　and　there；
  and　whose　'goings　on'　with　another　and　a　thinner　personage　in　a
  white　hat　might　have　suffused　the　pump　（where　they　were　principally
  discussed）　with　blushes；　for　months　afterwards。　　Herein　Titbull's
  was　to　Titbull's　true；　for　it　has　a　constitutional　dislike　of　all
  strangers。　　As　concerning　innovations　and　improvements；　it　is
  always　of　opinion　that　what　it　doesn't　want　itself；　nobody　ought　to
  want。　　But　I　think　I　have　met　with　this　opinion　outside　Titbull's。
  Of　the　humble　treasures　of　furniture　brought　into　Titbull's　by　the
  inmates　when　they　establish　themselves　in　that　place　of
  contemplation　for　the　rest　of　their　days；　by　far　the　greater　and
  more　valuable　part　belongs　to　the　ladies。　　I　may　claim　the　honour
  of　having　either　crossed　the　threshold；　or　looked　in　at　the　door；
  of　every　one　of　the　nine　ladies；　and　I　have　noticed　that　they　are
  all　particular　in　the　article　of　bedsteads；　and　maintain　favourite
  and　long…established　bedsteads　and　bedding　as　a　regular　part　of
  their　rest。　　Generally　an　antiquated　chest　of　drawers　is　among
  their　cherished　possessions；　a　tea…tray　always　is。　　I　know　of　at
  least　two　rooms　in　which　a　little　tea…kettle　of　genuine　burnished
  copper；　vies　with　the　cat　in　winking　at　the　fire；　and　one　old　lady
  has　a　tea…urn　set　forth　in　state　on　the　top　of　her　chest　of
  drawers；　which　urn　is　used　as　her　library；　and　contains　four
  duodecimo　volumes；　and　a　black…bordered　newspaper　giving　an　account
  of　the　funeral　of　Her　Royal　Highness　the　Princess　Charlotte。　　Among
  the　poor　old　gentlemen　there　are　no　such　niceties。　　Their　furniture
  has　the　air　of　being　contributed；　like　some　obsolete　Literary
  Miscellany；　'by　several　hands；'　their　few　chairs　never　match；　old
  patchwork　coverlets　linger　among　them；　and　they　have　an　untidy
  habit　of　keeping　their　wardrobes　in　hat…boxes。　　When　I　recall　one
  old　gentleman　who　is　rather　choice　in　his　shoe…brushes　and
  blacking…bottle；　I　have　summed　up　the　domestic　elegances　of　that
  side　of　the　building。
  On　the　occurrence　of　a　death　in　Titbull's；　it　is　invariably　agreed
  among　the　survivors　…　and　it　is　the　only　subject　on　which　they　do
  agree　…　that　the　departed　did　something　'to　bring　it　on。'　　Judging
  by　Titbull's；　I　should　say　the　human　race　need　never　die；　if　they
  took　care。　　But　they　don't　take　care；　and　they　do　die；　and　when
  they　die　in　Titbull's　they　are　buried　at　the　cost　of　the
  Foundation。　　Some　provision　has　been　made　for　the　purpose；　in
  virtue　of　which　（I　record　this　on　the　strength　of　having　seen　the
  funeral　of　Mrs。　Quinch）　a　lively　neighbouring　undertaker　dresses　up
  four　of　the　old　men；　and　four　of　the　old　women；　hustles　them　into　a
  procession　of　four　couples；　and　leads　off　with　a　large　black　bow　at
  the　back　of　his　hat；　looking　over　his　shoulder　at　them　airily　from
  time　to　time　to　see　that　no　member　of　the　party　has　got　lost；　or
  has　tumbled　down；　as　if　they　were　a　company　of　dim　old　dolls。
  Resignation　of　a　dwelling　is　of　very　rare　occurrence　in　Titbull's。
  A　story　does　obtain　there；　how　an　old　lady's　son　once　drew　a　prize
  of　Thirty　Thousand　Pounds　in　the　Lottery；　and　presently　drove　to
  the　gate　in　his　own　carriage；　with　French　Horns　playing　up　behind；
  and　whisked　his　mother　away；　and　left　ten　guineas　for　a　Feast。　　But
  I　have　been　unable　to　substantiate　it　by　any　evidence；　and　regard
  it　as　an　Alms…House　Fairy　Tale。　　It　is　curious　that　the　only　proved
  case　of　resignation　happened　within　my　knowledge。
  It　happened　on　this　wise。　　There　is　a　sharp　competition　among　the
  ladies　respecting　the　gentility　of　their　visitors；　and　I　have　so
  often　observed　visitors　to　be　dressed　as　for　a　holiday　occasion；
  that　I　suppose　the　ladies　to　have　besought　them　to　make　all
  possible　display　when　they　come。　　In　these　circumstances　much
  excitement　was　one　day　occasioned　by　Mrs。　Mitts　receiving　a　visit
  from　a　Greenwich　Pensioner。　　He　was　a　Pensioner　of　a　bluff　and
  warlike　appearance；　with　an　empty　coat…sleeve；　and　he　was　got　up
  with　unusual　care；　his　coat…buttons　were　extremely　bright；　he　wore
  his　empty　coat…sleeve　in　a　graceful　festoon；　and　he　had　a　walking…
  stick　in　his　hand　that　must　have　cost　money。　　When；　with　the　head
  of　his　walking…stick；　he　knocked　at　Mrs。　Mitts's　door　…　there　are
  no　knockers　in　Titbull's　…　Mrs。　Mitts　was　overheard　by　a　next…door
  neighbour　to　utter　a　cry　of　surprise　expressing　much　agitation；　and
  the　same　neighbour　did　afterwards　solemnly　affirm　that　when　he　was
  admitted　into　Mrs。　Mitts's　room；　she　heard　a　smack。　　Heard　a　smack
  which　was　not　a　blow。
  There　was　an　air　about　this　Greenwich　Pensioner　when　he　took　his
  departure；　which　imbued　all　Titbull's　with　the　conviction　that　he
  was　coming　again。　　He　was　eagerly　looked　for；　and　Mrs。　Mitts　was
  closely　watched。　　In　the　meantime；　if　anything　could　have　placed
  the　unfortunate　six　old　gentlemen　at　a　greater　disadvantage　than
  that　at　which　they　chronically　stood；　it　would　have　been　the
  apparition　of　this　Greenwich　Pensioner。　　They　were　well　shrunken
  already；　but　they　shrunk　to　nothing　in　comparison　with　the
  Pensioner。　　Even　the　poor　old　gentlemen　themselves　seemed　conscious
  of　their　inferiority；　and　to　know　submissively　that　they　could
  never　hope　to　hold　their　own　against　the　Pensioner　with　his　warlike
  and　maritime　experience　in　the　past；　and　his　tobacco　money　in　the
  present：　　his　chequered　career　of　blue　water；　black　gunpowder；　and
  red　bloodshed　for　England；　home；　and　beauty。
  Before　three　weeks　were　out；　the　Pensioner　reappeared。　　Again　he
  knocked　at　Mrs。　Mitts's　door　with　the　handle　of　his　stick；　and
  again　was　he　admitted。　　But　not　again　did　he　depart　alone；　for　Mrs。
  Mitts；　in　a　bonnet　identified　as　having　been　re…embellished；　went
  out　walking　with　him；　and　stayed　out　till　the　ten　o'clock　beer；
  Greenwich